Area: Economics

A farm on the prairie with one side dry Research Brief / Public Policy

Ownership Structure of Tribal Land Exacts a Multibillion-Dollar Penalty

Can’t sell it, can’t borrow against it, can’t develop it

A classroom with students Research Brief / Gender Gap

Parents Who Favor Boys Raise Girls Who Score Lower in Math

A clue that parents prefer a son: They have more kids when their firstborn is a girl

Illustration of a man water a plant while it grows Research Brief / Happiness

Patience Is a Virtue — Up to a Certain Point

The happiest people are moderately patient, not into extreme delayed gratification

Illustration of people surrounding a magnifying glass with varying dollar amounts above their heads Feature / Compensation

Pay Transparency: Will It Help or Hurt Workers?

Many assume salary transparency will benefit employees, but research suggests downsides, too

Tom Wolf political lawn sign Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

Political and Charitable Giving: One Rises, the Other Falls

In an election year, that’s bad news for organizations like the American Red Cross

Empty western town with a tumble weed rolling across the main street Research Brief / Social Capital

Populism Blossoms Where Community Connectedness Is Lower

Gauging Trump’s appeal by estimating an area’s social capital

An overhead view of individuals walking in a single file line. The ground has been painted to look like a map of the world. Research Brief / Education

Presence of Immigrant Students Boosts Test Scores for All

Research tracking Florida siblings helps isolate the impact

Dimly lit empty manufacturing facility Forecast / Recession

Recession Recoveries Take Longer as Manufacturing Fades

Should stimulus be targeted toward displaced workers, rather than across the economy?

A beige curtain separates three people in a voting booth shown from below the knee to their feet Research Brief / Politics

Reimbursing Candidate Campaign Contributions Makes Elections More Competitive

Incumbents in France are reelected less often when all candidates can be repaid for personal outlays

Aerial view of Chicago from the south. Research Brief / Wealth Inequality

Segregation Compounds the Effects of Poverty

In Northern cities, railroad tracks that defined Black neighborhoods remain boundaries against economic mobility

Marijuana dispensary Feature / Taxes

Setting the Tax Rate on Legal Marijuana: Consumption, State Revenue and the Black Market

Taxes not high enough? An examination of Washington’s experience even suggests state ownership of pot stores might boost the public coffers

Illustration of eyes looking at a computer screen Research Brief / Taxes

Shaming of Tax Delinquents Works

34,334 letters were sent to test how sensitive those owing back taxes are to neighbors’ knowledge of the debts

A door left ajar revealing a well-lit furnished living room Research Question / Economy

Sharing Economy Platforms: Who Gets the Value Created?

Airbnb hosts seem to prosper more than Uber drivers

A female surgeon looks to two nurses as a male surgeon continues to work on a patient's foot. Research Brief / Gender Gap

Shorter Workweek Could Help Close the Gender Wage Gap

Study of medical residencies shows shift in women’s specialty choices when hours reduced

Aerial view of Newport Beach California with ocean and waterways. Forecast / Taxes

Should Part-Time Californians, Avoiding the State’s Income Levy, Pay More in Property Tax?

As it stands, they’re free-riding, in effect subsidized by full-time resident taxpayers

Covid-19 vaccine vials in a row macro close-up. Research Brief / COVID-19

Should the U.S. Aim for a Zero-COVID-19 Policy?

Tolerating a low level of transmission just might be the better strategy