Next Economy

When Does Adulthood Really Begin?

Americans believe that reaching an economic milestone is a more compelling sign of maturity than achieving an educational or personal goal.

• Ronald Brownstein
• June 15, 2015

The New Rules of Success on the Job

In a new poll, Americans say that technical skills and social intelligence trump a four-year college degree as necessary skills for the workplace.

• Nancy Cook and National Journal
• June 15, 2015

Millennials in Search of a Different Kind of Career

According to a new poll, younger workers do in fact care less about money and more about fulfillment.

• Gillian B. White
• June 12, 2015

Even Baby Boomers Think It's Harder to Get Started Than It Used to Be

A soft economy and rising student debt are just two factors that Americans say make things more difficult for today’s young adults.

• Ronald Brownstein
• June 11, 2015

Poll: Major Milestones Mark Beginning of Real Adulthood

In a new Heartland Monitor Poll, Americans cite marriage and home ownership as key thresholds.

• Ronald Brownstein and National Journal
• June 11, 2015

How Younger Americans Are Redefining Success

New Heartland Monitor poll finds Americans agree it's harder to get started as an adult than in the past.

• Ronald Brownstein and National Journal
• June 11, 2015

Long Commutes Are Awful, Especially for the Poor

Yet another consequence of gentrification

• Gillian B. White
• June 10, 2015

In the Sharing Economy, No One's an Employee

The jobs may offer flexibility and many other benefits, but traditional legal protections for workers aren't part of the package.

• Gillian B. White
• June 8, 2015

Where Should Poor People Live?

Studies say that lower-income people do better when they live in affluent neighborhoods, but rich people don’t want them there. A few states are seeking ways around that resistance.

• Alana Semuels
• June 2, 2015

How Every Part of the Hiring Process Favors Elites

Don't have an Ivy League degree, come from money, and love sports and booze? Good luck getting one of the best-paying jobs.

• Bourree Lam and National Journal
• May 28, 2015

Recruitment, Resumes, Interviews: How the Hiring Process Favors Elites

For those who didn't go to prestigious schools, don't come from money, and aren't interested in sports and booze—it's near impossible to gain access to the best paying jobs.

• Bourree Lam
• May 27, 2015

Phoenix Makes a Play to Become An R&D Powerhouse

The Greater Phoenix Area, once an epicenter for the foreclosure crisis, now wants to become a hub for software, engineering, and research.

• Nancy Cook and National Journal
• May 27, 2015

Is It Possible to Lay People Off Nicely?

One company's quest to blend rejection and kindness

• Saki Knafo
• May 26, 2015

The G Word: Gentrification and Its Many Meanings

Changing neighborhoods may be a class issue, but in America, that means it's also a racial one.

• Gillian B. White
• May 25, 2015

America's Aging Population Is Bad News for Women's Careers

Unless the U.S. can put policies in place to support family caretakers.

• Gillian B. White
• May 21, 2015

Marrying Your Peer, A Tougher Prospect for Black Women

Options for unions based on education differ across race, and that can feed into growing inequality.

• Gillian B. White and National Journal
• May 21, 2015

Household Finances Still Fragile Six Years After the Recession

Even when income rises many Americans are too scared to spend—and with good reason.

• Gillian B. White
• May 20, 2015

What Does the On-Demand Workforce Look Like?

A new survey takes stock of the people on the ground who provide services like Uber’s and Instacart’s—as well as those workers’ needs and wants.

• Joe Pinsker
• May 20, 2015