Econofact

Econofact EconoFact brings incisive analysis from leading researchers to the national debate on economic policy

Electricity demand is rising. At the same time, so are questions about the future of coal-fired power. What are the econ...
08/09/2026

Electricity demand is rising. At the same time, so are questions about the future of coal-fired power. What are the economic, environmental, and public health costs of keeping aging coal plants online, and who ultimately bears those costs? Bryan Hubbell explains

Expected increases in electricity demand, as well as policies to support coal-fired electricity generation, are slowing or arresting the pace of coal’s decline.

Following the 2022 Dobbs decision, several states enacted total abortion bans. What effect have these policies had on ad...
07/16/2026

Following the 2022 Dobbs decision, several states enacted total abortion bans. What effect have these policies had on adolescent mental health, specifically on su***de risk among female high school students? Nicole Chen, Jason Lindo, Rayan Ouaddi, and Wendy Sheldon examine new evidence.

Several states implemented total abortion bans following the Dobbs decision. Did the bans have an effect on the mental health of adolescent females?

Following a decade of rapid growth, private credit funds are facing renewed scrutiny. How safe are these investments, an...
07/14/2026

Following a decade of rapid growth, private credit funds are facing renewed scrutiny. How safe are these investments, and could stress in private credit spill over into the broader financial system? Charles Collyns explains

Following a decade of dramatic growth, private-credit funds have come under stress, especially those with significant exposure to software companies.

As Treasury yields rise and concerns about federal debt grow, when does a fiscal challenge become a fiscal crisis? Dougl...
07/06/2026

As Treasury yields rise and concerns about federal debt grow, when does a fiscal challenge become a fiscal crisis? Douglas Elmendorf joined EconoFact Chats to discuss the economic consequences of high and rising federal debt.

A discussion with Doug Elmendorf on how US government debt became a problem, what this means for the broader economy, and what prospects there are for reducing it.

SCOTUS upholds birthright citizenship. Those against it argued it would lead to “chain migration” where “anchor babies”...
06/30/2026

SCOTUS upholds birthright citizenship. Those against it argued it would lead to “chain migration” where “anchor babies” would enable a slew of immigrants. 8 years ago Susan Cohen and I wrote an Econofact post explaining the fallacy of this argument.

Family-based immigrant visas to the U.S. are limited to close relatives. Many categories have numerical limits and are subject to caps by country of origin.

High mortgage rates, limited housing supply, and rising construction costs have made homeownership increasingly out of r...
06/30/2026

High mortgage rates, limited housing supply, and rising construction costs have made homeownership increasingly out of reach for many Americans. What policies could improve housing affordability? Jeffrey Zabel explains

Housing affordability in the United States has declined markedly since the pandemic and spread beyond historically high-priced coastal cities.

Inflation, tariffs, jobs, and growth are sending conflicting signals. How should we make sense of today's economic cross...
06/30/2026

Inflation, tariffs, jobs, and growth are sending conflicting signals. How should we make sense of today's economic cross-currents? Binyamin Appelbaum, Larry Edelman, Scott Horsley, and Claire Jones joined EconoFact Chats to discuss. https://econofact.org/podcast/making-sense-of-economic-cross-currents The New York, The Boston Globe, NPR, Financial Times

A discussion of recent economic events with Binyamin Appelbaum (New York Times), Larry Edelman (Boston Globe), Scott Horsley (NPR), and Claire Jones (Financial Times).

While there are numerous factors driving the rise in house prices, as Jeff Zabel explains, the scarcity of housing units...
06/26/2026

While there are numerous factors driving the rise in house prices, as Jeff Zabel explains, the scarcity of housing units has risen to the top of the list. What will it take to fix the issue?

A housing shortage problem has been building (or not, as the case maybe) for decades. But the pandemic took it to a whole new level.

Millions of Americans depend on Social Security, but the program is projected to run short of funds over the next decade...
06/26/2026

Millions of Americans depend on Social Security, but the program is projected to run short of funds over the next decade. Social Security's longer-term financial problems arise from the aging of the population. Karen Dynan highlights that the earlier this is addressed, the more time Americans will have to adjust and compensate for changes.

Because of population aging, Social Security is projected to exhaust its ability to fund full retirement benefits in 2034; after that time, incoming revenues will only be sufficient to pay 77 % of scheduled retirement benefits.

Sufficient food is available in the world for all people to consume sufficient calories, yet about one-third of the worl...
06/25/2026

Sufficient food is available in the world for all people to consume sufficient calories, yet about one-third of the world population cannot afford healthy diets. If food production is high, why are healthy foods out of reach for so many people? Leah Costlow explains.
http://econofact.org/does-the-world-produce-enough-healthy-foo

The world produces enough food for all people to consume sufficient calories, but not healthy diets. Access to healthy diets varies by region.

Address

Medford, MA
02155

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Econofact posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Econofact:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share