Heather Long

Washington, D.C.

Editorial writer and columnist

Education: Wellesley College, BA in economics and English ; Oxford University, master's in financial economics and medieval literature

Heather Long is a columnist and member of The Washington Post's Editorial Board. She was formerly U.S. economics correspondent from 2017 to 2021 and played a large role in identifying and covering the K-shaped recovery from the pandemic and the Great Reassessment of work. Before joining The Post, she was a senior economics reporter at CNN and a columnist and deputy editor at the Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa. She also worked at an investment firm in London.
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Latest from Heather Long

Here’s why Americans under 40 are so disillusioned with capitalism

If business leaders want to reduce workers’ anxiety, they could start by helping to give them a secure retirement again.

April 1, 2024
Demonstrators calling for Congress to take bold actions to fight global warming are seen outside the Capitol in February 2023. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Why Americans are still angry about inflation, even as it cools

Many Americans focus on how much prices are up since 2020, not in the past year.

February 28, 2024
A shopper at a grocery store in Bethesda on Feb. 14. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

One surprising reason to be optimistic about the U.S. economy

Thanks in part to people moving away from megacities during the pandemic, America is experiencing rising productivity — and better lifestyles — in more places.

February 13, 2024

It’s time for the Fed to cut interest rates

The greatest gift Powell can give the nation is no Fed-induced recession in 2024.

January 31, 2024
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell holds a news conference at the New York Stock Exchange on March 22. (Seth Wenig/AP)

My car was almost stolen outside police headquarters. Blame U.S. regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should force a recall of Kias and Hyundais that aren’t equipped to deter theft.

January 10, 2024
A Hyundai sedan sits in a parking lot on April 20 in Berkeley, Calif. (Terry Chea/AP)

There’s a reason the U.S. economy soared and others were mediocre

Looking around the world, it’s clear why the United States had an economic miracle and most other nations, a mediocre year.

December 29, 2023
Raylani Reis, left, and Annabelle Cram sing along during a Taylor Swift concert in May in Philadelphia. (Rachel Wisniewski for The Washington Post)

Actually, the UAW won something even bigger than wage hikes

The UAW strike was about getting more job security, not just a 25 percent pay raise.

November 1, 2023
United Auto Workers Local 12 member Michael Gatto wears a Darth Vader costume as he pickets at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex on Oct. 2. (Kurt Steiss/The Blade/AP)

    How to revive D.C.’s downtown? 4 teens weigh in. | Opinion

    The Editorial Board asked teenagers what they would do to revamp D.C.'s downtown.

    July 31, 2023

    The ‘vibe-cession’ is over. Americans are starting to feel it.

    This summer could be the time when Americans finally start feeling good about the economy again.

    July 19, 2023
    Women listen to the beginning of Taylor Swift’s set from the parking lot outside Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field in May. (Rachel Wisniewski for The Washington Post)

    If we avoid a recession, we can thank Black and Hispanic workers

    The U.S. labor force is more diverse today than ever. Now policymakers should find out how many more people might be able to find jobs.

    July 9, 2023
    Construction workers in New York work with rebar in June,