"Retirement is supposed to be relaxing, but it can also be incredibly stressful given that it typically puts people on a fixed income, which may not be enough for them to live comfortably," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the study. "As a result, the best states for retirees are those that have low taxes and a low cost of living to help retirees' budgets stretch as far as possible."
Trade policy, affordability, and border access issues affecting the sector were top of mind for delegates from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, as is the upcoming USMCA review due for mid-summer. Jennifer Babcock of the Canadian Cattle Association sat down with RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney to recap the main issues raised at the trilateral meetings. Babcock, who leads government and international affairs work for the CCA, said those meetings addressed how trade, regulation, and market access intersect in a sector where cattle and beef routinely cross borders. She said the USMCA review remains a focal point for industry groups working to maintain established trade flows.
Given that Mayor Mamdani won the election with a relentless focus on affordability and by highlighting free buses as a key component, advocates say this is as good a time as ever to seize the momentum and bring free fares to all New Yorkers whose household incomes are 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($15,650 for individuals and $32,150 for a family of four) and half-priced fares to people at 300 percent.
Realtor Todd Luong of REMAX DFW Associates in Frisco said his recent experience reflects meaningful improvement for buyers, even if affordability remains strained. Here in the Dallas real estate market that I serve, affordability remains a challenge, he says. However, there is a significant amount of data showing that buyer conditions have improved over the past year and that buyers are gaining affordability ground. This should eventually increase housing demand to some degree as we head into the busy spring buying season.
McCann noted that Massachusetts ranks third in job security and ninth in poverty rate, which increases the likelihood that parents will be able to provide for their children. While Massachusetts is not the cheapest state - with high housing and child care costs compared with the rest of the nation - McCann said that residents make up for it with high incomes. In addition, Massachusetts has the fifth-best water quality in the country,
It was not exactly mourned by the types of auto hobbyists who read car magazines: If you'd ever driven a Versa rental car, you'd probably understand. It was a tiny thing even by subcompact standards, and not rich in features, style or horsepower. But what it was, was a relatively cheap and affordable new sedan you could purchase in the United States.
When Rep. Seth Moulton announced his plans to challenge Sen. Ed Markey last October, candidates flocked to the open race to replace him. So far, seven candidates have officially launched campaigns to represent Massachusetts's 6th Congressional District. They come from a variety of backgrounds, with some advertising their experience in the halls of power and others proudly labeling themselves as political outsiders. They share some commonalities, such as a disdain for the Trump administration and a stated desire to make life more affordable for residents.
Donald Trump claimed victory on the economy after 12 months back in office on Tuesday, declaring it to be the greatest first year in history as many Americans express alarm over the cost of living. In a stream-of-consciousness speech at the Detroit Economic Club, the US president delivered his gold-tinted view of how the economy has fared on his watch. Prices were down, he claimed, despite official data showing otherwise, and productivity was smashing expectations.
The used electric vehicle market is getting more interesting by the day. As new vehicles get more expensive, budget-conscious buyers will increasingly look to the used market. And in this category, EVs are increasingly hitting the sweet spot. After years of record new-EV sales, a wave of off-lease models is now hitting dealer lots, giving shoppers more choice, lower prices and vehicles that still offer the core EV advantages such as fewer moving parts, lower maintenance costs and no trips to the gas station.
The U.S. median home sale price reached a new all-time high of $446,000 in June. Overall, prices in 2025 remained above last year's then-record levels, with every month surpassing the corresponding median sale price from 2024. When averaging for the entire year, 2025's median sale price was 1.7% higher than 2024-around $7,400. Affordability remained a major issue for buyers and sellers, especially as tariffs, inflation, and elevated mortgage rates the economy.
The year 2025 is widely considered by real estate experts to be a year of normalization for the U.S. housing market, moving away from the extremes of the pandemic era. This shift is characterized by a more balanced market with increased inventory and a slower pace of price growth, though it is not expected to be a dramatic price correction or a buyer's market nationally.
A nerdy economics essay recently went viral. It asserted that the federal measure for the poverty line was woefully outdated and that for a family of four, the income needed today to function in American society was $140,000. The essay, by Michael Green, a financial market strategist, struck a nerve and set off another round of debate about affordability, focused this time on whether people with six-figure incomes should feel strapped.
