See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where $200K Incomes Are Most Common in America See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways More than 1 in 4 households in D.C. earn $200K+, the highest in the U.S. In top states like Massachusetts and New Jersey, roughly 1 in 5 households reach this level. In parts of the South, fewer than 1 in 15 households earn $200K or more. Earning $200,000 a year may sound like a high bar, but in some parts of the U.S., it’s far more common than you might expect. In Washington, D.C., 26.6% of households earn $200K+, more than double the national average of 12.5%. In many Northeastern and West Coast states, the share is closer to 20%. This map, based on the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, shows where $200K incomes are concentrated, and where they remain relatively rare. The Top States for Households Earning $200K and Above In the highest-ranking parts of the country, $200K household incomes are increasingly common. D.C. leads at 26.6%, while Massachusetts (22.5%), New Jersey (21.8%), California (21.0%), and Maryland (20.8%) all exceed 20%. At the top end, the share of $200K households is roughly 3–4 times higher than in the lowest-ranking states. RankStateShare of Households Earning $200K and Above 1District of Columbia26.6% 2Massachusetts22.5% 3New Jersey21.8% 4California21.0% 5Maryland20.8% 6Connecticut19.4% 7Washington19.3% 8Hawaii18.5% 9Colorado17.9% 10Virginia17.5% 11New York17.3% 12New Hampshire17.0% 13Rhode Island14.6% 14Alaska14.6% 15Utah14.4% 16Illinois14.1% 17Minnesota13.8% 18Texas13.2% 19Delaware12.9% 20Oregon12.6% 21Georgia12.3% 22Arizona12.2% 23Pennsylvania11.9% 24Florida11.9% 25Nevada11.5% 26Vermont11.2% 27North Carolina11.1% 28Maine10.3% 29North Dakota10.1% 30Kansas10.0% 31Tennessee9.5% 32Idaho9.5% 33South Carolina9.5% 34Wisconsin9.4% 35Michigan9.4% 36Montana9.3% 37Ohio9.2% 38Missouri9.1% 39Nebraska8.9% 40New Mexico8.9% 41South Dakota8.7% 42Indiana8.5% 43Wyoming8.4% 44Alabama8.3% 45Iowa8.3% 46Louisiana8.0% 47Kentucky7.5% 48Oklahoma7.4% 49Arkansas6.6% 50Mississippi6.0% 51West Virginia5.9% While Texas has the second-highest number of $200K households after California, exceeding 1.5 million, its share still trails wealthier coastal states, at 13.2%. A similar pattern is seen in Florida (11.9%), which also falls below the national average. Despite an influx of wealthy residents during the pandemic, drawn by its tax advantages, most households fall within the $75,000 to $99,999 income bracket. Where High Incomes Are Least Common At the other end of the spectrum, $200K incomes make up a small share of households: West Virginia: 5.9% Mississippi: 6.0% Arkansas: 6.6% Seven of the 10 lowest-ranking states are in the South, highlighting a persistent regional income divide. West Virginia, for instance, has one of the lowest median household incomes nationally, at $60,789 in 2024. Mississippi, meanwhile, saw real median household incomes grow just 5.6% between 2010 and 2024, far below the national average of 22%. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the number of billionaires in every U.S. state.

Click to view this graphic in higher-resolution. Use This Visualization Mapped: The World’s Riskiest Markets in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Four countries—Belarus, Lebanon, Sudan, and Venezuela—top the global risk ranking at 30.9%. The U.S. sits at 4.5%, higher than several developed peers. Only 19 countries globally have risk premiums below 5%. Not all markets offer the same tradeoff between risk and return. This map shows equity risk premiums around the world—based on estimates from NYU professor Aswath Damodaran. These premiums reflect the extra return investors demand to invest in each country, with higher values signaling greater perceived risk. The gap is stark. While a handful of stable economies sit near 4–5%, countries facing conflict or economic collapse can exceed 30%, highlighting how dramatically risk perceptions diverge across global markets. The World’s Riskiest Countries Check out the data, which is as of January 2026, although Türkiye was updated in February: CountryEquity Risk Premium Belarus30.9% Lebanon30.9% Sudan30.9% Venezuela30.9% Bolivia19.8% Cuba19.8% Myanmar19.8% North Korea19.8% Sri Lanka19.8% Syria19.8% Ukraine19.8% Yemen19.8% Ecuador17.2% Haiti17.2% Malawi17.2% Mozambique17.2% Niger17.2% Somalia17.2% Ethiopia15.9% Gabon15.9% Guinea15.9% Laos15.9% Liberia15.9% Maldives15.9% Mali15.9% Republic of Congo15.9% Zambia15.9% Zimbabwe15.9% Argentina13.9% Belize13.9% Burkina Faso13.9% Cameroon13.9% Egypt13.9% Ghana13.9% Guinea-Bissau13.9% Iran13.9% Iraq13.9% Kenya13.9% Pakistan13.9% Senegal13.9% Solomon Islands13.9% Suriname13.9% Tunisia13.9% Angola12.6% Bosnia and Herzegovina12.6% DRC12.6% El Salvador12.6% Kyrgyzstan12.6% Madagascar12.6% Moldova12.6% Nigeria12.6% Sierra Leone12.6% St. Vincent & the Grenadines12.6% Tajikistan12.6% Togo12.6% Uganda12.6% Bahrain11.4% Bangladesh11.4% Barbados11.4% Cambodia11.4% Cape Verde11.4% Gambia11.4% Nicaragua11.4% Papua New Guinea11.4% Rwanda11.4% Swaziland11.4% Algeria10.1% Bahamas10.1% Benin10.1% Cook Islands10.1% Fiji10.1% Honduras10.1% Mongolia10.1% Montenegro10.1% Namibia10.1% Tanzania10.1% Albania8.9% Armenia8.9% Jamaica8.9% Jordan8.9% Macedonia8.9% Nepal8.9% Türkiye8.9% Uzbekistan8.9% Costa Rica8.1% Côte d'Ivoire8.1% Dominican Republic8.1% Georgia8.1% Libya8.1% Russia8.1% Serbia8.1% South Africa8.1% St. Maarten8.1% Trinidad and Tobago8.1% Vietnam8.1% Brazil7.5% Guatemala7.5% Morocco7.5% Sharjah7.5% Aruba7.1% Azerbaijan7.1% Colombia7.1% Curacao7.1% Greece7.1% India7.1% Mauritius7.1% Montserrat7.1% Oman7.1% Panama7.1% Paraguay7.1% Romania7.1% Hungary6.7% Indonesia6.7% Italy6.7% Mexico6.7% Philippines6.7% Andorra6.3% Botswana6.3% Bulgaria6.3% Guyana6.3% Israel6.3% Kazakhstan6.3% Peru6.3% Thailand6.3% Turks and Caicos Islands6.3% Uruguay6.3% Croatia5.8% Cyprus5.8% Latvia5.8% Malaysia5.8% Portugal5.8% Slovakia5.8% Slovenia5.8% Spain5.8% Bermuda5.3% Chile5.3% Lithuania5.3% Malta5.3% Poland5.3% China5.1% Estonia5.1% Guernsey 5.1% Iceland5.1% Japan5.1% Kuwait5.1% Belgium5.0% Brunei5.0% Cayman Islands5.0% Czechia5.0% France5.0% Hong Kong5.0% Ireland5.0% Isle of Man5.0% Jersey5.0% Macao5.0% Saudi Arabia5.0% Taiwan5.0% United Kingdom5.0% Abu Dhabi4.9% South Korea4.9% Qatar4.9% United Arab Emirates4.9% Austria4.6% Finland4.6% United States4.5% Australia4.2% Canada4.2% Denmark4.2% Germany4.2% Liechtenstein4.2% Luxembourg4.2% Netherlands4.2% New Zealand4.2% Norway4.2% Singapore4.2% Sweden4.2% Switzerland4.2% To estimate the investment risk premium, Damodaran looked at each country’s credit rating and how much extra interest investors want when lending to it. For countries where government bonds aren’t available or traded, he based his estimate on the differences in equity returns of two emerging markets indices. As a last step, he added that country risk premium to his estimate of a mature market equity risk premium. The riskiest countries are those that experience war, sanctions, and economic collapse. Belarus, Lebanon, Sudan, and Venezuela each have the highest equity risk premiums of 30.9%. Belarusians have faced intense political repression as they responded to the contested re-election of Alexander Lukashenko in 2020. Lebanon is considered a failed state as governance and the economy have collapsed, while armed groups are present on the streets. There has been a civil war in Sudan since 2023, causing a devastating humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Venezuela has a long history of instability; the mismanagement of its oil industry and the economy sent the once-prosperous nation into disarray. Cuba, Ukraine, Syria, and Yemen, which have also experienced conflict or sanctions, are among a cluster of countries with risk premiums of 19.8%. Countries Considered Safer Investment Bets Some of the safest countries include Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, and the Netherlands, with risk premiums at 4.2%. Investors likely treat them interchangeably. The U.S. has a slightly higher premium at 4.5%, which may reflect recent political polarization and higher equity volatility. Indeed, “Sell America” dominated investor conversations earlier this year amid economic uncertainty, questions around the independence of the Federal Reserve, and the depreciation of the dollar. Still, it is one of just 19 countries that have risk premiums below 5%. Europe is not homogeneous. Southern countries, where economies were hit by the 2009 debt crisis, have higher risk premiums. Spain and Portugal sit at 5.8%, Italy at 6.7%, and Greece is 7.1%. How Investors Back Riskier Markets Only certain kinds of investors are willing to place risky bets. Pension funds, for instance, tend to have a low risk tolerance as they are using the public’s pension savings to invest. Investment mandates can also limit how much a fund is allowed to allocate to emerging markets or high-risk strategies. In practice, they can access riskier markets indirectly via diversified funds, where they are able to hedge their bets. No matter the size of the reward, emerging markets investors tend to focus on countries showing signs of stability, economic and business reform, and an alignment with global long-term themes. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about investment in emerging markets, check out this graphic, which ranks foreign direct investment scores.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Europe’s GDP Growth Forecasts for 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Europe’s largest economies are forecast to grow below 1% in 2026. Germany and France are both projected at 0.9%, while Italy lags at 0.8%. Eastern and Southeastern Europe lead growth, with several countries above 3–5%. Europe’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow by only 2.3% on average in 2026, held back by sluggish growth in major eurozone markets such as France, Germany, and Italy. However, other regions are expected to see faster economic expansion, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe. This map showcases forecasted European GDP growth rates for 2026 utilizing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Across the Old Continent, growth is constrained by high regulation, weak demand, and a difficult global environment, with heavy export-led economies like Germany particularly impacted. Germany’s Years-Long Hangover Germany, the third-largest economy worldwide, is facing deep structural problems with its market structure. Following two consecutive years of recession, Europe’s largest economy barely grew at all in 2025, and is expected to see just 0.9% growth in 2026, ahead of only two other European Union (EU) member states. The data table below provides a 2026 forecast of European GDP growth. CountryReal GDP Growth (%) Albania3.6 Andorra1.6 Armenia4.9 Austria0.8 Azerbaijan2.5 Belarus1.4 Belgium1 Bosnia and Herzegovina2.7 Bulgaria3.1 Croatia2.7 Cyprus2.8 Czechia2 Denmark2.2 Estonia1.5 Finland1.3 France0.9 Georgia5.3 Germany0.9 Greece2 Hungary2.1 Iceland2.3 Ireland1.3 Italy0.8 Kosovo4 Latvia2.2 Liechtenstein1.5 Lithuania2.9 Luxembourg2.1 Malta3.9 Moldova2.2 Montenegro3.2 Netherlands1.2 North Macedonia3.2 Norway1.6 Poland3.1 Portugal2.1 Romania1.4 Russia1 San Marino1.3 Serbia3.6 Slovakia1.7 Slovenia2.3 Spain2 Sweden1.9 Switzerland1.3 Turkey3.7 Ukraine4.5 United Kingdom1.3 Between 2005 and 2019, Germany experienced what has been termed the “labor market miracle,” an era of economic expansion powered by high employment growth, low interest rates, and cheap energy. However, this period came to an abrupt end with the COVID-19 pandemic and especially with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent energy prices skyrocketing and all but halted German growth. Germany’s post-COVID economic situation is a perfect storm of challenges. Energy prices have remained high owing to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating conflicts in the Middle East. German industry, the pride of the country, is increasingly being squeezed by both U.S. tariffs as well as massive Chinese competition. Major trade deals and deregulation efforts are being hamstrung by political gridlock in both Berlin and Brussels, the latter being the EU’s political capital. Today, the EU’s modest growth forecast for 2026 can be attributed in no small part to the severe economic woes faced by its main economic engine. So long as Germany is not able to modernize its economy and restore its prior growth levels from previous decades, the EU as a whole will face severe headwinds. Europe’s Other Major Economies Beyond Berlin, the news remains grim for the other major economies of Europe. France is projected to match Germany’s sluggish growth of just 0.9%, while Italy is tied with Austria for the continent’s slowest growth (0.8%). Russia (1%) is still held back by the high interest rates and low domestic demand of its wartime economy, while the United Kingdom (1.3%) fares only slightly better. Spain has been touted as the eurozone’s newest star, with the Iberian country becoming the fastest-growing Western major economy on the backs of high post-COVID public investment and strong renewable energy resources. While the forecast of 2% for 2026 represents a slowdown from the 2.8-3.5% seen in recent years, Spanish fortunes have flipped as dramatically as their German counterparts’ from the eurozone crisis of the 2010s. The Rise of Europe’s East and South Of course, Spain is far from the only country rewriting its reputation in real time. Poland (3.1%) is another EU heavyweight in the making, while the tiny island country of Malta’s impressive 3.9% is likely to be the highest economic expansion in the bloc. Outside of the EU, countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus emerge as major growth hubs, led by Georgia (5.3%), Armenia (4.9%), and war-torn Ukraine (4.5%). Turkey, the top economy of the Eastern Mediterranean, faces a growth projection of 3.7%, although its results are tampered by an inflation rate hovering around 30% following peaks in 2022 and 2024. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Comparing Electricity Prices for Household Consumers in Europe on Voronoi.

Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Most Patents See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways China leads the world with 5.7 million active patents, far ahead of any other country. The U.S. (3.5M) and Japan (2.1M) rank second and third, respectively. Together, the top three countries hold more patents than the rest of the world combined. A handful of countries dominate global patent activity, with a steep drop-off after the top ranks. China alone accounts for a massive share, holding millions more active patents than any other country. This visualization ranks countries by total active patents using the latest available data from the World Intellectual Property Organization for 2024. China Is Miles Ahead on Active Patents China leads with 5.7 million active patents, followed by the United States and Japan, and together the top three exceed the rest of the world combined. Country Number of Active Patents China5,688,867 United States3,519,879 Japan2,085,215 South Korea1,312,294 Germany963,941 France757,026 United Kingdom744,130 Italy382,444 Switzerland268,054 The Netherlands246,254 Russia243,943 India228,402 Spain217,849 Canada201,063 Ireland198,100 Belgium187,149 Luxembourg163,418 Australia163,069 Sweden152,158 Austria134,163 Monaco120,437 Poland111,782 Mexico111,190 Denmark109,551 Brazil106,827 South Africa104,012 Finland96,416 Türkiye89,401 Indonesia84,540 Portugal81,509 Hong Kong73,249 Norway55,349 Czechia50,433 Singapore49,667 Iran44,453 Israel41,001 Malaysia38,168 Hungary35,950 Greece27,510 Romania27,474 Thailand24,635 New Zealand23,867 Viet Nam23,291 Slovakia21,189 Chile21,079 Ukraine20,445 Slovenia18,517 Philippines15,463 Saudi Arabia14,739 Croatia13,431 Bulgaria13,311 Argentina13,053 Lithuania12,414 Estonia10,684 Latvia10,493 Iceland9,501 Serbia9,368 Colombia9,009 Zambia8,562 Malta7,385 Algeria7,039 Macao5,777 North Macedonia5,528 Iraq5,141 Egypt5,107 Morocco4,917 United Arab Emirates4,587 Peru4,539 Ghana3,326 Kazakhstan2,837 Bangladesh2,203 Pakistan2,157 Panama2,076 Mongolia1,656 Costa Rica1,462 Belarus1,371 Uzbekistan1,255 Dominican Republic1,194 Uruguay1,138 Sri Lanka1,007 El Salvador918 Georgia836 Trinidad and Tobago830 Syria666 Bahrain571 Qatar569 Jamaica451 Honduras446 Cuba421 Namibia415 Azerbaijan403 Zimbabwe403 Oman355 Ethiopia322 Paraguay257 Moldova255 Madagascar232 Guatemala218 Ecuador215 Venezuela208 Kyrgyzstan186 Sao Tome and Principe153 Kuwait74 Bosnia and Herzegovina69 Barbados63 Andorra48 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines20 Armenia17 Uganda17 Cyprus10 Bhutan6 Myanmar4 South Korea takes the fourth spot for most active patents, with 1.3 million. It underscores Asia’s strong presence among the world’s leading innovation hubs. It’s unsurprising to see these countries in the top ranks, given the size of their economies and populations, though South Korea becomes an outlier through this lens. Germany is the top European country, at 963,941, but active patents dip significantly from there to 757,026 for France. Myanmar, which brought in its first ever law dedicated to patent protection and innovation in 2024, sits at the bottom of the dataset with four patents. It is only one of two — the other being Bhutan, which has six active patents — to have fewer than 10 active patents. Most Countries Contribute Little to Global Innovation Global patent ownership is highly concentrated, with a small number of countries accounting for the majority of innovation output. While countries like China, the U.S., and Japan dominate the landscape, most nations contribute relatively small numbers of active patents. This gap highlights differences in research capacity, industrial scale, and investment in innovation. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about innovation, check out this graphic which ranks top startup hubs.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Half the World’s Oil Comes From Just Five Countries See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. was the world’s largest crude oil producer in 2025 at 13.58 million barrels per day, ahead of Russia (9.87) and Saudi Arabia (9.51). Middle Eastern countries produced 32.1% of global crude oil in 2025. Just five countries produced half of the world’s oil in 2025, with the U.S., Russia, and Saudi Arabia alone accounting for nearly 40% of global supply. That level of concentration means a small number of countries have an outsized influence on global oil supply. This visualization shows global crude oil production including lease condensate by country in a single chart with countries organized and colored by region. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and is a Jan-Nov 2025 annualized average of crude oil and lease condensate production by country, the latest data available as of March 9, 2026. U.S., Russia, and Saudi Arabia Lead Crude Oil Production The U.S. was the world’s largest producer of crude oil and lease condensate in 2025, producing 13.58 million barrels per day (mb/d), comfortably ahead of Russia at 9.87 mb/d and Saudi Arabia at 9.51 mb/d. Combined together, those three countries were responsible for 39% of global crude oil production in 2025. The data table below shows the world’s crude oil production in 2025 by country in million barrels per day (mb/d) and each country’s share of global production: CountryCrude Oil and Lease Condensate 2025 Production (million barrels per day) Share of 2025 Global Production (%) United States13.5816.08 Russia9.8711.69 Saudi Arabia9.5111.26 Canada4.945.85 Iraq4.395.20 China4.345.14 Iran4.194.96 United Arab Emirates3.824.52 Brazil3.754.43 Kuwait2.583.05 Kazakhstan2.072.45 Norway1.852.19 Mexico1.722.04 Nigeria1.611.90 Libya1.361.61 Qatar1.311.55 Algeria1.141.35 Angola1.031.22 Oman1.001.18 Venezuela0.971.15 Argentina0.790.93 Colombia0.750.88 Guyana0.730.87 United Kingdom0.610.73 India0.600.71 Indonesia0.580.69 Azerbaijan0.560.67 Malaysia0.520.61 Egypt0.510.60 Ecuador0.440.52 Australia0.250.29 Congo-Brazzaville0.240.28 Gabon0.240.28 Turkmenistan0.190.23 Ghana0.180.22 Bahrain0.180.22 Vietnam0.160.19 Thailand0.160.19 Chad0.130.15 Turkiye0.130.15 South Sudan0.110.13 Niger0.100.12 Brunei0.100.12 Senegal0.100.12 Italy0.080.10 Equatorial Guinea0.080.09 Syria0.070.09 Denmark0.070.09 Cameroon0.060.07 Pakistan0.060.07 Cote d'Ivoire0.050.06 Romania0.050.06 Trinidad and Tobago0.050.06 Peru0.050.05 Germany0.030.04 Papua New Guinea0.030.04 Sudan0.030.04 Uzbekistan0.030.04 Belarus0.030.03 Cuba0.030.03 Tunisia0.030.03 Hungary0.020.03 Netherlands0.020.03 Israel0.020.02 Bolivia0.020.02 Poland0.020.02 Congo-Kinshasa0.020.02 Yemen0.020.02 Mongolia0.010.02 Albania0.010.01 Suriname0.010.01 Serbia0.010.01 France0.010.01 Croatia0.010.01 Austria0.010.01 New Zealand0.010.01 Burma0.010.01 Kyrgyzstan0.010.01 Guatemala0.010.01 After that top tier, production drops sharply. Canada ranked fourth at 4.94 million barrels per day, followed by Iraq (4.39) and China (4.34). In other words, the U.S. alone almost produced more crude than Canada, Iraq, and China combined. Iran was the seventh-largest producer of crude oil in 2025, pumping 4.19 mb/d which equates to 5% of the world’s production last year. The Middle East is the Largest Oil-Producing Region While the U.S. was the single biggest producer, the Middle East remained the largest regional bloc in the ranking. Countries from the region produced 32% of the world’s crude oil in 2025, or nearly one-third of the global total. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait all landed in the top 10. That clustering helps explain why Middle Eastern supply continues to play an outsized role in global oil balances, even with the U.S. holding the top spot individually. The war in Iran has led to significant disruption in crude oil production and trade in 2026, with many Middle Eastern countries’ production facilities shut down or destroyed. Even if the war were to end soon, many facilities will require significant reinvestment and time to repair, along with high levels of uncertainty across the key energy trade route that is the Strait of Hormuz. After the Top 10, Oil Production Falls Off Quickly The concentration of output in a few countries and regions becomes even clearer lower down the ranking of oil producers. The top 10 countries accounted for 72.2% of global production, meaning all remaining producers combined contributed less than 28%. That long tail includes countries such as Kazakhstan, Norway, Mexico, Nigeria, Libya, and Guyana, each of which adds meaningful barrels to the market without approaching the scale of the leading producers. The result is a global crude market where a handful of countries still matter most for overall supply trends. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about the world’s crude oil, check out this graphic which shows the top countries by crude oil reserves on Voronoi.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Years to Save for a Home by U.S. State See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Saving for a 10% down payment for a home takes 8.7 years in Iowa, but climbs to 25.1 years in California. In Texas and Ohio, the timeline is about 10 years, well below the U.S. average. In California, New York, and Hawaii, saving for a home takes 20+ years. Saving for a home down payment can take anywhere from under a decade to more than 25 years in the U.S., depending on where you live. Based on Consumer Affairs data, this map shows how many years it takes the average household to save for a home in each state. Nationwide, the average is 14.4 years, but timelines vary dramatically by state. In states like Iowa and Ohio, buyers can save in under a decade. In coastal markets like California and New York, timelines stretch past 20 years. The Timeline to Homeownership Across America Iowa ranks as the fastest state, where it takes just 8.7 years on average to save for a home. With median home prices around $247,000 in 2025—the second-lowest nationwide—the state combines relatively affordable housing with moderate incomes and taxes. In Ohio (9.9 years) and Texas (10.3 years), meanwhile, lower home prices and more manageable tax burdens help shorten the path to ownership. The table below shows the estimated number of years needed to save for a 10% down payment in each state, ranked from shortest to longest. Estimates are based on median incomes, taxes, living costs, and median home prices. RankStateNumber of Years to Save for a Home 1Iowa8.7 2Ohio9.9 3Texas10.3 4Maryland10.3 5North Dakota10.6 6Kansas10.6 7Oklahoma10.7 8Illinois10.7 9Alaska10.9 10Indiana11.0 11South Dakota11.1 12Pennsylvania11.5 13Alabama11.9 14Minnesota11.9 15Missouri12.0 16Michigan12.0 17Nebraska12.0 18Delaware12.3 19Wisconsin12.7 20Arkansas12.8 21Mississippi12.8 22Georgia12.9 23Kentucky12.9 24Virginia13.1 25New Hampshire13.5 26Louisiana13.7 27Tennessee13.9 28West Virginia14.1 29New Jersey14.1 30Nevada14.2 31Utah14.2 32Connecticut14.5 33Arizona14.8 34North Carolina14.8 35Washington15.3 36South Carolina15.4 37Idaho16.0 38Vermont16.3 39Florida16.5 40New Mexico17.1 41Colorado17.8 42Maine18.3 43Oregon18.6 44Massachusetts18.7 45Rhode Island18.7 46Wyoming20.3 47Hawaii21.0 48New York23.1 49Montana24.4 50California25.1 In the most affordable parts of the country—especially across the Midwest—buyers can still save for a home in under a decade. But in high-cost housing markets, the timeline stretches dramatically. In California, for instance, it takes over 25 years on average to save, nearly three times longer than in Iowa. Even relatively high incomes don’t offset the gap. Despite median household earnings around $100,000, steep home prices and high taxes continue to weigh on buyers. Other expensive states—including New York, Hawaii, and Montana—also see timelines exceed 20 years. For most Americans, the reality falls somewhere in between. Nationwide, saving for a home takes 10 to 15 years, with an average of 14.4 years. As a result, homeownership is increasingly delayed. The median age of first-time buyers has climbed to a record 38 years old, highlighting how buying a home is becoming a longer-term financial goal. Methodology To estimate how long it takes to save for a home in each state, Consumer Affairs analyzed median household income alongside federal, state, and payroll taxes, as well as average annual living expenses, including housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and insurance. From this, the remaining discretionary income available after essential costs was calculated. Each state’s median home price was then used to estimate how many years it would take to save for a 10% down payment, assuming households save 10% of their remaining income annually. Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Tax Foundation, Redfin, and the BEA. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the states attracting the most new residents.

Click to view this graphic in higher-resolution. Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Most AI Patents See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways China dominates the ranking for countries with the most AI patents, at 25,177. The U.S. follows, at 17,307, but AI patents represent a higher share of its overall patent mix than in China. Mexico, surprisingly, ranks among the top 10 and beat more typical IP hubs. Which countries are leading in artificial intelligence innovation? This chart ranks the top countries by AI patents in 2024, based on data from the World Intellectual Property Organization. China Leads With The Most AI Patents China currently has the most AI patents at 25,177, showing dominance in overall volume. Despite the U.S. trailing in AI patents with 17,307, its share of overall patents is higher than China’s—highlighting AI as a larger share of U.S. innovation. RankCountry AI Patents Total Patents 1 China25,1775,688,867 2 United States17,3073,519,879 3 South Korea5,6351,312,294 4 Japan4,8112,085,215 5 Germany436963,941 6 Australia298163,069 7 France142757,026 8 India138228,402 9 United Kingdom119744,130 10 Mexico57111,190 11 Brazil37106,827 12 Malaysia3038,168 13 Luxembourg29163,418 14 Netherlands22246,254 15 Sweden21152,158 16 Hungary1435,950 17 Philippines1315,463 18 Colombia129,009 19 New Zealand1123,867 19 Serbia119,368 21 Poland7111,782 21 Spain7217,849 23 Argentina613,053 24 Finland596,416 24 Peru54,539 26 Greece427,510 26 Norway455,349 28 Austria3134,163 28 Belgium3187,149 28 Chile321,079 28 Morocco34,917 28 Romania327,474 28 Slovakia321,189 34 Denmark2109,551 34 Slovenia218,517 36 Bulgaria113,311 36 Costa Rica11,462 36 Ecuador1215 36 Latvia110,493 36 Portugal181,509 36 Moldova1255 36 Switzerland1268,054 South Korea sits in third place for the most AI patents, at 5,635—accounting for 0.43% of overall patents in the country. Europe and the UK, despite being known for top universities and research and development labs, trail behind. Germany and France are the only European countries to make the top 10, with 436 and 142 patents respectively. The UK has just 119 AI patents, accounting for 0.02% of overall patents. Interestingly, Mexico nabs 10th place for most AI patents, at 57, beating more general IP hotspots such as the Netherlands, Spain, and Luxembourg. Concentration Could Affect Competitiveness The data shows that AI innovation is highly concentrated. Indeed, Chinese companies Tencent, Ping An Insurance Group, Baidu and the Chinese Academy of Sciences had the most patents for generative AI as of 2019. IBM follows in the ranking. This concentration could be a challenge as countries attempt to shore up sovereign AI capabilities, meaning home-grown innovation and domestic data centers, while also staying competitive. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about AI, check out this graphic which ranks how AI competitiveness across countries.

Published 3 hours ago on March 24, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Adobe India on Top: AI Adoption by Country     Key Takeaways India leads global AI adoption at 92%, the highest rate among surveyed countries.              Several Global South economies—including India, Brazil, and South Africa—are adopting AI faster than many developed nations.        India’s tech-savvy workforce is leading the world in artificial intelligence adoption. This signals how emerging economies are becoming key drivers of the next wave of digital productivity.  This visualization, created in partnership with Adobe, explores how AI adoption varies across countries. The data reveals a growing trend: the Global South is increasingly outpacing the Global North when it comes to integrating AI into everyday work. As AI tools become more accessible, countries with rapidly digitizing workforces are embracing them as a way to accelerate productivity and innovation. Where AI Adoption Is Highest India sits firmly at the top of global AI adoption rankings, with 92% of workers using AI tools several times per week, according to a 2025 Boston Consulting Group survey of 10,635 respondents worldwide. The country’s large technology workforce, strong startup ecosystem, and rapid digital transformation have helped accelerate AI integration across industries. Country/RegionAI Tools Adoption (%)Global North/South India92South Spain78North Brazil76South South Africa72South UK68North Italy68North Germany67North France64North U.S.64North Japan51North Several other Global South economies also show strong uptake. Brazil ranks third globally at 76%, while South Africa follows closely at 72%. These countries are adopting AI quickly as businesses look to boost efficiency and modernize workflows. In comparison, adoption across much of the Global North is somewhat lower. This is with the exception of Spain, which ranks second overall at 78%. The UK and Italy both report 68% adoption, followed by Germany (67%), France (64%), and the United States (64%). Meanwhile, Japan reports the lowest adoption rate at 51%, highlighting how structural factors, including an aging population, can influence the speed of AI integration. From Adoption to Productivity While AI adoption is rising rapidly worldwide, the real economic impact comes from how these tools are applied in daily work. AI‑enabled document and workflow tools, including platforms such as Adobe Acrobat Studio, are helping organizations streamline routine tasks, reduce manual effort, and allow teams to focus on higher‑value work. This momentum is increasingly shaping how work gets done day to day. Tasks such as editing reports, reviewing scanned files, or updating PDFs are now commonly handled through online PDF tools. This enables faster collaboration and more efficient decision‑making across teams. As adoption spreads, countries that successfully embed AI into everyday workflows may gain a significant productivity advantage in the years ahead. Explore AI-powered Document Workflows. You may also like AI5 days ago How AI Could Add $600B to India’s Economy by 2035 India’s AI boom is poised to reshape its economy, with AI expected to boost productivity by between $550B and $607B by 2035. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization America’s Oil Reversal, From Import Giant to Net Exporter See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. has been a net petroleum exporter since 2020, reversing decades of reliance on imports. In 2025, the gap widened to 2.8 million barrels per day. Oil imports once peaked at nearly 15 million barrels per day in 2005. As recently as the mid-2000s, the U.S. was importing vast amounts of oil to meet domestic demand. Today, it exports more petroleum than it imports, marking a dramatic reversal in U.S. energy trade. This chart tracks U.S. oil imports and exports since 1973 based on data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). It shows how the country moved from a major importer to a net exporter after decades of dependence on foreign supply. The crossover came in 2020, when U.S. petroleum exports exceeded imports for the first time since at least 1949. When the U.S. Relied on Oil Imports Historically, the U.S. has been a massive oil importer, driven by its industrial needs and high household consumption as a car-dependent country. The early 1970s famously saw the U.S. impacted by an energy crisis following an oil embargo by major oil-producing states such as Saudi Arabia. American policymakers came to understand the dangers of oil dependence on foreign producers, contributing to large-scale exploration efforts and the imposition of a ban on crude oil exports without a permit. The data table below shows U.S. monthly oil imports, exports, and net imports in thousands of barrels per day (kbd) from 1973 to January 2026. YearPetroleum Imports (kbd)Petroleum Exports (kbd)Petroleum Net Imports (kbd) 19736257.614231.5396026.075 19746106.949220.2655886.684 19756055.197209.5655845.632 19767311.529223.287088.249 19778814.514242.6588571.856 19788362.208361.0298001.178 19798453.347470.9647982.384 19806911.935544.5326367.402 19815999.857593.9265405.931 19825111.942814.494297.453 19835043.856740.3144303.542 19845438.21721.1764717.033 19855060.696782.094278.606 19866213.924785.0225428.903 19876672.683765.4165907.267 19887401.561815.0466586.514 19898060.731858.8687201.864 19908017.638856.5427161.096 19917622.2121002.7776619.435 19927883.437948.9916934.447 19938616.4141002.4797613.935 19948994.387941.3118053.076 19958834.999949.9637885.036 19969472.205981.1648491.041 199710158.5711003.0389155.533 199810703.784944.7449759.04 199910850.785938.7829912.002 200011459.3821039.44310419.939 200111870.427970.79410899.632 200211527.177984.97710542.2 200312256.5721026.66311229.91 200413142.3341048.1212094.213 200513714.6771165.50812549.168 200613706.8891317.2812389.609 200713458.8831432.11612026.767 200812912.5981801.11711111.481 200911693.9612022.1069671.856 201011790.6252350.7149439.911 201111430.5492983.5258447.024 201210598.1793204.3247393.856 20139854.2583618.4236235.835 20149239.2364170.8945068.342 20159446.344738.2984708.042 201610055.7185260.0394795.679 201710142.5166377.6873764.829 20189941.0257598.0882342.936 20199134.9838470.696664.287 20207864.6118498.974-634.363 20218470.1828528.14-57.958 20228329.6589516.77-1187.112 20238530.7710229.419-1698.649 20248437.11710711.516-2274.399 20257885.29210702.822-2817.53 2026 (incl. Jan. only)8004.45211114.258-3109.806 Oil imports peaked in 2005 at nearly 15 million barrels per day, at a time when domestic oil production was far outstripped by demand. Key import markets included Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. The Shale Boom That Changed the Balance The late 2000s and early 2010s marked a turning point in the U.S. energy trajectory. Demand was softened by the 2008 recession and global financial crisis, while domestic production began to take off with a shale oil boom and new oilfield discoveries in states like North Dakota. Steadily growing production led the U.S. to repeal its longstanding ban on oil exports in 2015, setting the stage for the country to boost production and compete globally with other major players such as Russia and Saudi Arabia. Notably, at the time of repeal oil imports made up roughly a third of total consumption, down from its peak of approximately 60% in 2005. The U.S. as a Global Exporter Contrary to small petrostates such as those seen in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. has a large, powerful, and diversified economy of which oil exports make up only a small portion. However, the shift of the U.S. from a net importer to becoming a net exporter has reshaped global energy markets, as the country surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world’s top crude oil producer in the late 2010s. Rising U.S. production has reduced reliance on foreign oil and reshaped global energy flows. Today, oil and gas form key components of the economies of states like Texas, New Mexico, and North Dakota. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Where the World’s Oil Comes From by Region on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Tech Jobs Grew Fastest Across America in 2025 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Utah posted the fastest tech job growth in 2025 at +6.3%, ahead of Illinois (+5.7%) and South Carolina (+4.8%). Two-thirds of U.S. states saw tech employment decline in 2025. Large tech hubs lagged: California (-2.8%), Texas (-2.0%), and New York (0.0%). In 2025, tech job growth in America shifted away from its biggest hubs. While California still employs more tech workers than any other state, it saw employment decline, alongside other large markets like Texas. Meanwhile, a smaller group of states posted the fastest gains. This map shows which states led the country in tech job growth, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled via Arizona State University. The results suggest that momentum is spreading beyond the largest legacy centers, with several smaller states outpacing the industry’s traditional leaders. Ranked: The U.S. States Leading Tech Job Growth in 2025 Utah ranks first overall, with tech employment rising 6.3% annually, adding roughly 3,000 jobs. RankStateTech Job Growth 2025 (%) 1Utah6.3 2Illinois5.7 3South Carolina4.8 4Colorado4.6 5Washington3.0 6Kansas2.3 7Oklahoma2.3 8North Dakota1.9 9Ohio1.4 10Florida0.5 11Alabama0.4 12Massachusetts0.3 13Delaware0.0 14Idaho0.0 15Iowa0.0 16South Dakota0.0 17New York0.0 18Michigan-0.4 19Nevada-0.5 20Arizona-0.6 21Connecticut-0.7 22Tennessee-0.7 23Oregon-0.8 24New Hampshire-0.9 25North Carolina-0.9 26Kentucky-1.0 27Mississippi-1.0 28Indiana-1.1 29Maryland-1.2 30West Virginia-1.3 31Wisconsin-1.6 32Texas-2.0 33Pennsylvania-2.0 34Nebraska-2.3 35Hawaii-2.4 36Missouri-2.8 37California-2.8 38Wyoming-3.3 39Arkansas-4.1 40Virginia-4.2 41Minnesota-4.2 42New Jersey-4.5 43Alaska-4.7 44Louisiana-4.7 45Maine-4.8 46Montana-5.3 47Vermont-6.5 48Georgia-6.7 49Rhode Island-7.1 50New Mexico-11.0 Home to “Silicon Slopes,” Utah is projected to have the third-fastest tech job growth this decade. Illinois (+5.7%) and South Carolina (+4.8%) follow, rounding out a top three that reflects a mix of established and emerging tech ecosystems. Other notable gainers include Colorado (+4.6%) and Washington (+3.0%), both of which continue to build on strong existing tech sectors. At the same time, several large states with significant tech workforces saw flat or declining growth. California, the country’s largest tech employer with over 500,000 jobs, recorded a 2.8% decline. Texas (-2.0%) and New York (0.0%) also lagged. In total, two-thirds of U.S. states recorded declines in tech employment. Overall, New Mexico saw the sharpest contraction nationwide, with tech employment falling 11%. Jobs in Rhode Island and Georgia, meanwhile, fell 7.1% and 6.7%, respectively. What’s Driving the Shift in Tech Jobs? Of course, one key driver behind these trends is the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. Across the tech sector, companies are restructuring around AI—both creating demand for specialized roles and reducing the need for others. In 2025, AI was cited as a contributing factor in thousands of job cuts, while also driving hiring in high-skill areas. As AI reshapes hiring across the industry, the biggest story isn’t job loss or growth alone, but where opportunities are moving next. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 40 jobs most exposed to AI.

Click to view this graphic in higher-resolution. Use This Visualization Mapped: Minimum Wages Across Europe See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Luxembourg has Europe’s highest minimum wage at €2,704 per month, while Ukraine sits at €164. Western Europe dominates the top end of the map, while much of Eastern Europe remains below €1,000 per month. Several wealthy European countries, including the Nordics and Switzerland, don’t have a statutory national minimum wage. Europe’s minimum wages vary dramatically from country to country. This map uses data from Eurostat to show monthly minimum pay across the continent, revealing a stark divide between Western and Eastern Europe, along with a surprising group of wealthy countries that operate without a statutory national minimum wage. The East-West Split in Europe’s Minimum Wages Luxembourg has Europe’s highest monthly minimum wage at €2,704, while Ukraine sits at just €164. That means a minimum wage worker in Luxembourg earns more than 16 times as much per month as one in Ukraine. RankCountryCountry Monthly minimum wage (€) 1 LuxembourgLuxembourg2,704 2 IrelandIreland2,282 3 United KingdomUnited Kingdom2,279 4 NetherlandsNetherlands2,246 5 GermanyGermany2,161 6 BelgiumBelgium2,112 7 FranceFrance1,802 10 SpainSpain1,381 11 SloveniaSlovenia1,278 12 PolandPoland1,100 13 LithuaniaLithuania1,038 14 GreeceGreece1,027 15 PortugalPortugal1,015 16 CyprusCyprus1,000 17 CroatiaCroatia970 18 MaltaMalta961 19 EstoniaEstonia886 20 CzechiaCzechia841 21 SlovakiaSlovakia816 22 RomaniaRomania797 23 LatviaLatvia740 24 HungaryHungary727 25 MontenegroMontenegro670 26 SerbiaSerbia618 27 North MacedoniaNorth Macedonia584 28 TürkiyeTürkiye558 29 BulgariaBulgaria551 30 AlbaniaAlbania408 31 MoldovaMoldova279 32 UkraineUkraine164 -- AustriaAustriaNA -- ItalyItalyNA -- SwitzerlandSwitzerlandNA -- DenmarkDenmarkNA -- FinlandFinlandNA -- IcelandIcelandNA -- NorwayNorwayNA -- SwedenSwedenNA People in Ireland are paid the second-highest in Europe, at €2,282. The island has become the de-facto hub for U.S. firms in Europe, and is home to many large tech companies, which means average salaries are likely to be much more. The UK followed at €2,279, a figure calculated from the statutory hourly minimum wage from the Gov.uk website for a 37.5 hour work-week, which is typical in the country. The UK was the first European country to introduce a minimum wage, in 1909. There’s a clear split between the eastern and western sides of Europe, with only two countries in Eastern Europe—Poland and Slovenia—seeing monthly minimum wages above €1,000. Countries Without a Legal Minimum Wage Some countries don’t have statutory minimum wages inscribed into law, but they do exist. In Nordic countries — Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland — wages are set by collective agreements instead. Switzerland also doesn’t have a statutory minimum wage, but salary floors are set by states or sectors. In Geneva, one of the most well-paid areas, minimum wage would amount to €4,667 per a 40-hour work week. In Austria, a €1,700 benchmark has been set via agreements. Italy’s minimum wage is also set by sectoral agreements but it differs widely depending on sector and skill level. Interestingly, countries without statutory minimum wages are also some of the world’s happiest and richest. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about minimum wages, check out this graphic which ranks salaries across U.S. states.

Click to view this graphic in higher-resolution. Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Most Patents per Capita See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Monaco leads by a massive margin with over 307,000 patents per 100,000 people Luxembourg ranks second, but trails far behind at 24,318 South Korea leads major economies, ahead of Japan, the U.S., and China Monaco has over 300,000 patents per 100,000 people—more than 12 times higher than the next country. This striking gap highlights how patent activity is often concentrated in small financial hubs rather than large industrial economies. This chart ranks countries by active patents per 100,000 people, based on 2024 data from the World Intellectual Property Organization. Active Patents by Country Per Person Check out the data here: Rank Country Active Patents per 100,000 People 1 Monaco307,237 2 Luxembourg24,318 3 Ireland3,752 4 Switzerland3,015 5 South Korea2,536 6 Iceland2,418 7 Denmark1,847 8 Finland1,734 9 Japan1,691 10 Belgium1,591 11 Austria1,469 12 Sweden1,445 13 The Netherlands1,377 14 Malta1,312 15 Germany1,140 16 France1,107 17 United Kingdom1,099 18 United States1,051 19 Norway995 20 Hong Kong977 21 Slovenia873 22 Singapore839 23 Macao814 24 Portugal788 25 Estonia780 26 Italy650 27 Australia612 28 Latvia558 29 Czechia464 30 New Zealand457 31 Spain451 32 Lithuania434 33 Israel418 34 China404 35 Slovakia390 36 Hungary374 37 Croatia349 38 North Macedonia302 39 Poland296 40 Bulgaria207 41 Russia169 42 South Africa165 43 Romania144 44 Serbia141 45 Malaysia112 46 Chile108 47 Türkiye105 48 Mexico86 49 Sao Tome and Principe64 50 Trinidad and Tobago59 51 Andorra59 52 Ukraine56 53 Brazil53 54 Iran50 55 Mongolia47 56 Panama47 57 United Arab Emirates44 58 Zambia42 59 Saudi Arabia40 60 Bahrain37 61 Thailand34 62 Uruguay33 63 Argentina29 64 Costa Rica28 65 Viet Nam23 66 Georgia23 67 Barbados22 68 Qatar18 69 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines18 70 Colombia17 71 Jamaica16 72 India16 73 Algeria15 74 Belarus15 75 El Salvador14 76 Kazakhstan14 77 Namibia14 78 Peru13 79 Philippines13 80 Morocco13 81 Iraq11 82 Dominican Republic10 83 Moldova10 84 Ghana10 85 Oman8 86 Sri Lanka5 87 Egypt5 88 Honduras4 89 Azerbaijan4 90 Cuba4 91 Paraguay4 92 Uzbekistan3 93 Syria3 94 Kyrgyzstan3 95 Zimbabwe2 96 Bosnia and Herzegovina2 97 Kuwait2 98 Bangladesh1 99 Guatemala1 100 Ecuador1 101 Pakistan1 102 Cyprus1 103 Madagascar1 104 Bhutan1 105 Venezuela1 106 Armenia1 107 Greece0 108 Ethiopia0 109 Uganda0 110 Myanmar0 Monaco and Luxembourg stand far above the rest, but their rankings are likely shaped by their role as legal hubs for intellectual property rather than where innovation physically takes place. This pattern continues with Ireland and Switzerland, which also rank highly due to favorable tax and regulatory environments for holding patents. Among major industrial economies, South Korea stands out with 2,536 patents per 100,000 people, outperforming Japan, the U.S., and China. Home to global tech giants like Samsung and LG, the country has built a strong ecosystem for innovation. Across Europe, several smaller economies also rank highly. Nordic countries in particular combine modest populations with strong research and development investment, with Iceland reaching 2,418 patents per 100,000 people. By contrast, the U.S. records 1,051 patents per 100,000 people, placing it behind much of Western Europe on this metric. China’s reputation as the maker of cheap goods and toys has evolved significantly in recent years, and today it is known as a technology leader. The country leads in raw numbers with 5.6 million active patents but when adjusting for population, it sits behind 34 other countries at just 404 patents per 100,000 people. Innovation Isn’t Always Registered Where It Is Made Patent data often reflects where intellectual property is registered rather than where innovation actually occurs. Multinational companies frequently shift patents across borders to benefit from tax advantages, royalty structures, or legal protections. As a result, countries with favorable IP regimes can appear disproportionately strong in per-capita rankings, even if much of the underlying innovation originates elsewhere. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about patents, check out this graphic which ranks the countries with the most AI patents.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Cities Where the World’s Billionaires Were Born See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways New York tops the list with 69 billionaires born in the city—more than any other globally. Three of the next top billionaire birthplaces are in Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mumbai. A German town of under 40,000 people ranks alongside global megacities. New York stands out as the world’s leading billionaire birthplace, but it’s far from the only global hub shaping extreme wealth. Across Asia, cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mumbai also rank among the top origins of the world’s richest individuals. This world map highlights the cities around the world where at least 10 billionaires have been born, utilizing a 2026 PlayersTime analysis of the Forbes Real-Time List of Billionaires. The map spans the most common cities of birth of 1,680 billionaires, revealing interesting regional and continental trends in geographic distribution. New York: The Birthplace of Success New York is known as the home of more billionaires than any other city on Earth, but its reputation as the global hub of success starts early. Among the analyzed billionaires, 69 came from the Big Apple, more than any other city worldwide and more than the total from the next five U.S. cities combined. The following table showcases in which cities most billionaires have been born. CityNumber of Billionaires Born New York69 Hong Kong57 Singapore30 Mumbai28 Moscow25 Milan16 Los Angeles16 Rio de Janeiro15 Chicago15 San Francisco13 Montreal13 Toronto12 Philadelphia12 Hangzhou12 Taipei11 Stockholm11 Istanbul11 Boston11 Ingelheim am Rhein10 Athens10 As the largest city in the U.S., New York has been a global center for lucrative industries such as finance, entrepreneurship, and the arts for decades. The city thus occupies a singular role within global entrepreneurship and generational wealth alike. The wealthiest native New Yorker is Larry Ellison, the chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation and the sixth-richest person in the world owing to his nearly $200 billion net worth. Ellison was born in the Bronx in 1944, although he was raised by adoptive parents in Chicago’s South Shore. The Other Leading Billionaire Birthplaces Following New York, the next three cities from which the most billionaires come are all located in Asia: Hong Kong (57), Singapore (30), and Mumbai (28). Many of the billionaires from these metropolises built their fortunes in either the U.S., China, or India. While Chinese and Indian megacities may be expected, Taiwan’s capital city Taipei (11) is also well-represented as a billionaire birthplace, with the same number of billionaires within the sample size as Boston and Stockholm. The seventh-wealthiest individual within the Forbes list, Jensen Huang, is a Taipei native. Huang was born in the Taiwanese capital in 1963 and at age 30 founded Nvidia, the world’s largest company by market capitalization today. He remains president and CEO of the technology company and has a net worth of over $150 billion. A Strange European Outlier Most of the best-represented cities around the world are logical economic centers, from Moscow (25) to Chicago (15). While no African cities appeared to be the birthplace of over 10 billionaires, Brazil’s former capital of Rio de Janeiro (15) did provide the sole South American entry. One more surprising city was Ingelheim am Rhein (10), located in southwestern Germany. Unlike major metropolises like Los Angeles (13) or Istanbul (11), Ingelheim is a small town of fewer than 40,000 inhabitants. The explanation behind the high number of billionaires born in this town comes from the history of Boehringer Ingelheim, the world’s largest privately-held pharmaceutical company, which was founded in Ingelheim in 1885 and continues to be headquartered there. As some of Germany’s richest citizens, many members of the Boehringer family were born in the town, allowing Ingelheim to punch far above its weight as a billionaire birthplace. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Buffett Most Well-Liked U.S. Billionaire on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Top Marginal Income Tax Rates by State in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways California has the highest top marginal income tax rate at 13.3%, followed by Hawaii (11.0%) and New York (10.9%). Nine states levy no income tax, including Texas, Florida, and Washington. Several states are moving toward lower or zero income taxes, with Mississippi targeting full elimination by 2040. In the U.S., where you live can significantly affect how much you pay in state income taxes—especially for top earners. In 2026, the gap is stark. California leads with a 13.3% top marginal rate, while nine states levy no income tax at all. Using data from the Tax Foundation, this map shows how top marginal income tax rates vary across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. As remote work gives Americans more flexibility in where they live, differences in state tax policy are playing a growing role in relocation and financial planning decisions. Ranked: The Top Marginal Income Tax Rates by State in 2026 The table below ranks all 50 states and Washington, D.C. by their top marginal income tax rates for single filers in 2026. Rates reflect the highest bracket applied to income at the state level. Generally, coastal states and the Northeast dominate the high-tax end, while Sun Belt and Mountain West states cluster at the low—or no-tax—end of the spectrum. StateTop Marginal Income Tax (%)Tax System California13.3Graduated-Rate Income Tax Hawaii11.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax New York10.9Graduated-Rate Income Tax District of Columbia10.8Graduated-Rate Income Tax New Jersey10.8Graduated-Rate Income Tax Oregon9.9Graduated-Rate Income Tax Minnesota9.9Graduated-Rate Income Tax Massachusetts9.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax Vermont8.8Graduated-Rate Income Tax Wisconsin7.7Graduated-Rate Income Tax Maine7.2Graduated-Rate Income Tax Connecticut7.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax Delaware6.6Graduated-Rate Income Tax Maryland6.5Graduated-Rate Income Tax South Carolina6.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax Rhode Island6.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax New Mexico5.9Graduated-Rate Income Tax Virginia5.8Graduated-Rate Income Tax Montana5.7Graduated-Rate Income Tax Kansas5.6Graduated-Rate Income Tax Idaho5.3Flat Income Tax Georgia5.2Flat Income Tax Alabama5.0Graduated-Rate Income Tax Illinois5.0Flat Income Tax West Virginia4.8Graduated-Rate Income Tax Missouri4.7Graduated-Rate Income Tax Nebraska4.6Graduated-Rate Income Tax Oklahoma4.5Graduated-Rate Income Tax Utah4.5Flat Income Tax Colorado4.4Flat Income Tax Michigan4.3Flat Income Tax Mississippi4.0Flat Income Tax North Carolina4.0Flat Income Tax Arkansas3.9Graduated-Rate Income Tax Iowa3.8Flat Income Tax Kentucky3.5Flat Income Tax Pennsylvania3.1Flat Income Tax Louisiana3.0Flat Income Tax Indiana3.0Flat Income Tax Ohio2.8Flat Income Tax Arizona2.5Flat Income Tax North Dakota2.5Graduated-Rate Income Tax Alaska0None Florida0None Nevada0None New Hampshire0None South Dakota0None Tennessee0None Texas0None Washington0No state income tax, but imposes capital gains tax Wyoming0None Only a handful of states impose rates above 10%, but they include some of the most populous, including California and New York. These states tend to have larger budgets and more progressive tax structures, placing a heavier burden on top earners. Additionally, California is proposing a 5% billionaire wealth tax, which could affect about 200 individuals across America’s most populous state. Meanwhile, a sizable share of states cluster in the middle, where top rates hover between 4% and 9%. This middle ground reflects a balancing act in generating revenue without straying too far from national norms. States With No Income Tax At the other extreme, nine states have eliminated income taxes altogether, betting on consumption taxes, property taxes, and economic growth to fill the gap. Today, these states are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. It’s worth noting that while Washington does not tax salaries on high earners, a 7% tax applies to capital gains up to $1 million, rising to 9.9% beyond this threshold. Mississippi lawmakers, meanwhile, plan to eliminate income taxes by 2040 if certain economic conditions are met. Several others, like South Carolina and Georgia, are also moving in this direction. Taken together, the map highlights more than just tax rates, it points to a strategic divide in how states raise revenue. Some lean on high earners, while others forgo income taxes altogether to attract growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on gross vs. net income taxes across Europe.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Which Countries Shut Down the Most Nuclear Power? See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Around 250 nuclear plants have been shut down since 1957, totaling 136,823 MW of capacity. Japan, Germany, and the U.S. lead in nuclear capacity retired. China has shut down no nuclear power plants, even as many countries reconsider the energy source. Nuclear is on the brink of a golden era but, globally, 136,823 megawatts of nuclear power has been shut down across 250 plants. Electrification, the build up of domestic manufacturing, and artificial intelligence has led to increased energy demand. Politicians and AI leaders have turned to nuclear, considered limitless low-carbon energy, as a solution. However, sentiment on the energy source is mixed thanks to radioactive waste, large-scale disasters, and its association with nuclear weapons. This graphic, based on data from Global Energy Monitor, visualizes shutdown nuclear power capacity by country from 1957 to 2025 and includes the number of shuttered sites. The Countries That Have Shut Down the Most Nuclear Power The data includes capacity retired at the end of its lifespan and mothballed earlier. Dive into it below: RankCountry/AreaUnitsCapacity (MW) 1 Japan4435,284 2 Germany3627,862 3 United States4723,311 4 United Kingdom369,163 5 France156,087 6 Russia165,879 7 Taiwan65,144 8 Sweden74,268 9 Ukraine43,800 10 Lithuania22,600 11 Canada62,268 12 Belgium32,123 13 Bulgaria41,760 14 Italy41,472 15 South Korea21,290 16 Spain31,116 17 Slovakia31,023 18 India4640 19 Philippines1621 20 Armenia1408 21 Switzerland2397 22 Pakistan1100 23 Kazakhstan190 24 Netherlands160 25 Argentina129 26 Puerto Rico118 27 Panama110 Japan, where the devastating Fukushima disaster occurred, shut down the most capacity at 35,284 megawatts over 44 facilities. The country temporarily suspended most of its nuclear plants after the 2011 accident, and only some have been brought back online. Nuclear power made up 29.5% of Germany’s electricity supply at its peak, but it has since closed all of its reactors, totaling 36 units and 27,862 megawatts. The decision to do so was made in the wake of Fukushima but the last reactor went offline just last year. The U.S. comes in third place for the number of megawatts ceased, at 23,311, but has actually shut down the highest number of facilities. Nuclear power in Ukraine has garnered its fair share of attention as Russia’s invasion threatened the stability of its Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe with a capacity of 6,000 megawatts. Russia seized the plant in 2022 and remains in control. Ukraine has shut down just four plants, totaling 3,800 megawatts. Global Energy Monitor’s data doesn’t specify the names of plants, but the former Soviet Union member is home to the Chernobyl facility that melted down in 1986. The plant had a normal operating capacity of 1,000 megawatts. Notably, China has not shut down any nuclear projects. The country is pursuing an ambitious target to have 150 gigawatts (or 150,000 megawatts) of nuclear energy capacity by 2035 as it looks to diversify its energy sources. Nuclear is Being Brought Back Online Despite decades of reactor closures, nuclear power is gaining renewed attention as global electricity demand rises. Growth in AI, electrification, and manufacturing is prompting countries to reconsider nuclear as a dependable, low-carbon energy source. In some cases, previously retired facilities are even being brought back online. The Three Mile Island site in the U.S., known for the 1979 partial meltdown, is now set to help power Microsoft data centers. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about global energy systems, check out this graphic which charts where energy transition spending by country.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Most Trusted Made-in Labels in the World See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Germany is the most trusted “Made in” label at 66%, followed by Switzerland (64%) and Japan (63%). France, Italy, and the UK all tie at 57%, while the U.S. and EU sit slightly lower at 55%. China (31%), Mexico (28%), and India (27%) rank near the bottom of the trust scale. Country-of-origin labels still shape how people judge product quality, but trust varies widely depending on where something is made. This chart ranks the world’s most trusted “Made in” labels based on a March 2025 survey of 20,000 respondents across 10 countries by the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions. While Germany takes the top spot, the broader pattern is just as telling: European labels dominate the upper tier, the U.S. lands in the middle, and several major manufacturing hubs rank far lower than expected. One of the more surprising results is Taiwan, which scores relatively modestly despite its central role in global semiconductor production. Europe Dominates the Most Trusted Labels With two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents including “Made in Germany” in their answer, Europe’s largest economy topped the survey leaderboard. Long known for high-quality cars and industrial products, Germany’s lead reflects the country’s well-respected exports. The following table lists the percentage of respondents who included a given country-of-origin label among their top two most trusted. Made In LabelTrust Score (%) Made in Germany66 Made in Switzerland64 Made in Japan63 Made in France57 Made in Italy57 Made in UK57 Made in USA55 Made in EU55 Made in Taiwan33 Made in China31 Made in Mexico28 Made in India27 Beyond Germany, Europe performs quite well, with Switzerland (64%) as runner-up and equally high performance of 57% among the three other major Western European economies of France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Interestingly, the 27-member EU scores slightly lower than its three major member states at 55%, reflecting perhaps people’s mistrust of other, less dominant EU member-country exports. Nonetheless, the EU has maintained strict rules of origin for goods across the bloc, seeking to protect key national economic sectors in member states. Why the U.S. Outranks China on Trust The U.S. and China show a clear divide in how “Made in” labels are perceived. With just 31%, “Made in China” falls in the bottom quarter of the survey, indicating that fewer than a third of respondents placed this label among their most trusted. In contrast, the U.S. scores 55%, equivalent to the EU bloc-wide score. Part of this gap may be attributed to survey methodology; after all, survey respondents came from the U.S., UK, Japan, India, Mexico, South Africa, and the EU, but notably not from China. Taiwan’s Surprising Position in the Rankings Despite being a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, Taiwan ranks in the middle of the pack on trust. Only 33% of respondents selected “Made in Taiwan” among their most trusted labels, putting it well behind countries like Japan and Germany. The result highlights a gap between Taiwan’s importance in high-tech supply chains and how its products are perceived more broadly by consumers. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Exports to Canada, Mexico, and China Support Over 4 Million U.S. Jobs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Charted: How Powerful Is Iran in the Middle East? This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Iran has the largest population among its regional peers, but relatively low GDP per capita. It ranks among the top countries in oil reserves and production, second only to Saudi Arabia. Iran fields the largest military force in the region, despite lower spending than rivals like Saudi Arabia and Israel. Iran is often seen as a major power in the Middle East, but how does it compare to its neighbors? By population, energy resources, and military size, it ranks among the region’s largest players, yet it falls behind wealthier states on economic output per person and defense spending. This visualization from Julie Peasley breaks down the numbers across multiple dimensions to show where Iran leads, where it lags, and how its overall scale shapes its regional influence. Iran’s Economic Scale Here’s a look at key economic indicators, including population and GDP: CountryPopulation (2026)Area (sq. mi)GDP $B (2025)GDP per Capita $ (2025) Iran93,168,497636,372356.514,074 Bahrain1,675,57230047.3929,253 Iraq48,007,437169,235265.455,832 Israel9,647,6898,470610.7560,009 Jordan11,589,53234,48556.164,908 Kuwait5,102,7736,880157.4730,805 Lebanon5,897,4674,03628.285,282 Oman5,671,458119,498105.1919,119 Qatar3,173,5594,474222.1271,441 Saudi Arabia35,165,787830,000127035,231 Syria26,472,49771,49919.99847 UAE11,574,68232,279569.151,348 Iran stands out with a population of 93.2 million, far larger than its neighbors, yet its GDP per capita remains among the lowest. While its total GDP is sizable at roughly $356 billion, it still trails regional leaders like Saudi Arabia and Israel, highlighting the gap between scale and prosperity. While population size can drive economic potential, Iran’s relatively low GDP per capita, at just over $4,000, suggests that per capita productivity lags behind smaller, richer nations like Qatar and Israel. This contrast highlights a broader regional pattern: Smaller Gulf states tend to have higher per capita wealth Larger countries like Iran and Iraq have more modest income levels Oil Power in the Middle East Energy remains one of Iran’s defining strengths: CountryOil Prod., bpd (2024)Oil Reserves, barrels (2025) Iran4,626,733208,600,000,000 Bahrain186,982169,900,000 Iraq4,505,283145,019,000,000 Israel23,67412,730,000 Jordan3301,000,000 Kuwait2,776,206101,500,000,000 Lebanonno datano data Oman1,001,9704,971,000,000 Qatar1,852,41725,244,000,000 Saudi Arabia10,872,023267,230,000,000 Syria60,3652,500,000,000 UAE4,514,224113,000,000,000 Iran ranks near the top in both oil production and reserves, second only to Saudi Arabia. With roughly 208.6 billion barrels in reserves and daily production of about 4.6 million barrels, it remains one of the region’s key energy players. Despite this scale, sanctions have constrained exports and investment, limiting output growth relative to Gulf producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Much of the oil exports that do make it out of the country’s borders end up in China. Military Strength and Spending Finally, here’s how Iran compares militarily: CountryActive Military Personnel (2026)Military Exp., $B (2024) Iran610,0007.9 Bahrain8,2001.4 Iraq193,0006.2 Israel169,50046.5 Jordan100,5002.6 Kuwait17,5007.8 Lebanon60,0000.6 Oman42,6006.0 Qatar16,50015.4 Saudi Arabia257,00080.3 Syriano data2.5 UAE63,00022.8* *2014 data. SIPRI notes that UAE military spending data is not available after 2014 due to limited transparency. Iran has the largest active military force in the region at 610,000 personnel, which is more than double Saudi Arabia’s. Despite this, its annual military spending of $7.9 billion is far lower than Saudi Arabia or Israel. This reflects a different strategic approach: Iran emphasizes manpower and asymmetric capabilities Rivals invest heavily in advanced technology and defense systems While Israel is often considered more technologically advanced, Iran’s scale and regional influence remain significant factors in the balance of power. Learn More on the Voronoi App For a deeper look at regional dynamics, check out How Military Imbalance Shapes the US–Iran Standoff on the Voronoi app.

Mapped: Which Gulf States Depend Most on Tourism? This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Bahrain and the UAE are the Gulf’s most tourism-dependent economies, with tourism receipts equal to more than 10% of GDP. That puts them in the same range as major global tourism markets like Greece and Thailand. As regional tensions rise, that reliance could become an economic vulnerability. Bahrain and the UAE stand out as the Gulf’s most tourism-reliant economies, with visitor spending playing a much larger role in their economies than in neighboring states. This map by Iswardi Ishak breaks down international tourism receipts as a share of GDP across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies based on UN Tourism data, revealing which economies are most exposed to swings in global travel demand. Tourism’s Role Across Gulf Economies Below, we break down tourism receipts as a share of GDP in GCC economies, as well as others for comparison: Country/TerritoryInt'l Tourism Receipts as % of GDPTotal Int'l Tourism Receipts (USD Billions) Bahrain10.6%5 United Arab Emirates10.3%57 Greece9.1%23.4 Thailand8.1%42.7 Spain6.2%106.5 Hong Kong5.5%22.5 Singapore4.4%23.8 Türkiye4.1%56.3 Qatar3.8%8.4 Saudi Arabia3.3%41 Italy2.5%58.7 Oman2.4%2.6 France2.4%77 Kuwait1.4%2.3 Japan1.4%54.7 India0.9%35 U.S.0.8%214 China (Mainland)0.2%39.7 The UAE and Bahrain each derive more than 10% of GDP from international tourism, placing them among the most tourism-exposed economies globally. Meanwhile, Kuwait and Oman remain far less dependent on international visitors. Tourism as a Diversification Strategy Across the Gulf, tourism has been central to economic diversification strategies aimed at reducing reliance on oil. The UAE stands out as the region’s most tourism-dependent major economy, with Dubai in particular positioning itself as a global travel hub. Bahrain, while smaller, also leans heavily on tourism, though much of it is regional, with visitors frequently arriving from neighboring Saudi Arabia. In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is anchored by religious travel, particularly the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Countries like Qatar and Oman fall somewhere in between, investing heavily in tourism infrastructure but still deriving a relatively modest share of GDP from the sector. Rising Risks from Regional Conflict However, the region’s growing reliance on tourism also introduces new vulnerabilities. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, recent strikes on infrastructure and explicit warnings that tourist sites could be targeted have raised concerns across global travel markets. Industry analysts warn that prolonged conflict could have a chilling effect on international travel demand, particularly in perceived high-risk regions. This creates a direct economic risk for countries like the UAE and Bahrain, where tourism is a key pillar of growth. Even Saudi Arabia faces potential disruption, especially if instability affects major religious gatherings that attract millions annually. How the GCC Compares Globally Globally, tourism-dependent economies vary widely. Countries like Greece (9.1%) and Thailand (8.1%) derive significant shares of GDP from tourism, while larger economies like the U.S. (0.8%) and China (0.2%) are far less reliant. The GCC’s top performers now rival established tourism markets, but with geopolitical risks rising, that reliance could quickly turn into a vulnerability. Learn More on the Voronoi App Explore more data on global tourism trends in this post: Which Country Gains The Most From Tourism?

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Which Countries See Their People as Most Moral See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways In most surveyed countries, a majority of people say their fellow citizens are moral. The U.S. is the only country where most respondents say their compatriots are not moral. Canada and Indonesia top the ranking, with 92% of respondents in each country viewing their fellow citizens positively. People in most countries tend to see their fellow citizens as moral. But one country stands apart: the United States is the only place in Pew’s 2025 survey where a majority of respondents said their compatriots are not moral. This graphic ranks 25 countries by the share of respondents who said people in their country are moral, based on Pew Research Center’s Spring 2025 Global Attitudes Survey. The Most Moral Countries Worldwide Canada and Indonesia lead among surveyed countries, with 92% of respondents in both countries generally believing in their fellow citizens’ morality. Canada edges slightly ahead, with 7% of respondents saying their compatriots are immoral, compared to 8% in Indonesia. The following table reflects the percentage of respondents who answered that people in their country were either moral or immoral. CountryFellow Citizens are MoralFellow Citizens are Not Moral Indonesia928 Canada927 Sweden8812 India889 Australia8514 Mexico8317 Japan8316 UK8217 Netherlands8019 South Korea7822 Kenya7228 Germany7227 Nigeria7129 Spain7128 Argentina7029 Poland7028 Hungary6831 Israel6827 South Africa6336 Italy5940 Greece5544 France5543 Türkiye5149 Brazil5148 U.S.4753 The mix of countries at the top challenges common assumptions about what drives these perceptions. Indonesia and India (88%) are highly diverse societies, yet they rank alongside more homogeneous countries like Japan (83%) and Hungary (68%). Meanwhile, the relatively equal responses between countries like Canada and Indonesia, or India and Sweden (both 88%), also dispel notions about the distinguishing factor being tied to the economic development level of the country. The Sole Outlier One country does emerge as a clear outlier in this ranking. In contrast to their northern neighbors in Canada, a whopping 53% of respondents in the U.S. answered that they believe their fellow citizens are immoral. This is the only country where a positive social opinion was the minority. A few factors may help explain the unique responses by American respondents, including deep political polarization and worsening tribalism across the country, as well as long-running national debates surrounding religion and gun violence. Notably, while rising numbers of members of both mainstream political parties believe their opponents to be immoral, in this survey Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents were far likelier than their Republican counterparts to answer negatively. American Peers Around the World While the U.S. is the only country where most respondents declared their fellow citizens immoral, other countries do also reflect relatively divided views of their national citizenry. This trend can be found not only in large developing countries like Brazil and Türkiye (both 51%) but also established Western European democracies like France (55%) and Italy (59%). Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Survey: The Countries Most Optimistic About 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How 50 Global Cities Rank for Raising a Family See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Australia has four cities in the top 10, with Brisbane ranked as the best city among the 50 observed for raising a family. Europe also has four cities in the top 10, with London ranked second overall and Helsinki ranked fourth. Not every city is created equally when it comes to raising a family. From cost of living to access to green spaces, each city offers different parental perks. This world map compares 50 major cities worldwide for raising children, incorporating data from a 2026 index created by Compare the Market that weighs diverse variables. The index specifically evaluates cities based off safety, happiness, cost of living, family benefits, parental leave, child vaccination rates, green spaces, child activities, education spending to reach an aggregate score. Australia: The Clear Favorite for Raising a Family No country is better represented than Australia, which has four cities in the top 10 due in part to the country’s relative safety and happiness scores. Brisbane even clinches the first-place spot, helped in large part by its vast number of open green spaces and parks. The data table below lists the ranking of 50 global cities for raising a family, alongside their score in the index: RankCityIndex Score 1 Brisbane6.457 2 London5.992 3 Auckland5.460 4 Helsinki5.305 5 Sydney5.239 6 Perth5.120 7 Melbourne5.056 8 Stockholm5.008 9 Berlin4.969 10 Seoul4.904 11 Paris4.637 12 New Delhi4.591 13 Prague4.542 14 Copenhagen4.449 15 Barcelona4.377 16 Lisbon4.352 17 Wellington4.344 18 Rome4.328 19 Vienna4.234 20 Madrid4.234 21 Manchester4.111 22 Tokyo4.090 23 Brussels4.060 24 Amsterdam4.020 25 Munich3.969 26 Santiago3.929 27 Mumbai3.901 28 New York3.895 29 Toronto3.794 30 Rio de Janeiro3.775 31 Montreal3.762 32 Osaka3.676 33 Chicago3.634 34 Dallas3.633 35 Frankfurt3.630 36 São Paulo3.579 37 Zurich3.551 38 San Francisco3.528 39 Milan3.500 40 Houston3.389 41 Johannesburg3.307 42 Washington D.C.3.274 43 Bogotá3.266 44 Los Angeles3.225 45 Istanbul3.222 46 Cape Town3.180 47 Buenos Aires3.040 48 Phoenix2.982 49 Durban2.752 50 Mexico City2.425 Given the high placement of Sydney (5th), Perth (6th), and Melbourne (7th) as well, Australian cities offer a strong mix of affordability, parental leave benefits, and public spaces for families. Beyond Australia, Oceania is also well represented due to New Zealand’s two entries, including Auckland (3rd) and Wellington (17th). The European Center of Gravity Led by London (2), Europe is the center of gravity for family-friendly cities, with four cities in the top 10. Northern European cities like Helsinki (4) and Stockholm (8) perform especially well, although Mediterranean metropolises such as Barcelona (15) and Rome (18) also score favorable rankings. The most expensive city on the list, Zurich, scores a 37th-place finish, while Europe’s largest city, Istanbul, manages to eke out a position at 45. Lower-Ranked Cities in the Americas Notably, not a single city in the Americas reaches the top half of the list. New York, the most populous city in the United States, leads the hemisphere with the #29 position. Within Latin America, lower prices and higher happiness scores are offset by safety concerns and weaker parental benefits. Santiago (26) and Rio de Janeiro (30) lead the region, while Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico each see their respective capital cities in the bottom quintile of the list. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Global Cost of Living Index 2026 on Voronoi.