Economy articles
How much debt does the US have?
About $38.5 trillion as of January 2026. The federal government borrows money when its spending and investments cannot be funded by federal revenue alone; this debt enables the government to pay for programs and services when funds aren’t immediately available.
Are wages keeping up with inflation?
Yes. From January 2025 to January 2026, wages grew 1.9 percentage points faster than inflation. Nominal wages — the literal dollars earned regardless of cost of living — increased by 4.3% while inflation stood at 2.4%. When wage growth outpaces inflation, it indicates that workers are experiencing an increase in purchasing power from the previous year.
What is the current inflation rate in the US?
2.4%, as of January 2026. Inflation refers to the rise in prices of goods and services over time, which reduces the purchasing power of the dollar. The inflation rate is the percentage that describes how quickly these prices are rising. While several government datasets track price changes, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) represents about 90% of the US population. The CPI measures inflation by tracking the price fluctuations of a “basket of goods and services” over time, providing a clear picture of how inflation affects everyday living expenses.
Why does daylight saving time exist?
The ritual of changing the clocks twice a year to get more daylight has been in place for more than 50 years. But debates in state legislatures and Congress show that there’s interest in stopping the process. When does daylight saving time start and end? In 2026, daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 8, and will end on Sunday, November 1. It will begin again on Sunday, March 14, 2027, and run through Sunday, November 7, 2027.
What is the labor force participation rate in the US?
It was 62.5% in January 2026. The labor force participation rate measures the percent of people ages 16 and older engaged in the labor market, including those who are working or who are unemployed but actively looking for a job.
What is the unemployment rate in the US right now?
About 4.3% in January 2026. That's a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the prior month. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but not currently employed. It's a common way to measure the health of the job market and economy.
How much does the federal government spend on SNAP every year?
About $101.7 billion during fiscal year (FY) 2025. That’s 1.4% of all federal spending. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), once known as the Food Stamp program, is administered by the Department of Agriculture providing food assistance to low-income people.
What is the US poverty rate?
About 10.6% of the population as of 2024. The poverty rate is the percentage of people whose household income falls below the poverty threshold set by the government. It measures the percentage of people in households that don’t earn enough to pay for basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare. In 2024, 35.9 million people lived in poverty.
How much money does the US federal government collect?
About $5.26 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. This is about $15,400 per person in the US, however individual contributions vary based on income, spending, and other factors. Government revenue is the total amount of money received from individual and corporate taxes, and other sources that are used to pay for government spending.
How much revenue does the federal government collect from tariffs?
$194.9 billion in FY 2025. This figure reflects revenue from tariffs and other import-related fees, also known as customs duties. Customs duties are taxes and fees paid by US importers and collected by US Customs and Border Protection on goods imported into the country, which generate revenue for the federal government.
What is the federal poverty level?
The federal poverty guidelines — also known as the federal poverty level (FPL) — are used by federal agencies to determine eligibility for programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These guidelines are issued annually by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and are based on the official poverty thresholds calculated by the Census Bureau. They set the income limits for many need-based programs, helping determine who qualifies for assistance. While the thresholds are more detailed and used for statistical measurement of poverty, the FPL is a simplified version designed for administrative purposes. The guidelines are adjusted for inflation each year and vary by household size.
How many job openings are there in the US?
About 6.54 million, as of December 2025. The number of job openings decreased by 966,000 from December 2024. A “job opening” is defined as a position open on the last business day of the month. To be considered “open,” a job must meet three conditions: (1) There’s work available for the position; (2) The job could start within 30 days; and (3) The employer is actively recruiting.
How many people are laid off in the United States each month?
About 1.76 million in December 2025. This includes all terminations of employment by an employer — called layoffs and discharges — such as permanent layoffs, temporary layoffs, and terminations because of mergers, downsizing, closings, or employee performance.
What are the average salaries for four-year college graduates?
According to Census Bureau estimates, prime‑working‑age adults (25 to 64) with full‑time jobs and a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $105,381 in 2024.The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also collects wage data, publishing weekly medians instead of annual averages. According to BLS data, people working full-time whose highest level of education was a bachelor’s degree made a median of $1,543 per week in 2024. Both datasets show a similar pattern: people in the prime working age group with bachelor’s degrees earn more on average than people without any post-secondary education, at least when they’re working full-time.
How much revenue does sports betting generate?
Betting isn't something that only happens at racetracks or casinos anymore – websites and apps are helping sports betting become a nationwide pastime. And as it grows in popularity, some state coffers are benefiting to the tune of millions in tax revenue from wagers on professional sports.What is sports betting?“Sports gambling” is defined in federal law as “a lottery, sweepstakes, or other betting, gambling, or wagering scheme based, directly or indirectly (through the use of geographical references or otherwise), on one or more competitive games in which amateur or professional athletes participate, or are intended to participate, or on one or more performances of such athletes in such games.” Basically: placing bets on the outcomes of sporting events or on the performance of particular athletes. Sports betting can happen in person (such as at a casino or sportsbook/off-track), online at websites like FanDuel, and through smartphone apps.Is sports betting legal?Sports betting is not federally prohibited in the United States; its legality depends on individual state laws. State-by-state legality was not always the case: sports betting was effectively banned nationwide in 1992 under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). That law prohibited states from authorizing sports betting, although gambling was allowed to continue in four states that had state-authorized sports betting schemes in place pre-PASPA: Nevada, where all sports betting was already legal and regulated. Delaware, Oregon, and Montana, which were permitted to continue the limited forms of sports betting they already allowed — primarily state-run sports lotteries or parlay-style betting — but weren’t allowed to expand beyond those formats.
What is the value of US trade overall?
$3.23 trillion in exports and $4.14 trillion in imports in 2024. Benefits of trade can include higher wages and job growth, a wider variety of products available at lower prices, increased productivity, and more efficient resource allocation.
How many people live in subsidized housing in the United States?
About 9.05 million people in 2023, or about 2.0 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, residents in 2023 had lived in their units for ten years and two months.
What is the homeownership rate in the US?
About 65.6% in 2024. That means about 2 in 3 households owned their home while the remainder rented.
How long do people wait for subsidized housing in the United States?
Two years and three months, on average, in 2024. That’s an 8% increase since 2023, when recipients spent two years and one month on waiting lists before moving in to subsidized housing.
How many households in the United States spend too much on housing?
About 42.5 million in 2024. That's 33% of all households. These households spent at least 30% of their total income on rent or mortgage payments and utilities. The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing to be cost-burdened. Cost-burdened households may have less money for other necessities such as food, healthcare, or savings.