In the past decade, most states have banned or considered banning the use of credit checks in hiring decisions, a screening tool that is widely used by employers. Using new Equifax data on employer credit checks, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel/Equifax data, and the...

New England’s economy showed bright signs of growth in 2007, but residential real estate cast a shadow. Job growth was moderate and on par with that of the nation, but the region fared better with an unemployment rate lower than the national average. Exports from the region rose in value, but...

Like most of the nation, New England suffered economically in 2008. Job losses, rising unemployment, and slumping real estate markets were all factors in one of the worst years for the region’s economy. Nevertheless, while the recession certainly took its toll, it did not affect New England as...

In the first calendar year following the Great Recession, signs of an economic recovery began to take shape across New England. An improving labor market picture, growth in income, indications of a stabilizing housing market, and booming exports spurred economic growth in the region in 2010. As...

Housing foreclosure activity in the United States and New England increased dramatically at the beginning of the housing crisis in 2006 and remains elevated. Given their economic and social costs, policymakers have developed a number of policies designed to prevent foreclosures. In recent years,...

Like most of the nation, New England continued to suffer economically in 2009. Job losses, rising unemployment, declining personal income, and slumping real estate markets all contributed to one of the worst years for both the national and regional economies. However, while economic conditions...

This discussion paper updates the Center's 2006 housing affordability working paper, drawing on housing market data through 2008 to provide an in-depth analysis of housing affordability after the recent housing market bust. The paper looks at affordability in the New England states, their...

In 2009, student-loan debt became the largest non-housing-related consumer debt in the United States. By 2013, outstanding student debt balances had grown to exceed $1 trillion, and by the end of 2015, had reached $1.23 trillion. These milestones coincided with increasing rates of delinquency...

This report examines the scope of homelessness in New England and the potential role of subsidized housing in alleviating homelessness in the region. The report finds that the number of sheltered homeless families in Massachusetts and Vermont is on the rise, driving an increase in measured...

The portion of the U.S. population with a criminal record has been receiving mounting attention in recent years. While there is a significant amount of data about the criminal population under supervision, there is very limited linked data identifying how most individuals move through the...