Wages Lag Inflation Despite Low Unemployment | Denver News

Official unemployment sits at 4.1%, painting a rosy picture—but experts warn the real story lies beneath the surface. A broader metric, “functional unemployment,” now at 24.9%, captures those underemployed or earning below $26K, revealing deeper struggles. While some economists dispute the scale, the undeniable truth is wages are lagging inflation: prices rose 3.4% while pay only climbed 3.2%. That erosion in buying power is chilling consumer spending, a key engine of the economy, and could slow growth even as jobless claims look favorable on paper. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/fec68ea43b23b6a7