Unemployment numbers are near a 57-year low. Why doesn't it feel like it? - Marketplace.org

In a low-hire, low-fire job market, employment data and personal perceptions of the economy can tell different stories. On a numbers level, the U.S. economy is strong. On Thursday, GDP came in at a healthy 3.4% , and the U.S. Department of Labor reported weekly jobless claims of 194,000 — that figure is near a 57-year low . At the same time, numbers don't always translate to how people feel about the economy. Tara Sinclair, chair of the economics department at George Washington University, joined “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal, to talk about the truth behind the headline numbers. An edited transcript of their conversation is below.