Inequality
Most Americans Can't Afford to Attend the NBA Finals
71% of U.S. households can't afford nosebleed seats — up from 24% in 1994
The NBA Finals have become unaffordable for most Americans
In Our Economy …
Insights about the economy of the 99%
Louisville, Kentucky, 1937 — Margaret Bourke-White / LIFE
When elites talk about "the economy," they're not talking about you.
When the President says we have "the greatest economy ever" or the Treasury Secretary says 2026 is poised to be a "feast and the banquet" for the American economy, they're not talking about you. They're not even talking about people.
When elites talk about "the economy," they're talking about money. More than that, they're talking about money making money. All of which goes to people who are rich to begin with.
In Our Economy is a blog about the economy as people experience it. It's about families working to survive – struggling to survive – in an economy that's rigged.
What sets this blog apart from many other great projects about inequality is that most posts contain new analyses of complex survey data to drive a point home. Countless sources can tell you that World Cup ticket prices are insanely expensive – this is the place where you can find hard data showing how many American families can't afford them.
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Inequality
Most working families couldn't afford food and housing for a single month if their income were interrupted
More than half of working households are living paycheck to paycheck — and the numbers are far worse for Black and Latino families
Most working families have almost no financial cushion
Inequality
You may be surprised by the financial precarity of people who rent their homes
1 in 4 renting households has less than $200 in cash savings
Most renters have very little financial cusion
Black and Latino Families are Largely Shut Out of the World Cup
Black and Latino families face steeper barriers to attending the 2026 World Cup
Black and Latino families are largely shut out of the World Cup
Inequality
How Many American Families Can Afford to Attend the World Cup?
2026 is not 1994
Most Americans can’t afford to attend the World Cup
Inequality
The poorest billionaire is far too rich
And Elon Musk's wealth is a crime
Here’s an interactive visualization that allows you to put the wealth of the poorest billionaire in perspective. Enter a number that is meaningful to you – maybe how much you...
Inequality
Why Trump Doesn't Think about Your Finances
Donald Trump just told the world, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation.”
Interactives
A billionaire has more money than you can imagine
When people talk about billionaires, it’s hard to fathom just how much money we’re talking about. I created this game to help people understand just how much money a billion...
Commentary
Announcing In Our Economy
A 5-month experiment leading up to the release of the Survey of Consumer Finances