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Economic analysis, data work, and Python notes from Brian Dew.
All posts — page 2
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The Wage Data Went Dark at Exactly the Wrong Time
The government shutdown meant no October CPS was collected. Without it, the BLS couldn’t publish its Usual Weekly Earnings series for the...
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Economic Data Review: Q1 2026
The Federal Reserve begins its two-day meeting today and is widely expected to hold the federal funds rate at 3.50-3.75 percent. With abo...
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Who pays for raising the retirement age
Social Security’s cost is projected to rise from 5.3% of GDP today to about 6% by 2055, according to the 2025 Trustees Report. That is le...
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After the thrill is gone
Consumer spending grew about 2 percent over the year ending December 2025, while total household income only increased by 1 percent. The ...
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Defining Poverty Away
A recent piece from Seth Ackerman showed how the design of economic statistics changes the story they tell. At any point in time, US and ...
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The last energy crisis cost Europe $1.8 trillion. The next one just started.
With the war on Iran disrupting global LNG supply and European gas prices surging, a new energy crisis is taking shape before Europe has ...
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53 Percent of Young Adults Live with Their Parents
As of January 2026, 52.9 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 are living with a parent, grandparent, or other relative. That is within half ...
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To Speed Up Buses, Change the Streets
In June 2025, WMATA launched the Better Bus Network Redesign, the first overhaul of the DC region’s bus network in 50 years. The redesign...
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Remote Work’s Slow Burn
Six years after the pandemic sent office workers home, remote work is no longer a disruption. It’s infrastructure. Nearly a quarter of th...
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Economic Divergence: The K-Shaped Economy’s Missing Story
Some economists have been highlighting a divergence in consumer spending. But the discussion is missing an important piece: the dramatic ...
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Matching CPS Observations to Create Crosswalks
Occupation data in the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) can be very useful, particularly during a shake-up in labor markets. The e...
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The Gender Wage Gap in 2025: Bigger Than You Think
The gender wage gap widened in 2025. Women working full-time now earn about 82 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, do...
