Even middle-income folks are struggling to pay rent
Summary
Marketplace discusses the latest PCE inflation data, which showed slower price growth than expected but remains above the Fed's 2% target, alongside a positive ADP jobs report. The episode also features Samantha Badco from the Urban Institute, who explains that one in five working-age renters struggled to pay rent in 2025, with middle-income households facing the sharpest increase in financial stress. This affordability crisis is driving middle-income renters to seek cheaper housing, displacing lower-income residents and exacerbating the national housing shortage.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: University of Illinois Gies College of Business
Intro: Inflation and rent affordability
PCE inflation data and ADP jobs report analysis
Sponsor: Pega AI-powered workspace
Urban Institute study on renter struggles
Rising mortgage rates and homeownership costs
Sponsor: Pioneers of AI podcast
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