Brief Promoting Social and Economic Mobility in Washington, DC
Subtitle
Challenges and Choices for the New Mayor
Gregory Acs, Lauren Eyster, Jonathan Schwabish
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As Mayor Bowser settles into her office, she leads a city that is growing more prosperous. Yet too many DC residents are not sharing in that prosperity. Since the last recession began in 2007, median income in DC has grown by three times the national average, reaching nearly $61,000 in 2013. Yet DC’s unemployment rate persistently remains about 1 percentage point higher than in the nation as a whole. Removing barriers to mobility and creating meaningful opportunities for all DC residents to prosper require various strategies. DC’s new mayor should adopt strategies and policies that can help city residents who struggle the most with becoming and staying connected to the labor market.
Research Areas Economic mobility and inequality Wealth and financial well-being Neighborhoods, cities, and metros Workforce Greater DC
Tags Workforce development Employment and income data Job opportunities Workers in low-wage jobs Labor force Youth employment and training
Policy Centers Income and Benefits Policy Center
Cities Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV