Since the end of the financial crisis, the United States has experienced unprecedented economic growth and reached the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. While common indicators suggest the U.S. economy is prospering, major…
The Earth’s rainforests get smaller every year. The Amazonian rainforest, the largest on the planet, has lost approximately 305,000 square miles in the past 50 years, or 19% of the area it covered in…
State governments spent a collective $581.9 billion on public welfare, or 26% of total government expenditure in 2016. Public welfare spending varies considerably from state to state and is determined by demographic needs, available…
The share of children living in a single mother household has nearly doubled over the past 50 years. Single mothers in America today face unique challenges balancing the responsibilities of work and childcare and…
Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established in 1970, manufacturers of motor vehicles and parts have been required by law to comply with NHTSA safety standards and issue recalls when safety-related…
Climate change is one of the most serious public health issues facing America today. As temperatures continue to rise, water will evaporate at a faster rate, ultimately causing more prolonged periods of drought and…
As autumn approaches, those still looking for a summer tan may find that the days begin to get shorter. And in some of the less sunny parts of the country, sunbathers get more than…
As autumn approaches, those still looking for a summer tan may find that the days begin to get shorter. In some of the sunnier parts of the country, however, sunbathers get more than two…
At a number of major American companies, compensation for board of director members has come under fire from shareholders in recent years. While director salaries remain a small fraction of CEO salaries (these are…
Litigation over America’s opioid crisis has gathered steam in recent months. In a civil suit similar to the suits brought against Big Tobacco 20 years ago, nearly 2,000 towns, cities, and counties are seeking…
Since President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the “war on poverty” in 1964, the share of U.S. children living in poverty has been cut in nearly half. According to analysis from the D.C.-based think tank…
More than 50 years after the Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed housing discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion, segregation persists in some of America’s largest cities. The patterns…
America’s cities are home to some of the worst pockets of childhood poverty in the country. An estimated 17.7% of American children living in metropolitan areas — a total of 11.1 million — live…
Throughout the United States, 18.4% of Americans under age 18 — a total of 13.4 million children — live in poverty, one of the highest child poverty rates of any developed nation. Children born…
In the 2018 fiscal year, the 500 largest companies in the United States generated $13.7 trillion in revenue — approximately two-thirds of the U.S. GDP. While many of the largest U.S. companies are headquartered…
The world is becoming more urbanized. Already, 55% the population lives in cities, and the UN projects the share will rise to 68% by 2050. As the global population continues to concentrate in metropolitan…
While the U.S. economy is flourishing in the wake of the Great Recession, not all parts of the country are benefiting equally from the economic recovery. Economic growth is driven by several factors, including…
As the U.S. economy continues to expand in the wake of the Great Recession, many companies are taking advantage of low interest rates and cheap credit and are increasing their borrowing levels. Corporate debt…
Since the creation of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in 1996, the program’s reach has fallen dramatically. While in its first year 68 in every 100 poor families nationwide received TANF benefits, just…
The average surface temperature in the United States has increased by 1.3 degrees to 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, with a majority of the increase occurring in the last 50 years. In addition to…
