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Immigration has returned to pre-pandemic numbers. How does that affect the economy?

Feb 2, 2024
Population growth helps stabilize the economy by providing workers we need.
As more Americans retire, the need for workers in the healthcare sector will increase. Above, a stand at a job fair for jobs in health services.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Heat strains Texas power grid as population keeps growing

Aug 28, 2023
The state is home to many of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Add record temperatures, and it's no surprise that the grid is stressed.
This summer, peak demand for the Texas grid is 11,000 megawatts more than it was two years ago.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

What keeps economists up at night?

Aug 23, 2023
We asked some professors to riff on the theme of the Fed's annual Jackson Hole retreat: “Structural Shifts in the Global Economy.”
"I think the regular 8-to-5 schedules we used to have are really super hard for families," says Ayse Imrohoroglu of the University of Southern California.
Christian Ender/Getty Images

How much have prices increased over the past year? It depends on where you live.

Jan 30, 2023
Inflation's been running hotter in areas that people have been moving into — and cooler where they're moving out.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in Miami, seen above, have ticked up more than 10%. Housing costs are partially to blame.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Is a growing middle class the real key to economic growth? 

Oct 14, 2022
Ideas are a key ingredient for economic growth. And to generate new ideas, you need … more people.
A reader wants to know if lower-income earners moving up the economic ladder can be an engine for growth.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Arizona grapples with balancing growth and a limited water supply

Sep 15, 2022
On of the state's major sources of water, the Colorado River, has fallen to historic lows.
Rancho Sahuarita has grown fast, and its water utility has had to grow quickly with it.
Megan Myscofski/Arizona Public Media

Chinese citizens greet new 3-child policy with humor

Jun 21, 2021
Women in China have taken to social media to push back against having one more child.
A father with his son on a low-cost train heading into the Chinese countryside. People in rural China cite the cost of raising a child as a main reason they don't want to have more children.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

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China's 3-child policy met with tepid public reception

There's skepticism about whether the policy change will actually address China's shrinking workforce and older population.
One reason? "The work of raising a child, like in many countries, falls disproportionately on women, and women in China have complained of being penalized at workplaces for being a mother," says Marketplace China correspondent Jennifer Pak.
Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

How serious is our declining population growth problem?

The implications of a shrinking population on our economic growth are potentially big, but Marketplace senior economic contributor Chris Farrell thinks there's some solutions to tap.
Embracing technology during the pandemic could help, says Chris Farrell.
Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Slow U.S. population growth stiffens economic headwinds

Apr 27, 2021
Retirees are living longer, the working-age population is shrinking and birthrates are down in the U.S.
New census data suggests a looming labor shortage. Companies may respond by employing older workers or substituting technology for people.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images