Data Studies

April 17, 2025Most experts agree that the United States is millions of housing units short of meeting the needs of Americans at an affordable price. This can put a lot of pressure on prices, but supply and demand dynamics may not look the same in each city – or each snapshot in time, for that matter. Regardless,… read more…

April 15, 2025Cost of living increases affect  most people when they apply to the basics – specifically shelter and food. So while general inflation metrics include a wide range of items, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also tracks price changes on specific goods, including grocery categories. The latest numbers tell a divergent tale of food accessibility in… read more…

April 9, 2025Rent prices can shift dramatically depending on local housing demand, sometimes pricing renters out entirely. With the price tag of a one-bedroom rental in many large U.S. cities topping over $2,000 per month, those looking to sign a lease may be hesitant to potentially overextend an already-tight budget. Financial advisors often follow a general rule… read more…

April 2, 2025Various dynamics can impact the cost of filling specific roles in the labor market. When demand for certain goods and services outpaces the local supply of resources, the wages for skilled professionals in those fields may be higher – and vice versa. Similarly, the labor supply can shape pay trends for certain. For example, a… read more…

March 26, 2025While measuring individual happiness is challenging due to its subjectivity, broader trends may be able to provide insight into whether a local community is more or less happy than its peers. For instance, research ties higher incomes and lower poverty rates to higher levels of happiness. Similarly, life expectancy and marriage rates can be revealing… read more…

March 20, 2025Most households aim to maintain a cushion between the necessary spending for day-to-day necessities – like housing, food, utilities and childcare – while also enjoying life in the moment and saving for the future. This means keeping room in the budget for the occasional vacation or splurge, as well as savings for long-term goals like… read more…

March 19, 2025While inflation metrics may show broad trends across the U.S., costs of individual necessities like housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and medical expenses may see wider price volatility from city to city. Many dynamics may help influence price differentials across the country, such as geographical location – which may impact the availability and import cost of… read more…

March 13, 2025Retirement savings can serve as a key indicator of financial stability, reflecting not only a household’s ability to set aside money but also shaping retirement timelines and broader workforce and economic dynamics. Across the United States, the average retirement savings per household is estimated to be $114,435 – but this figure varies significantly by state,… read more…

March 12, 2025While taxes and a high cost of living eat into a household’s earnings, past debt obligations like student loans may take another significant chunk out of the budget before allocating disposable income on nice-to-haves like retirement savings and vacations. While student loans may help a household increase its lifetime earnings, the principal and interest on… read more…

March 6, 2025As of September 2024, over 1.8 million people were employed by the federal government of the United States. However, the federal government is far from limited just to Washington D.C. Federal workers are dispersed throughout the nation, albeit unevenly. In turn, large layoffs – whether voluntary or involuntary – may have different consequences for different… read more…

March 5, 2025With a bit of savvy planning, Americans can lighten their tax load through deductions and credits. Taxpayers can choose to itemize deductions or stick with the standard option. For the 2024 tax year, the standard deduction stands at $14,600 for individuals and $29,200 for joint filers — yet many still opt to itemize when the… read more…

February 27, 2025Life insurers collect premiums from policyholders and, because their payouts — like death benefits or annuities — often happen years down the line, they have a big pool of cash to invest in the meantime. With trillions in assets under management, insurers invest heavily in state-level projects, from municipal bonds funding schools and highways to… read more…

February 26, 2025For middle-class Americans, the dream has long been a life of reasonable comfort — a stable home, the ability to save enough money to retire, and enough left over for periodic splurges like family vacations, updated cars, or home improvements. But with living costs surging over the past few years, that dream is getting pricier.… read more…

February 20, 2025A $100,000 salary may sound like a comfortable income but how far it goes varies largely depending on where you live. Earning $100,000 places an individual tax filer at the upper limit of the 22% federal tax bracket. On top of that, FICA taxes for Social Security and Medicare apply, and depending on where you… read more…

February 13, 2025Life insurance policies play a significant role in providing financial security for beneficiaries. Over $202 billion dollars is paid out over the course of a year in the United States, according to estimates from the American Council of Life Insurers. But the extent of these payouts and the prevalence of policies vary greatly depending on… read more…

February 12, 2025Newly adjusted figures reveal the average total household debt stands at approximately $147,919 nationwide. However, debt levels vary significantly across the United States, with notable disparities at both the geographical and generational level. These differences can highlight how certain areas grapple with higher debts, while others may have higher flows of disposable income. Additionally, the… read more…

February 6, 2025Most current estimates put the U.S. median household income at around $75,000 to $80,000. But these figures do not account for the degree of the spread between the highest and lowest earners, a metric that can demonstrate the diversity in financial realities within a community. Across the U.S., the top 20% of earners bring in… read more…

February 5, 2025Across the United States, the median household net worth is estimated to be $187,690. Net worth includes the assets a household has – minus debts – and gives a general estimate of a home’s relative wealth and financial profile. It includes the value of home equity, balance of deposit accounts such as checking and savings,… read more…

January 30, 2025As more people retire in a community, they change the dynamics within those local economies. This can mean that spending shifts: What was once spent on gasoline for the commute, or lunch out near the office may now be spent on more personal interests and expenses. Similarly, retirement trends can open up local jobs for… read more…

January 29, 2025High-income households can generally afford to spend more within their communities, both via local business and the tax base. The business mix of a city may be greatly influenced by the relative population of high-income earners. Similarly, the prevalence of high-income households also can help describe the relative quality of life of a population, or… read more…

January 22, 2025Marital and singlehood trends vary dramatically across U.S. cities. Nationally, married and never-married adults are almost evenly split at around 41% each, but that balance shifts substantially depending on where you are. In some cities, just 22.4% of the population is married, while in others, it’s as high as 55.9%. The singles landscape varies just… read more…

January 15, 2025Stretching a paycheck beyond the basics is becoming harder for many Americans. After covering taxes and essential expenses, the disposable income that is left impacts a household’s ability to save, invest or stay afloat. But high prices of housing, food, childcare and more can keep households struggling, leaving many families with little or nothing to… read more…

January 14, 2025While the latest inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the annual price change nationwide on gas at +4.4%, some states have seen gas prices increases by more than double that, while prices have fallen significantly in others. Americans may be sensitive to such significant fluctuations in gas prices: The average commute to… read more…

January 8, 2025In just one year, 5.49 million millennials moved to large U.S. cities. While about 73% of these transplants moved to a big city within their current state of residence, another 19% traversed states to start new – and nearly 8% came to these cities from abroad. Millennials are often in their prime earning years, and… read more…

January 7, 2025Across hundreds of large U.S. cities, a median of 12.5% of workers work from home. But some cities see as many as 3 in 10 workers working remotely, while others maintain a nearly entirely in-person workforce. Factors affecting this wide spread may include the local industries and infrastructure, as well as local demographics. Similarly, the… read more…