The average adult in Northwest Arkansas spends $340 a month on groceries, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Eliminating the state grocery tax will save them 42 cents a month.
4029 TV
December 19, 2025
Here’s everything we talked about today:
Marketplace Make Me Smart podcast
December 19, 2025
Josh Bivens, chief economist at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., says the welcome reduction in inflation since the pandemic has finally flatlined, but it may yet show some uptick next year. Wage growth from 2019 to 2024, particularly for lower-wage workers, “stopped pretty dead in 2025 and seems unlikely to reverse in 2026.”
MarketWatch
December 19, 2025
Driving the news More than 8.3 million workers in 19 states will see their pay go up on Jan. 1, Axios’ Emily Peck reports.
- That includes both those getting direct increases and others indirectly affected when companies adjust wage ladders, according to an estimate from the progressive Economic Policy Institute.
Axios Salt Lake City
December 19, 2025
Over 8.3 million workers will see a raise in their minimum wages, as more states will employ a $15 or greater minimum wage than states that invoke the federal minimum wage of $7.25, according to Economic Policy Institute.
Additionally, 47 cities and counties will be raising their minimum wages, increasing the number of workers likely to receive larger paychecks, says Economic Policy Institute.
Shreveport Times
December 19, 2025
The big picture: For the first time, more workers in 2026 will live in states with a minimum wage of $15 an hour or higher than those still tied to the federal $7.25 floor, according to the progressive Economic Policy Institute.
Axios Denver
December 19, 2025
Minnesota stands out for its strong safety net, low unemployment, and consistent investment in education. Research from the Economic Policy Institute shows the state ranks high in worker protections and union density. These factors contribute to more evenly distributed prosperity across communities.
Bolde
December 19, 2025
In that regard, the Charleston region may prove critical. The area is home to roughly 11,000 federal employees, the largest concentration of federal workers in South Carolina, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Labor Notes
December 19, 2025
Hearst TV
December 19, 2025
The big picture: More than 8.3 million workers will see their pay go up on Jan. 1. That includes both those getting a direct increase and others indirectly affected when companies adjust wage ladders, according to an estimate from the progressive Economic Policy Institute.
Stunning stat: For the first time, there will be more workers in states with a minimum wage of $15 an hour or higher than those with the federal minimum of $7.25.
Axios
December 19, 2025