Public Finance and Economic Policy by Jeremy Horpedahl
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 ...
Chinese families devote 20% of budgets to groceries, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl highlights the significant difference in grocery spending between families in China and the U.S. According to Horpedahl, while spending $100 per month on groceries may be ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Chart shows modest drop in top 1 percent tax rates since mid 40s
Jeremy Horpedahl shares a chart from PSZ 2018 showing historical changes in tax rates for the top 1 percent of earners. There is no dramatic drop, but rather a modest decline from rates in the mid ...
Manhattan generates more economic output than Ireland, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Jeremy Horpedahl reports that Manhattan produces over $1 trillion in economic output, making it larger than all but the 20 biggest global economies. He adds that this figure exceeds the economic ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Stock price jumps over $100 in after-hours trading
Jeremy Horpedahl, industry influencer, highlights that a stock is now up over $680 in after-hours trading, representing an increase of more than $100 compared to yesterday's closing price. This ...
Rising value of positional goods impacts economic sentiment, Jeremy Horpedahl argues
Jeremy Horpedahl, industry influencer, observes that much of the current anxiety regarding the economy and nostalgia for earlier times stems from positional goods. He suggests that while people ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: U.S. and Germany wealth gap overestimated in non-PPP data
Jeremy Horpedahl, industry influencer, challenges claims on relative economic wealth, noting surprise that non-PPP-adjusted IMF data was published by WSJ editors. Horpedahl clarifies that while ...
Interest expenses are a more meaningful measure for U.S. debt, Jeremy Horpedahl argues
Jeremy Horpedahl, industry influencer, questions the significance of the U.S. federal debt-to-GDP ratio surpassing 100 percent, labeling it an arbitrary milestone. He notes that, while federal ...
Ramp Capital: Paycheck-to-paycheck definition differs between income groups
Ramp Capital, industry influencer, examines how the definition of living paycheck-to-paycheck can shift depending on income levels. The influencer notes that those earning in the ...
Idaho income tax revenue share shrinks as personal income more than doubles, Idaho Economist notes
Idaho Economist, industry influencer, draws attention to trends in Idaho's income tax revenue. According to Idaho Economist, income tax revenue as a share of personal income is currently lower ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Entry-level car prices now below one third of median U.S. family income in 2024
Jeremy Horpedahl highlights a disconnect in a recent NYT op-ed discussing current entry-level car prices. The opinion piece expresses concern about many entry-level cars now being priced at ...
Rich pay more than poor in U.S. tax system, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Academic estimates consistently show that the U.S. tax system is progressive, with higher-income individuals paying more than lower- and middle-income groups. Jeremy Horpedahl highlighted research ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: Local shop likely pass-through entity not subject to corporate income tax
Most local shops are organized as pass-through entities and therefore do not fall under corporate income tax obligations, according to Jeremy Horpedahl. Horpedahl states that this business ...
Oil prices climb more than 50 percent this year, Jeremy Horpedahl notes
Oil prices have climbed more than 50 percent so far this year, even after declining last night. Jeremy Horpedahl commented on the movement, highlighting the persistence of high prices despite ...
Jeremy Horpedahl: U.S. average hourly compensation reached $38 per hour in 2024
Average hourly compensation for production workers in the U.S. reached $38 per hour in 2024, according to Jeremy Horpedahl. He highlighted that in 1894, the average hourly wage was just 13 cents, ...
