Positive U.S. economic indicators have been left out of much of the mainstream media's reporting on the state of the economy. Despite gas prices at nearly $4.50 per gallon, economists Larry Kudlow and Stephen Moore argue that Republicans can win the "affordability" battle heading into the November election against Democrats due to the state of the overall U.S. economy.

The economists pointed out in an opinion piece published by The New York Post that "median household incomes jumped to an all-time-high of $87,500 in 2025, while poverty rates fell to an all-time low." The real median household income went up 2.6% to $87,460, the highest level since 1967 when adjusted for inflation. The economists also noted that the latest economic figures show that layoffs and jobless claims are currently at historically low levels.

According to the Census Bureau, the poverty rate fell to 10.2% in 2025, which was the lowest ever recorded.

The job data is encouraging

For example, in July, jobless claims were at 187,000, which was the lowest number seen since September 1969. The unemployment rate is currently at 4.2%, about the same as it was in September 2024, which was 4.1%.  The unemployment rate was approximately 4.4% in September 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"Little change over the month," the agency said in a statement. "Both measures changed little over the month, with employment across all major industries remaining largely steady." There was not much of a change in key sectors, including "construction, manufacturing, and financial activities," the BLS said.

Second quarter economic growth trends also reveal positive economic developments

The latest jobs report shows 29,000 jobs were added in September 2026, according to the U.S. Labor Department, which was below expectations, but there are other economic statistics not being widely reported.

The Department of Labor reported that initial jobless claims came in at 197,000 for the week ending Sept. 26, which was a decrease of 1,000 from the prior week, and the four-week average dropped to 200,000 from 202,500.

Gross domestic product growth was 2.2% for the second quarter of 2026, up from the Commerce Department's initial projection of 1.5%, and consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of the U.S. economy, has increased at a 3.8% annual pace from the 0.7% rate in the first quarter. Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the second quarter of 2026 (April, May, and June), according to the third estimate released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).