- Gas Prices Decline in Most States, Rise in Others Ahead of Holiday Travel – 2025 Study
During the biggest travel week of the year, the chance of flight delays paired with declining gas prices in many states may prompt many families to drive to their Thanksgiving destinations. However, gas prices in some places did increase substantially, even outpacing general inflation. So for those crossing state lines, paying attention to gas prices… read more…
- Holiday Spending Growth by State – 2025 Study
It’s that time of year when many households assess their budgets ahead of holiday parties, gifting and sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Local businesses, ecommerce businesses, and even governments collecting associated sales tax benefit from these end-of-year purchases. To accommodate the seasonal surge in spending, businesses must often plan ahead to account… read more…
- Flight Delays by Airport: Will You Get There on Time? 2025 Study
Flight delays can be due to myriad reasons, including individual airline efficiency, geography, weather, staffing, security incidents and more. As the holiday season ramps up, air travel is projected to hit record highs, with AAA forecasting 82 million passengers traveling during Thanksgiving week alone. This surge in demand, coupled with potential winter weather and any… read more…
- SNAP Reliance and Benefits by State – 2025 Study
Nearly 42 million individuals across the United States are covered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to May 2025 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with a monthly benefit of around $188 per person. Use of the SNAP program and benefit amounts vary greatly by state, meaning residents in some areas will… read more…
- Sports Betting Popularity by State – 2025 Study
In addition to taking on the risks of gambling, taxpayers must pay their regular income tax rate on net winnings. U.S. states collected $2.6 billion in taxes on sports betting in 2024, a 29% increase from a year earlier. Incentivized by this tax revenue, many states have been loosening their sports-betting laws, with more considering… read more…
- Best Community Colleges – 2025 Study
Community college can be the pathway to creating more lifelong income, with associate’s degree holders earning 14% more – or $6,496 more per year – than those with a high school education. But while tuition and fees tend to be less expensive for community colleges than four-year degrees, it still costs a median $5,040 per… read more…
- Best Housing Markets for First-Time Homebuyers – 2025 Study
Affordability is just one component of buying a new home. Hopeful first-time homebuyers would be prudent to consider the competitive landscape, lifestyle, social and future growth potential of their home. Taking on such a large investment, particularly when the costs of homeownership may outpace the costs of renting in some places, requires planning ahead in… read more…
- Where Homeownership Is Most and Least Prevalent in the U.S. – 2025 Study
While current rent prices and recent home transaction data can offer insights into the trajectory of a community’s housing market, these snapshots don’t necessarily capture the financial realities of residents who already exist in the market. A household’s experience can vary widely depending on when they entered the housing market, how their ongoing costs compare… read more…
- Where Real Estate Taxes Are Highest – 2nd Annual Study
Property taxes are an unavoidable part of owning a home. They are generally wrapped into the mortgage payment to ensure that your home doesn’t incur a lien, or worse – foreclosure. And even after your mortgage ends, property taxes are a lifelong homeowner expense. These taxes pay for local amenities, such as schools, infrastructure, police… read more…
- Airfare Is Most Expensive at These Airports – Holiday Travel 2024
Last year, the Sunday following Thanksgiving was the busiest travel day of the year, with over 2.9 million people flying domestically in the United States. A few days before Christmas also topped the list of busiest days, with nearly 2.8 million people flying on December 22. With such heavy demand around the holidays, airfare can… read more…
- Where Home Prices Are Forecast to Increase Most – 2024 Study
With interest rates reaching historic lows during the pandemic era, home prices skyrocketed – often creating highly competitive markets for first-time homebuyers. Prices generally plateaued as the Federal Reserve worked to counter inflation in 2022 by increasing interest rates. Now, the Fed has recently begun decreasing rates with a 50 basis point reduction in September.… read more…
- Where People Are Doing Most Home Renovations – 2024 Study
As households pay off their mortgage and property values increase, equity in the home increases. Homeowners often have the option to tap into this equity by refinancing and taking cash out. Sometimes these loans are used to improve the property through renovations, which can in turn help improve the property value and the homeowner’s quality… read more…
- Best Community Colleges in the U.S. – 2024 Study
Associate degrees offer students flexibility to achieve different educational and vocational goals. They usually take half the time of a bachelor’s degree and could help you meet the academic requirements for many entry positions into a career. Community colleges that offer associate’s degrees are often a more affordable option for students. However, education can still… read more…
- Where Veterans Are Buying the Most Homes – 2024 Study
Through their service, veterans earn certain benefits for home buying not available to the general population, including special loans facilitated by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). These VA loans can enable prior service members to purchase homes more easily than with a conventional or even FHA loan – often with a 0% down payment. … read more…
- Rent vs. Buy: A Comparison of Housing Costs in U.S. Cities – 2024 Study
Many factors can go into home and mortgage prices as well as rental costs in a city, sometimes driving the two on divergent paths. These may include interest rates, housing inventories, family makeups and demographics, zoning and other legal ordinances, among others. As a result, homeowners in some areas could have an advantage, while renters… read more…
- Where the Most New Construction Homes Are Being Added – 2024 Study
The Consumer Price Index clocks inflation between spring 2019 and spring 2024 at 22.9%. But Zillow home sale data demonstrates a particularly swift hike in home prices during this time, with the average home sale increasing by 49.4% in the same window. Housing costs are often the largest budget item for Americans and this could… read more…
- Best Places for New College Graduates – 2024 Study
As we enter commencement season, college graduates will be seeking a variety of jobs and lifestyles. Therefore different areas are going to cater more to some than others. For example, one graduate may highly value living in a younger community with plenty of recreational activities to dabble in, while others are focused on career growth… read more…
- Where Airfare Increased and Decreased the Most – 2024 Study
Prices on individual goods and services can take on their own characteristics based on unique supply and demand challenges throughout different locations nationwide. Air travel in particular faces unique pressures including staffing, equipment maintenance, fuel, passenger demand and more. In turn, the price of domestic flights can affect tourism, visits to family, and business opportunities.… read more…
- Counties at Greatest Risk for Wildfire Damage – 2024 Study
Wildfires have become more prevalent in the U.S. over the last few decades. Like many other climate events, they can have a devastating effect on communities, destroying buildings and homes, closing businesses, damaging agriculture and changing the local ecology. Ultimately, with the increase in wildfires, some insurance companies have pulled their services out of specific… read more…
- Voter Turnout Trends in Last Election Cycle: Will 2024 See Continued Patterns?
As 15 states hold Democratic and Republican primaries on March 5, Super Tuesday, the number of people who vote and the candidates they select will offer key insight into the November 5th presidential election. Residents of California, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Colorado, Minnesota, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah, Maine and Alaska will determine the… read more…
- Flu Vaccines Are Most Popular in These U.S. Cities – 2024 Study
Across the largest cities in the U.S., the uptake on flu vaccinations has been split. While an average of 50.7% of people aged 65 and over were inoculated, some cities ranged much higher or lower. When a given year’s flu vaccines can be matched to the spreading virus strains, the Centers for Disease Control and… read more…
- Industries With the Most Greenhouse Gas Emissions – 2024 Study
While industries could drive the growth of local economies, high emissions can also have a negative impact on the environment of those markets and put the overall success of those communities at risk. Examining emissions levels may help communities understand the total impact and tradeoffs associated with local industries, as well as help inspire innovations… read more…
- STEM Cities: Where Science and Engineering Is Most Popular – 2023 Study
As the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) continue to grow, more and more undergraduate college students are focusing on these areas of study. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 42% more STEM degrees were conferred in 2020-21 than 10 years earlier. With this in mind, SmartAsset examined Census… read more…
- America’s Most Expensive Housing Markets – 2023 Study
With home prices increasing by 20% or more in some places and decreasing by 15% or more in others just over the last year, the home-price volatility of the last few years is settling asymmetrically. To help Americans evaluate their best options when it comes to housing – whether they’re looking to buy or sell… read more…
- Best Places for New College Grads – 2023 Study
College graduates are under immense pressure to land a job right out of college, especially during economic downturns, when the job market may be less stable. However, it’s not just the job itself graduates have to think about. Figuring out… read more…