Public Finance and Economic Policy by Jeremy Horpedahl
Jeremy Horpedahl: Prime-age employment rate approaches all-time high levels
Jeremy Horpedahl highlights that the prime-age employment rate is now close to its all-time high, with only the late 1990s showing a slightly higher level. This update suggests a strong labor ...
Credit card spending can yield $500-$1,000 in savings, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl estimates that a typical middle-quintile family spends about $33,000 per year on goods and services suitable for credit card payment. He calculates that by strategically using ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Average hourly wage doubled in two decades
Jeremy Horpedahl notes that over the past 20 years, the average hourly wage has doubled, increasing from $16 to $32. He also points out that a person living in 2006 would have already experienced ...
Three quarters positive on own finances, only a quarter view U.S. economy as good, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl finds that three quarters of Americans consider their personal financial situation to be good, a level similar to before the pandemic. However, only a quarter of Americans ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Transfer payments do not contribute to GDP directly
Jeremy Horpedahl explains that transfer payments are not included in GDP calculations. He adds that while such payments may increase consumption, if they are financed through taxes, they can ...
Productivity is sufficient with existing technologies, Jeremy Horpedahl argues
Jeremy Horpedahl states that the global economy does not require new technologies to maintain or improve productivity. According to Horpedahl, current technologies are sufficient for supporting ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: U.S. GDP per capita far exceeds Japan in IMF comparison
Jeremy Horpedahl draws attention to differences in international GDP comparisons. According to Horpedahl, Japan's GDP per capita receives a significant increase when adjusted for purchasing power ...
Updating credit card categories unlocks 5% cash back, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl recommends updating credit card spending categories at the start of a new quarter to maximize 5% cash back on transactions. This strategy helps users take advantage of rotating ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: U.S. GDP per capita rose by about $60,000 historically
Jeremy Horpedahl reports that GDP per capita in the U.S. has grown by approximately $60,000 over the course of the nation's history, a figure that surpasses similar increases observed in any other ...
Home price and income data use different measures, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl highlights a discrepancy in how 1984 home prices and incomes are presented. According to Horpedahl, the home price data is in nominal dollars while the income figure is adjusted ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Payment required in Solana coin
Jeremy Horpedahl highlights that payments must be made using Solana coin with a specific address provided. No additional details about the terms or context of this payment method were ...
Employees receive agreed-upon compensation for their work, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl explains that value is created by individuals using the capital of the owner. Workers voluntarily agree to contracts specifying their compensation, which may include partial ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Asian market gains mostly under 2 percent despite Iran deal speculation
Jeremy Horpedahl raises the question of why Asian markets are experiencing limited gains. He observes that, despite speculation surrounding an alleged Iran deal, no other Asian market is up by ...
Eggs now cost 6.8 percent of average hourly wage, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl observes that the cost of a dozen eggs is now 6.8 percent of the average hourly wage, which is close to the lowest level ever recorded. This comparison suggests that eggs are ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Reality Index inflation reached 100 percent since 2004, not 2019
Jeremy Horpedahl challenges claims about the cumulative inflation rate measured by the so-called Reality Index. He states that to reach a cumulative inflation rate of 100 percent according to ...
Hedonic models outside shelter and apparel slightly impact CPI, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl observes that hedonic models currently used in the Consumer Price Index outside of shelter and apparel categories have increased the annual rate of change for the All Items CPI, ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Reality Index method applies current CPI weights to past years
Jeremy Horpedahl examines whether the so-called Reality Index of price inflation offers a better measure than the Consumer Price Index (CPI). According to Horpedahl, a central problem with the ...
CPI-U blue line increased 26% from 2019-2025, Jeremy Horpedahl argues
Jeremy Horpedahl questions the accuracy of a chart tracking consumer prices, noting that the CPI-U blue line increased by 26% from 2019 to 2025. He points out this implies a dollar now buys 79 ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Many Americans overwithhold taxes from paychecks
Jeremy Horpedahl observes that a significant number of Americans are withholding too much in taxes from their paychecks. He attributes this to the limited control most individuals have over the ...
Property taxes could rise 5,000 fold for proposed Little Rock data center, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl points out that a proposed data center in Little Rock could lead to property taxes that are 5,000 times higher than the amount currently paid on the same land. This highlights ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Median home affordability drops from 4.7 to 6.6 years of work
Jeremy Horpedahl compares how long it took the median worker to purchase the median home in different years. According to Horpedahl, it required 4.7 years of work for the median worker to afford ...
