The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society.
Resources
REPORT Squeezing the Budget: Two Decades of Data Reveal Widening Disparities as Spending for Basic Needs Outpaces Income Growth for Lower-Income Households
Income inequality has widened in recent decades. Wage increases have failed to keep up with rising costs of basic needs, particularly for lower-income households, whose wages have stagnated. This report finds that lower-income households have less income than they need to survive and are worse off than they were two decades ago. In contrast, higher-income households have seen large income increases and only moderate increases in spending on basic need categories, allowing these households to be better off than they were two decades ago. Without sustainable policy changes, lower-income households will fall deeper into financial danger and income inequality will continue to grow.
SHARING THEIR STORIES: Women Talk about How the Cost of Living Impact Them and Their Families
This resource shares the personal experiences of three women on how the cost of goods and not enough income has impacted them and their families.
METHODOLOGY
This resource shares NWLC’s full methodology and key definitions for Squeezing the Budget analyses.