The numbers were good, but feelings were bad: The US economy in 2024

NPR

Published December 23, 2024 at 3:32 PM EST

A person shops at a Whole Foods Market grocery store on December 17, 2024 in New York City. Grocery prices have recently seen their most significant monthly gain since January of 2023 with egg prices rising 8.2% alone.

By most objective measures, the US economy is in good shape. Employers added about 2 million jobs this year. Unemployment is low. In much of the country, gasoline is now selling for less than $3 a gallon.

The Economist has called the United States' performance "the envy of the world."

But even as the U.S. is outperforming most other countries, many Americans remain frustrated by the high cost of living. And that's fueled a lot of unhappiness, and a political comeback for President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump will soon take the reins of an economy that's bounced back strongly during the four years he was out of office. For many families, though, that rebound was overshadowed by soaring prices for food, housing, and other necessities.

Will his policies bring costs down? Or rekindle inflation?

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