Computed / Derived Indicators
Several distress indicators are computed from combinations of upstream data sources — for example, the real wage gap (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages minus CPI) or the energy cost burden (U.S. Energy Information Administration gas prices divided by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages). These derived measures capture distress dynamics that no single source tracks directly.
American Default tracks 14 indicators from Computed / Derived Indicators, including The Coverage Tax, The Energy Squeeze, and The Import Tax. Several distress indicators are computed from combinations of upstream data sources — for example, the real wage gap (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages minus CPI) or the energy cost burden (U.S. Energy Information Administration gas prices divided by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages). These derived measures capture distress dynamics that no single source tracks directly. Data is computed from other tracked indicators' data by the repository's pipeline.
Indicators from Computed / Derived Indicators
| Indicator | Reading | Trend | Frequency | ADI Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Coverage Tax | 3.57 pp Current | rising | monthly | Context |
| The Energy Squeeze | 3.75% Current | rising | quarterly | Context |
| The Import Tax | 1.16% Current | rising | annual | Context |
| The Pump Tax | 1.11% Current | rising | quarterly | Context |
| The Grocery Gap | 0.53 pp Current | rising | monthly | Context |
| Grocery Prices Cumulative Change Since Jan 2020 | 32% Current | rising | monthly | Context |
| Healthcare Inflation Premium (Medical CPI minus Overall CPI) | -1.44 pp Current | falling | monthly | Context |
| The Short Shift | 2.88% Current | falling | monthly | Context |
| Large vs Small Bank Credit Card Delinquency Spread | 3.51 pp Current | falling | quarterly | Context |
| The K-Shape | 2.2 pp Current | rising | annual | Context |
| The Wedge | 108.477 Current | ▬ stable | quarterly | Context |
| The Floor | $2.1708 Current | falling | monthly | Context |
| Shop Floor Pay | $9.6743 Current | ▬ stable | monthly | Context |
| Wage Growth vs CPI Spread | 0.84 pp Current | rising | monthly | Context |
How We Get This Data
BLS Series IDs
Attribution & Licensing
Data attributed to: American Default (derived from federal data)
American Default extracts publicly reported statistics with full source attribution. This data may be subject to the source organization's terms of use.
Related
- ADI Methodology — how these indicators feed into the composite score
- All Indicators — browse all tracked indicators
- Data Status — current update status for all data sources
- All Sources — view all data sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What data does Computed / Derived Indicators publish?
Several distress indicators are computed from combinations of upstream data sources — for example, the real wage gap (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages minus CPI) or the energy cost burden (U.S. Energy Information Administration gas prices divided by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages). These derived measures capture distress dynamics that no single source tracks directly.
How often is Computed / Derived Indicators data measured?
Computed / Derived Indicators data is computed from other tracked indicators' data by the repository's pipeline. Observation frequency varies by indicator: monthly, quarterly, annual.
Is Computed / Derived Indicators data free to use?
Yes. These indicators are computed by American Default from other tracked sources' data, not licensed from a third party. See the methodology page for how each is calculated.
What American Distress Index components use Computed / Derived Indicators data?
Computed / Derived Indicators indicators provide supplementary context for household financial distress tracking but are not directly in the ADI composite calculation.