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Gale L. Pooley

Gale L. Pooley

Economist, Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute

Appears in 1 story

Stories

The affordability debate: Are things getting cheaper or more expensive?

Money Moves

Co-developer of time price methodology and Simon Abundance Index

For decades, economists have argued over whether life is getting more affordable. A new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2000 to 2025 shows that while the Consumer Price Index rose 92.6%, average hourly wages climbed 131.1%β€”meaning workers can buy 20% more goods today for the same hours worked. The finding rests on measuring 'time prices': not what things cost in dollars, but how many hours of labor it takes to afford them.

Updated Jan 30