Social and Community Reports

The "secret sauce": The LGBTQ+ community & state economic growth rates – 06/01/2023

What, if any, effect do concentrations of LGBT individuals have on state economic growth rates? The analysis we conducted this year to commemorate Pride Month finds that states with higher proportions of LGBT individuals enjoyed stronger rates of economic growth in 2010-2019, everything else equal.

Earth, wind & complier – 04/20/2023

The clean-energy transition is slow moving, but it's happening. To commemorate Earth Day 2023, we detail how proposed regulatory changes and recent legislation is incentivizing businesses to invest in clean-energy initiatives. That will come with changes across the supply chain and could support domestic production, adding to the recent retreat in globalization.

Party of one – 03/08/2023

Single women are a growing share of the U.S. population and an increasingly important source of labor at a time employers are struggling to hire. However, single women continue to lag men in terms of pay, which is restraining current spending and making it more difficult to build wealth.

Gaining economic & financial ground in the Black community since COVID – 02/02/2023

The COVID pandemic imparted a significant shock to the U.S. economy, and the aftereffects of that shock and the associated policy response are still reverberating throughout the economy. Is the country's Black and African American community better off economically and financially relative to February 2020?

The labor market remains solid for America's vets – 11/10/2022

In a follow-up to a report we wrote last November to coincide with Veterans and Military Families Month, we focus on labor market characteristics of the nation's working-age vets.

Falling unemployment in the Native American community: Here to stay? – 11/01/2022

The jobless rate among Native Americans spiked when the economy shut down in early 2020, but it has subsequently receded to its pre-pandemic lows. Will these gains be lost if, as we expect, the U.S. economy falls into recession in 2023?

Bump in the road: What a potential U.S. recession means for Hispanic workers – 09/15/2022 

If, as we expect, the U.S. economy slips into a modest recession in 2023, then the relative gains that Hispanic workers have enjoyed over the past few years could experience a temporary setback. That said, Hispanic and Latinx individuals will continue to be a critical source of labor for the U.S. economy in coming years.

The growing economic influence of the LGBTQ+ community - 06/01/2022  

In commemoration of Pride Month, which has been celebrated in some manner since 1970, we highlight some notable economic characteristics of the LGBTQ+ community at present. In short, the economic influence of the community should continue to grow in coming years.

Diversity & inclusion: A tale of two economies part III - 05/24/2022  

We take a deeper dive into the implications of long-term unemployment and conduct scenario analysis. Does the Black or African American unemployment rate's slower pace of recovery have implications for the national labor market?

Shining a light on the rising economic potential of AAPI small business - 05/05/2022  

In commemoration of AAPI Heritage Month, we highlight some of the economic contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community with a focus on AAPI-owned small businesses, as May is also Small Business Month.

Diversity & inclusion: A tale of two economies part II - 04/18/2022  

We analyze the unemployment recoveries of the past three business cycles to gain a cleaner read on how different communities have experienced and recovered from recessions over time.

Factors to consider for a net zero carbon economy – 04/13/2022

To commemorate Earth Day 2022, we put the current state of greenhouse gas emissions into context and consider the big-picture economic implications of a transition to a net zero carbon future.

Diversity & Inclusion: A tale of two economies part I – 04/05/2022 

We introduce an approach to analyzing the unemployment recovery across different communities based on race/ethnicity and gender and measure the economic damages from the COVID recession.

Who cares? – 03/01/2022 

The pandemic laid bare the importance of childcare to the U.S. workforce as millions of school-age children shifted to remote learning, but it also amplified the cracks in an already thin and fragile care system for young children.

Economic resiliency and progress in the Black and African American community – 02/01/2022 

In commemoration of Black History Month, this report looks at some of the economic accomplishments that the Black and African American community has achieved despite obstacles that it faces.

Inflation: same storm, different boats – 01/31/2022 

The strongest inflation in nearly 40 years is presenting a significant challenge to all American households, but some consumers are being hit harder than others.

Recent economic developments in the Native American community – 11/01/2021 

In commemoration of Native American Heritage Month, we look at economic developments and future economic prospects in the Native American community.