Over year ago, we launched Voronoi, our free new data discovery app. Believe it or not, there are already more data-driven visuals on Voronoi than on Visual Capitalist (which has been around for 13 years!). Every day there’s something new on Voronoi to see. And in aggregate, there are over 5,000 data stories to explore on the platform from 170+ world-class creators. Explore Voronoi Let’s see what captivated users in August. We’ll take a look at some of the best Voronoi visuals over the last month, including one standout Editor’s Pick, as well as the most discussed, most viewed, and most liked posts. MOST DISCUSSED A History of American Recessions A historical timeline from USAFacts sparked lively discussion about the U.S. economy. Commenters debated whether recessions can fairly be linked to the political party in power at the time, or if lag effects make such correlations unreliable. Others focused on how the definition of a “recession” has shifted over time—possibly explaining why fewer appear in recent decades. Join the discussion on Voronoi today. MOST VIEWED The 50 Largest Companies Outside the U.S., by Market Cap, Revenue, and Profits This Visual Capitalist ranking pulled in major attention from readers around the world. Saudi Aramco and TSMC stand out as the only non-U.S. companies above the $1 trillion mark in terms of market capitalization. China leads with 12 of the top 50 companies (13 including Hong Kong’s China Mobile). Meanwhile, Europe thrives in brand-driven sectors like luxury and pharma, while Asia dominates in hardware and technology innovation. Explore the full ranking on Voronoi today. EDITOR’S PICK The Largest Crypto Fortunes Ever Amassed MadeVisual explores the largest fortunes in the history of cryptocurrency. From Satoshi’s untouched billion-dollar trove to exchange founders like CZ, this piece highlights how early entry and lack of regulation allowed extreme concentrations of wealth. Many fortunes proved to be paper billions—illiquid, inaccessible, or evaporated before they could ever be realized. Dive into the analysis on Voronoi today. MOST LIKED No ChatGPT In These Countries In this map from Visual Capitalist, readers engaged heavily with the state of AI censorship. ChatGPT is currently unavailable in 20 countries, often due to government censorship, strict privacy laws, or business decisions. The Great Firewall of China is one prominent example: combining legislation, filtering, and surveillance. VPNs remain a workaround, but even those can be criminalized. See the full breakdown on Voronoi today.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Largest Christian Populations 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 The U.S. leads the countries with largest Christian populations (inclusive of all denominations) in the world, coming in at 219 million, or about 62% of the population. Brazil is second (169 million), and Mexico third (118 million). Countries like China (72 million) and India (34 million) also crack the top 20, despite the shares being

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization These Car Brands Have the Highest DUI Rates in America 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 BMW drivers had the highest DUI rate in 2024, with 3.09 incidents per 1,000 drivers. RAM was close behind at 3.0, as were other luxury brands like Acura (2.7) and Audi (2.4). Driving under the influence of alcohol remains a serious public safety issue across the United States. According to the NHTSA, 34 people across the country die every day from drunk-driving crashes. But which vehicles are most commonly linked to drivers with DUIs? This infographic visualizes the results of a 2024 analysis that ranks car brands with the most DUIs in the U.S., measured by DUIs per 1,000 drivers. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from LendingTree. It tracks DUI rates by car brand, providing insight into which brands’ drivers are most often cited for impaired driving. RankBrandDUIs per 1,000 drivers 1 BMW3.1 2 RAM3.0 3 Acura2.7 4 Audi2.4 4 Volvo2.4 6 Subaru2.4 7 Cadillac2.3 8 GMC2.2 9 Jeep2.1 10 Ford2.1 10 Honda2.1 12 Chevrolet2.0 13 Dodge2.0 14 Mitsubishi2.0 15 Tesla1.9 16 Toyota1.9 17 Volkswagen1.9 18 Mazda1.8 19 Nissan1.7 20 Lexus1.7 21 Kia1.7 22 Hyundai1.6 23 Infiniti1.5 24 Mercedes-Benz1.4 25 Chrysler1.4 26 Buick1.3 27 Pontiac1.2 28 Land Rover1.2 28 Lincoln1.2 30 Mercury0.9 BMW Owners Have the Most DUIs per 1,000 Drivers BMW ranks first, with 3.1 DUI violations per 1,000 drivers. Other luxury brands like Acura (2.7) and Audi (2.4) are close behind, suggesting some form of lifestyle or demographic trend. Note that this isn’t true for all luxury brands—Mercedes-Benz (1.4) and Land Rover (1.2) both rank very low for DUIs. Interestingly, a 2012 study by the Institute of Personality and Social Research at the University of California, Berkeley found there is indeed a link between bad driving habits and wealth. The study watched 152 drivers approach a pedestrian crosswalk to see if they would stop for a person walking across. While eight of every 10 cars stopped, researchers noted that drivers in more expensive cars were less likely. One of the most significant trends was that fancy cars were less likely to stop. BMW drivers were the worst. – Paul K. Piff, UC Berkeley While running through a crosswalk and drunk driving are two very different offenses, both highlight how certain demographics of drivers may be more prone to risky behavior behind the wheel. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out U.S. Cities With the Most DUIs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Nations and Territories With the Highest Population Density 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 With 23,167 people per square kilometer, Macau has the highest population density globally. Ranking in second is Monaco, with 16,024 people per square kilometer, driven by its favorable business climate. From compact city-states to island nations, many of the world’s most densely populated jurisdictions share one thing in common: limited land area. While population growth plays a role, land mass area is often the stronger driver of population density. In fact, 13 of the 20 most densely populated nations and territories are islands. This infographic visualizes the jurisdictions with the highest population density in 2025, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Macau Has the Highest Population Density Worldwide Below, we show jurisdictions by population density in 2025, measured in people per square kilometer. NamePopulation Density 2025 (per sq km)Region Macau23,167Asia Monaco16,024Europe Singapore8,576Asia Hong Kong6,809Asia Gaza Strip6,069Middle East Gibraltar4,248Europe Bahrain2,078Middle East Malta1,651Europe Sint Maarten1,375North America Bermuda1,352North America Bangladesh1,307Asia Maldives1,302Asia Jersey896Europe Guernsey871Europe Taiwan732Asia Barbados709North America Aruba702North America Mauritius646Africa Saint Martin (French side)613North America West Bank587Middle East San Marino579Europe Rwanda561Africa Lebanon558Middle East Burundi544Africa South Korea531Asia Netherlands526Europe India477Asia Nauru473Oceania Marshall Islands459Oceania Tuvalu455Oceania Macau tops the global list with a staggering 23,167 people per square kilometer. This semi-autonomous region of China is densely packed due to its popularity as a gambling hub and its limited land mass. Over the past 25 years, the population has increased by 185,000 residents across an area stretching just 33 km². Monaco follows with 16,024/km², reflecting its luxury economy, tax benefits, and constrained geography. As a result, Monaco is home to one of the most expensive real estate markets globally. Meanwhile, Singapore and Hong Kong also rank highly, demonstrating how city-states or city-like regions dominate this metric. As we can see, many of the most densely populated places are island nations or small territories. Notably, Sint Maarten, Malta, and Bermuda each have over 1,300 people per square kilometer. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this map on population density in North America on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Often People Use ChatGPT Across 21 Countries 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 India has the highest daily ChatGPT usage at 36%, well above the global average of 17%. Japan has the lowest daily usage (6%) and one of the highest “rarely” rates at 42%. ChatGPT is currently the world’s most popular AI tool, attracting over 5 billion monthly visits. But how often are people around the world actually using it? To find out, we’ve visualized survey results that tracked daily, weekly, and monthly usage across 21 countries, providing insight into AI adoption. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from the 2024 Global Public Opinion on Artificial Intelligence (GPO-AI) report. It measures how often people use ChatGPT, from daily engagement to rarely or never. CountryDailyWeeklyMonthlyRarely India36%39%10%15% Pakistan28%34%16%22% Kenya27%42%13%18% China24%49%15%12% Brazil21%38%14%27% Indonesia20%39%11%30% U.S.18%27%21%34% Global17%36%16%30% South Africa13%35%21%30% Mexico13%42%19%25% Canada13%30%20%36% France12%27%19%43% Spain11%35%16%38% U.K.10%28%20%42% Poland10%31%14%44% Portugal10%27%18%44% Chile9%39%18%34% Argentina9%33%20%37% Germany9%32%20%39% Italy9%35%17%39% Australia8%38%17%36% Japan6%32%20%42% Note that this survey was conducted at the end of 2023. Given ChatGPT’s quickly rising popularity, usage figures are likely higher across the board. India Leads in Daily ChatGPT Usage India is the global leader in daily ChatGPT use, with 36% of respondents saying they use it every day. Notably, this is more than double the global average of 17%. Several over emerging economies show relatively high adoption rates, including Pakistan (28% daily), Kenya (27% daily), and China (24% daily). This may reflect a higher openness to new technologies within these countries, or a prevalence of jobs that can easily utilize ChatGPT. Japan and Europe Show Slower Adoption At the other end of the scale, Japan has the lowest daily usage at just 6%. Nearly half of Japanese respondents say they rarely use ChatGPT, suggesting limited integration into everyday tasks. Several European countries follow a similar trend. In France, the U.K., Poland, and Portugal, only about 10–12% report daily usage, with over 40% falling into the “rarely” category. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What People Are Asking ChatGPT on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 3 hours ago on August 29, 2025 By Ryan Bellefontaine Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by DP World Visualized: Countries by Container Volume Per Capita Global trade is a key driver of economic growth in today’s modern economy, but which countries punch above their weight? This graphic, created in partnership with DP World, compares select countries on container volume per capita using data from the World Bank’s container traffic (in TEUs) and World Bank populations for 2022. UAE vs. Singapore Here is a table that shows the 2022 container volume per capita by country, derived from national TEUs divided by population. CountryContainer Volume (TEUs, 2022)Population (2022)Container Volume Per Capita Singapore37,289,6005,637,0006.62 UAE20,300,0009,441,0002.15 Malaysia27,293,93533,938,0000.80 South Korea28,502,04451,628,0000.55 Spain17,161,67647,615,0000.36 Vietnam20,518,92698,187,0000.21 China268,990,0001,417,173,0000.19 United States62,214,119333,288,0000.19 Japan22,515,870125,125,0000.18 India19,717,1681,417,173,0000.01 Singapore tops the ranking thanks to its outsized transshipment role across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the UAE places second, supported by Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port and the wider Jafza free zone. Despite the U.S. and China having the largest container volumes of any countries, the UAE accomplishes 10 times more when adjusting for population. Moreover, Jebel Ali’s installed capacity reaches 19.4 million TEUs, enabling deep-water, big-ship calls. In turn, the broader Jafza ecosystem has enabled trade for 40 years and today hosts 11,000+ companies, facilitating US$190B+ in commerce. Why Trade Per Capita Matters Per-capita trade normalizes scale and highlights logistics ecosystems that serve regions far beyond domestic demand. We calculate container volume per capita by dividing total 2022 TEUs by each country’s 2022 population. Because TEUs measure capacity, results reflect throughput rather than cargo value. Where TEU figures cover all national ports, the metric shows how infrastructure scales beyond domestic needs, as a result, transshipment and re-export hubs often rank higher than much larger economies. For greater context, see how the UAE stacks up on merchandise exports per capita specifically. Be a part of Dubai’s growth story Related Topics: #trade #dubai #singapore #ports #teus #United Arab Emirates #Jebel Ali #Container volume Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Visualized: Countries by Container Volume Per Capita"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/visualized-countries-by-container-volume-per-capita/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-181453"; More from DP World Cities1 month ago Ranked: The Top Cities in the World by Reputation Discover the top 10 city reputations of 2024 and see why Dubai is a rising hub for investment, innovation, and opportunity. Economy4 months ago Ranked: The Top 10 Countries by Merchandise Exports Per Capita Explore how the UAE, powered by Jebel Ali Port, is rising as a global trade hub, challenging traditional leaders in commerce. Technology5 months ago Visualized: UAE Vehicle Trade Growth by Country The UAE’s vehicle trade is booming, with China leading import growth & Iraq topping export growth thanks to Dubai’s port of Jebel Ali. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Which Governments Hold the Most Bitcoin in 2025? 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 The U.S. is the largest government holder of bitcoin (BTC), followed closely by China. Government holdings of BTC are largely derived from law enforcement seizures or strategic mining initiatives. Governments worldwide are increasingly holding bitcoin, whether through deliberate strategy or enforcement seizures. Today, some of the biggest national treasuries include hundreds of thousands of coins, worth billions of dollars. In this infographic, we visualize the countries with the most bitcoin as of July 31, 2025. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from BitcoinTreasuries.net, which shows how much bitcoin each country has accumulated. Note that this may not be a conclusive list, as some countries may not publicly report their reserves. Values were based on a BTC price of $118,454 USD. GovernmentBitcoinsValue (USD)Share of Total BTC Supply U.S.198,022$23,456,497,9880.943% China190,000$22,506,260,0000.905% UK61,245$7,254,715,2300.292% Ukraine46,351$5,490,461,3540.221% North Korea13,562$1,606,473,1480.065% Bhutan11,286$1,336,871,8440.050% El Salvador6,257$741,166,6780.030% Venezuela240$28,428,9600.001% Finland90$10,660,8600.000% Altogether, these 10 countries control roughly 2.506% of total BTC supply. U.S. and China Own the Most Bitcoin The U.S. and China are the two countries with the most bitcoin as of July 31, 2025. In America, much of this stash comes from high-profile law enforcement seizures, including Silk Road and other dark web marketplaces. According to Investopedia, the FBI seized over 144,000 BTC from Silk Road in 2013. Its founder, Ross Ulbricht, received a life sentence but was pardoned by President Trump in January 2025. China is close behind the U.S., holding 190,000 BTC valued at around $22.5 billion. Despite its ban on retail crypto trading, China has retained large reserves from confiscated mining and fraud cases. Emerging Economies and Strategic Adoption Ukraine and North Korea both hold significant BTC reserves, reportedly connected to cyber activity and asset seizures. Bhutan also stands out as a surprising player, with more than 11,000 BTC linked to its secretive hydro-powered mining operations. El Salvador remains the only country to purchase Bitcoin directly as part of its financial strategy, holding 6,257 bitcoins worth over $740 million. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the Top Companies by Bitcoin Holdings on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: U.S. Households on Welfare by State 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 Puerto Rico has the highest share of U.S. households on welfare at 47%. New Mexico (20%) has the highest share amongst the states. Utah and Wyoming tie for the lowest share at 6%. Eligibility rules, outreach, and administration vary widely by state, so participation rates reflect policy choices as well as need. Between persistent inflation, trade wars, and AI-related job disruptions, the outlook on the U.S. economy is once again ticking to “uncertain.” If things get worse and unemployment starts to tick up, then more Americans might be forced to rely on state support to make ends meet. But what’s the current picture? How many families in the country are already in need of benefits? This map shows the share of households in each state that reported receiving cash public assistance (also known as TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or food assistance (also known as SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in 2023. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s. Figures are rounded. Ranked: U.S. Households on Welfare by State Puerto Rico stands out with 47% of households receiving assistance. This reflects sustained economic challenges and unique territorial program structures. RankState or JurisdictionCodeShare of Households on Welfare# of Households on Welfare 1Puerto RicoPR47%586K 2New MexicoNM20%162K 3West VirginiaWV18%129K 4LouisianaLA17%308K 5OregonOR17%284K 6New YorkNY16%1253K 7MassachusettsMA15%418K 8OklahomaOK15%224K 9PennsylvaniaPA15%787K 10Rhode IslandRI15%67K 11AlabamaAL14%277K 12District of ColumbiaDC14%46K 13FloridaFL14%1157K 14IllinoisIL14%723K 15MichiganMI14%571K 16MississippiMS14%162K 17NevadaNV14%162K 18AlaskaAK13%35K 19CaliforniaCA13%1748K 20ConnecticutCT13%182K 21GeorgiaGA13%524K 22HawaiiHI13%63K 23KentuckyKY13%240K 24MaineME13%76K 25North CarolinaNC13%553K 26OhioOH13%641K 27WashingtonWA13%382K 28DelawareDE12%46K 29MarylandMD12%279K 30TennesseeTN12%329K 31TexasTX12%1322K 32VermontVT12%32K 33WisconsinWI12%282K 34ArizonaAZ11%311K 35ArkansasAR11%132K 36MissouriMO11%264K 37South CarolinaSC11%230K 38IndianaIN10%262K 39IowaIA10%131K 40New JerseyNJ10%342K 41VirginiaVA10%320K 42ColoradoCO9%215K 43IdahoID9%63K 44MinnesotaMN9%201K 45MontanaMT9%42K 46NebraskaNE9%69K 47South DakotaSD9%32K 48KansasKS8%90K 49New HampshireNH7%39K 50North DakotaND7%24K 51UtahUT6%68K 52WyomingWY6%14K Among the states, New Mexico has the highest share at 20%, followed by West Virginia (18%), Oregon (17%), Louisiana (17%), and New York (16%). A large cluster of state jurisdictions have low‑to‑mid teens of U.S. households on welfare. And at the other end, Utah and Wyoming are lowest at 6%, with New Hampshire and North Dakota at 7% and Kansas at 8%. Regional Patterns and Notable Outliers Appalachia and parts of the South post elevated welfare participation, mirroring higher poverty rates in the region. However, even the richer Northeast has several higher‑than‑average states with households on benefits. This includes Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island (each 15%), alongside low New Hampshire (7%). Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Oregon is an outlier at 17%, while California and Washington are closer to the national middle at 13%. Overall, the median across the 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico is 13%, showing most places cluster in a narrow band. Policy Design Matters for Welfare Access Safety‑net participation reflects more than local poverty rates. For example, SNAP is federally funded but state‑administered, and states differ in outreach, enrolment ease, and recertification cadence. Cash assistance (often via TANF) is a capped block grant, and states set their own eligibility thresholds and work rules, which can meaningfully raise or lower participation. States Will Have to Start Paying for Food Stamp Programs Per reporting from Politico, Trump’s recent megabill has slashed federal funding for safety net programs and pushes food aid costs to the states. Draft proposals would require states to cover between 5% and 25% of benefit costs starting in 2028 and pick up 75% of administrative expenses. This marks a major change from today, where the federal government funds SNAP benefits entirely. As a result states with higher participation and elevated error rates would face the greatest budget implications if these plans are implemented. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: The Income a Family Needs to Be Middle Class, by State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: U.S. Tariff Rates by Country 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 The Trump administration increased tariffs, citing trade deficits and national security concerns. Brazil and India received the highest tariff rate of 50%. Under the second Trump administration, new tariff levels have been applied to over 80 countries, with rates ranging from 10% to 50%. The U.S. President argues that persistent trade deficits and unfair foreign trade barriers harm American industries and threaten national security, even in cases where the U.S. runs a trade surplus with some of these countries. This infographic visualizes the new tariff landscape, highlighting how different trading partners are affected. The data for this visualization comes from CNN and the White House. High Tariffs, Even on Surplus Partners India and Brazil both received the highest tariff rate of 50%. Despite the U.S. running a $7 billion goods surplus with Brazil in 2024, it received the steepest rate. In addition to claims that trade with Brazil has been unfair to the United States, Trump has used tariffs to pressure Brazil’s judiciary over a criminal case involving former President Jair Bolsonaro, which the Republican has called a “political execution.” Similarly, on August 26, 50% tariffs took effect against India as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil and weapons. Meanwhile, other major trade partners with large U.S. deficits saw relatively moderate tariffs. For instance, Vietnam ($123 billion deficit), Taiwan ($74 billion), and Japan ($69 billion) were all placed in the 15–20% range. The European Union received a 15% tariff on most goods, despite a massive $236 billion deficit. Trading partnerTariff rateTrade balance, 2024 Brazil50%+$7B India50%−$46B Syria41%−$0.009B Laos40%−$0.763B Myanmar40%−$0.577B Switzerland39%−$38B Canada35%−$62B Iraq35%−$6B Serbia35%−$0.604B Algeria30%−$1B Bosnia and Herzegovina30%−$0.126B China30%−$295B Libya30%−$0.9B South Africa30%−$9B Mexico25%−$171.5B Brunei25%−$0.111B Kazakhstan25%−$1B Moldova25%−$0.085B Tunisia25%−$0.622B Bangladesh20%−$6B Sri Lanka20%−$3B Taiwan20%−$74B Vietnam20%−$123B Cambodia19%−$12B Indonesia19%−$18B Malaysia19%−$25B Pakistan19%−$3B Philippines19%−$5B Thailand19%−$45B Nicaragua18%−$2B Afghanistan15%−$0.011B Angola15%−$1B Bolivia15%−$0.073B Botswana15%−$0.301B Cameroon15%−$0.059B Chad15%−$0.025B Costa Rica15%−$2B Ivory Coast15%−$0.424B DR Congo15%−$0.096B Ecuador15%−$0.974B Equatorial Guinea15%−$0.032B EU (on most goods)15%−$236B Fiji15%−$0.163B Ghana15%−$0.206B Guyana15%−$4B Iceland15%−$0.082B Israel15%−$7B Japan15%−$69B Jordan15%−$1B Lesotho15%−$0.234B Liechtenstein15%−$0.177B Madagascar15%−$0.679B Malawi15%−$0.013B Mauritius15%−$0.186B Mozambique15%−$0.068B Namibia15%−$0.114B Nauru15%−$0.001B New Zealand15%−$1B Nigeria15%−$1B North Macedonia15%−$0.113B Norway15%−$2B Papua New Guinea15%−$0.013B South Korea15%−$66B Trinidad and Tobago15%−$0.422B Turkey15%−$1B Uganda15%−$0.026B Vanuatu15%−$0.006B Venezuela15%−$2B Zambia15%−$0.055B Zimbabwe15%−$0.024B All other countries10%— North American Neighbors Hit Hard At the beginning of the year, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 25% on Mexican imports and 35% on Canadian imports. He justified these threats as part of his strategy to curb illegal immigration, reduce the flow of fentanyl into the United States, and address the U.S. trade deficit with both countries. On August 1, he raised tariffs to 35% on Canadian goods not covered by the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), while Mexico received a 90-day extension before any increase takes effect. Since goods that meet USMCA rules of origin are exempt, the vast majority of Canadian exports—over 85–95%—still enter the U.S. duty-free. Combined, the two countries accounted for over $230 billion in trade deficits with the U.S in 2024. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing the Major Holders of America’s Debt on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Every Country’s Top Employment Sector 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 In low-income countries, most people work in farming, while in rich countries three-quarters are in services. Industry is no longer the main employer in any country. For comparison, in the 1970s it accounted for 46% of the workforce in the UK. Employment patterns vary greatly depending on a country’s level of development. This map highlights the dominant employment sector in each nation, based on the most recent data from the World Bank. It breaks down employment by sector: services, agriculture, and industry. Globally, services now employ half of the world’s workers, but agriculture and industry remain crucial sources of jobs in many regions. Services Dominate in High-Income Countries In wealthy economies, services employ nearly three-quarters (74%) of the workforce. This includes jobs in healthcare, education, retail, finance, and technology. Agriculture, by contrast, accounts for just 3% of workers in these nations. The shift reflects decades of industrialization and the transition toward knowledge- and service-based economies. In addition, countries with high urbanization rates almost always show services as the top employer. Agriculture Still Central in Low-Income Countries In low-income countries, 57% of workers are employed in agriculture, making it the largest sector by far. Farming provides food security and livelihoods, though it often reflects limited industrial growth. Services employ only about one-third of workers, while industry remains relatively small at 11%. A Global Split Between Sectors Looking at the world overall, the employment distribution is more balanced: 50% in services, 26% in agriculture, and 24% in industry. Employment typeServicesAgricultureIndustrial World50%26%24% High income74%3%23% Low income32%57%11% Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out 63 Countries Have Already Reached Peak Population on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The 10 Most-Used AI Chatbots in 2025 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 With 46.59B visits, ChatGPT accounts for almost half of total traffic among the top 10 chatbots. The second most-used chatbot, DeepSeek at 2.74B visits, has less than 4%. Chatbots have become a key interface for AI in both personal and professional settings. From helping draft emails to answering complex queries, their reach has grown tremendously. This infographic ranks the most-used AI chatbots of 2025 by annual web visits. It provides insight into how dominant certain platforms have become, and how fast some competitors are growing. The data for this visualization comes from OnelittleWeb. ChatGPT: Still the Undisputed Leader ChatGPT continues to dominate the chatbot space with over 46.5 billion visits in 2025. This represents 48.36% of the total chatbot market traffic, four times more than the combined visits of the other 10 chatbots. Its year-over-year growth of 106% also shows it is not just maintaining, but expanding its lead. RankToolAnnual Web VisitsCountry 1ChatGPT46.59B United States 2DeepSeek2.74B China 3Gemini1.66B United States 4Perplexity1.47B United States 5Claude1.15B United States 6Microsoft Copilot957.19M United States 7Grok686.91M United States 8Poe378.05M United States 9Meta AI130.35M United States 10Mistral101.39M France Total55.86B— DeepSeek, Gemini, and Claude in the Chase DeepSeek emerged as the second most-used chatbot, tallying 2.74 billion visits—a huge 48,848% increase from last year. Gemini and Claude follow with 1.66B and 1.15B visits respectively, posting strong growth rates. Still, none come close to ChatGPT’s reach. A Fragmented Landscape of Contenders New and niche entrants like Grok (from X) and Perplexity are growing fast, but remain distant in terms of traffic. Poe, despite its early popularity, saw a sharp -46% drop in traffic. Meanwhile, Mistral and Meta AI are gaining ground, though their market shares remain under 1%. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Will AI Replace Your Job Within the Next Decade on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The World’s Most Unaffordable Housing Markets 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 A study by the Chapman University Center for Demographics and Policy has ranked the world’s most unaffordable housing markets based on the house price-to-income ratio. Cities like Hong Kong, Vancouver, and Los Angeles top the ranking with ratios over 10, meaning the average home costs over 10 times the average household’s annual income. Buying a home is becoming increasingly out of reach in many of the world’s top cities. Property prices have greatly outpaced incomes over the past few decades, pushing affordability to historic lows. In this infographic, we rank the world’s most unaffordable housing markets using the house price-to-income ratio. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from the 2025 edition of the Demographia International Housing Affordability Report. It compares 94 major housing markets worldwide, highlighting where residents face the steepest barriers to homeownership. CityHouse price-to-income ratio Hong Kong14.4 Sydney13.8 San Jose12.1 Vancouver11.8 Los Angeles11.2 Adelaide10.9 Honolulu10.8 San Francisco10 Melbourne9.7 San Diego9.5 Brisbane9.3 Greater London9.1 Toronto8.4 Perth8.3 Miami8.1 Auckland7.7 Bristol-Bath7.5 New York7.4 Warrington & Cheshire7.4 London Exurbs7.3 Hong Kong is Still the Least Affordable Hong Kong tops the global list with a staggering house price-to-income ratio of 14.4. This means the typical home costs more than 14 years worth of household income. Limited land supply and strong demand from global capital continue to keep prices out of reach for most residents. Despite government efforts to boost supply, affordability has worsened in the past decade. For more context, check out this Wikipedia page which keeps track of the most expensive homes sold in Hong Kong. North America’s Expensive West Coast Vancouver, San Jose, Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, and San Diego all rank in the top 10 most unaffordable housing markets. These cities combine strong demand, geographic constraints, and limited new supply, driving home prices to levels more than 9–12 times annual incomes. For example, in Los Angeles, the ratio stands at 11.2, making homeownership nearly impossible for middle-class families. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Real Estate Bubble Risk in 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 5 hours ago on August 27, 2025 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email Ranked: The Most Expensive U.S. Wildfire Events, So Far Wildfire events are growing increasingly frequent and destructive around the world as human-driven climate impacts continue to escalate—and the United States is no exception. In collaboration with Inigo Insurance, this visual explores the most expensive wildfires in U.S. history to date, using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information to provide crucial context around their financial toll. Wildfires & Climate Change According to NASA, extreme wildfire activity has more than doubled globally over the past two decades. Fire seasons are not only growing longer, but off-season wildfires are also becoming increasingly common. A striking example is the Marshall Fire, which erupted in Colorado during the winter of 2021 and went on to become the state’s most costly wildfire on record. At the same time, wildfire-related emissions are surging. Between 2001 and 2023, NASA researchers observed a 60% rise in carbon emissions from forest fires. While wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, the growing intensity and frequency of fires—amplified by a warming climate—are raising serious environmental concerns. California Wildfires California and its neighboring Western states have been the epicenter of many of the most financially devastating wildfires in U.S. history. At the top of the list are the January 2025 Pacific Palisades and Eaton Fires, which together caused an unprecedented $65.0 billion in damage. NameBegin DateCPI-Adjusted Cost ($ billions) Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, Los AngelesJanuary 202565.0 Western Wildfires, California FirestormJune 201830.0 Western Wildfires, California FirestormJune 201723.2 Western Wildfires - California, Oregon, Washington FirestormsAugust 202019.9 Western WildfiresJune 202112.1 Oakland FirestormOct 19917.6 California WildfiresSept 20036.6 Hawaii FirestormAugust 20235.7 California and Alaska WildfiresJune 20195.5 Western WildfiresJune 20074.1 Next are three other major California wildfires: the June 2018 fires ($30.0 billion), June 2017 fires ($23.2 billion), and August 2020 fires ($19.9 billion), which also extended into Oregon and Washington. Each of these events inflicted tens of billions of dollars in destruction. In fact, 9 of the 10 most expensive wildfires on record occurred in California and other Western states, underscoring the region’s heightened vulnerability to extreme fire events. A Future of Fires As climate change continues to accelerate, extreme weather events—including wildfires—are expected to remain a persistent threat. The rising toll in both frequency and financial damage highlights the critical importance of fire preparedness and securing adequate insurance coverage. Explore Inigo’s Hub. More from Inigo Environment4 days ago Mapped: The United States of Drought Drought grips much of the U.S., affecting over 60 million people today. Healthcare3 weeks ago The $58B Weight Loss Drug Market in One Chart Weight loss drugs have surged in popularity in recent years, transforming the pharmaceutical landscape. Which brands are dominating this space? Healthcare4 weeks ago Ranked: Which Areas Receive the Most Pharma R&D? The pharmaceutical industry has made enormous strides in treating—and even curing—a wide range of diseases and conditions. Which areas are seeing the most R&D in 2025? Healthcare4 weeks ago The $5.6T Pharmaceutical Industry in One Chart Pharma giants don’t just make medicine—they shape the future of healthcare. Who are the world’s major players? Crime2 months ago 6 Fraud Trends Reshaping Risk in 2025 The fraud and financial crime landscapes are evolving rapidly. What are the key threats shaping risk in 2025? Cryptocurrency2 months ago Ranked: The 10 Biggest Digital Heists Some of the largest digital heists didn’t rely on brute-force hacking, they exploited the weakest link in security: human trust. Crime2 months ago The Most Costly Financial Crimes in 2024 As cybersecurity threats escalate, which financial crimes are causing the most harm? The FBI has the data. Crime2 months ago Mapped: U.S. Financial Crime Activity by State Suspicious activity has been rising in the U.S., but is it spread evenly throughout all 50 states? Certainly not. Crime2 months ago Ranked: America’s Most Common Financial Crimes As technology and AI become more widespread, fraud and other suspicious activity are rising across America. Which types are the most common? Economy2 months ago Tracking the $3.1 Trillion Financial Crime Pandemic From money laundering to fraud, financial crime acts as a drain on the economy, totaling an incredible $3.1 trillion. Politics3 months ago Which Types of Government Rule the World? Over half the global population is ruled by non-centrist types of government, including autocracies and left or right wing parties. Politics3 months ago Breaking Down the $524 Billion Investment Needed to Rebuild Ukraine Ukraine will require an estimated $524B over the next decade to recover from the Russia-Ukraine war. Which sectors have been most impacted? Politics3 months ago Are Tariffs Causing U.S. Inflation Fears? Amid tariff increases, consumers’ expectations for U.S. inflation in the next five years have reached their highest level since March 1991. Politics4 months ago Ranked: Executive Orders by President in the First 100 Days In his first 100 days, President Trump has issued far more executive orders than any other president in history. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Best and Worst Countries for Taxes 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 According to the Tax Foundation, Estonia has the best tax code in the OECD for the 11th consecutive year. Tax competitiveness as measured by the Tax Foundation prioritizes business mobility and investment flows over welfare or addressing inequality. When global companies decide where to invest, the quality of a country’s tax code can be as important as market size or labor costs. A simpler, more neutral code helps investors forecast returns and reduces compliance headaches. The data for this visualization comes from the Tax Foundation’s 2024 International Tax Competitiveness Index. It benchmarks Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members on how efficiently they raise revenue through individual, corporate, property, and consumption taxes, plus their rules on cross-border profits. Estonia: Best Tax Code in the World? Estonia tops the index for the 11th straight year, scoring a perfect 100. RankCountryScoreIndividual Taxes RankCorporate Tax Rank 1Estonia100.022 2Latvia92.231 3New Zealand84.2630 4Switzerland83.6810 5Lithuania79.5103 6Luxembourg78.82322 7Hungary77.554 8Czech Republic77.348 9Slovak Republic76.5115 10Israel76.42911 11Turkey74.8721 12Sweden73.2186 13Australia72.51532 14Netherlands68.33023 15Austria67.92519 16Germany66.83531 17Canada66.73126 18U.S.66.51720 19Norway66.22813 21Costa Rica65.23235 20Finland65.2277 23Mexico64.91927 22Slovenia64.9129 24Korea63.03825 25Japan61.13434 26Belgium61.01318 27Greece60.9917 28Denmark60.23614 29Chile58.42436 30UK58.12128 31Poland57.51112 32Ireland57.4375 33Spain56.32229 34Iceland55.92016 35Portugal53.72637 36France50.23333 37Italy47.21624 38Colombia45.71438 Its 20% flat tax on both personal and corporate income is only due when profits are distributed, rewarding reinvestment and limiting double taxation. The country also avoids wealth or inheritance taxes and keeps real-property levies local, reducing distortions. Combined, these features create an easy-to-administer system that fuels the Baltic state’s startup scene and steady foreign investment. The Baltic Cluster Outperforms Larger Peers Latvia (2nd) and Lithuania (5th) join Estonia in the top five, underscoring a regional push for flat-rate, low-complexity regimes. All three Baltic nations tax corporate profits only once and apply modest payroll charges, making cross-border hiring simpler. Their high rankings contrast with many bigger EU economies—Germany (16th) and France (36th)—that rely on layered surcharges and targeted deductions, increasing compliance costs even as statutory rates fall. Why Major Economies Lag Behind in the Tax Index Size alone doesn’t guarantee a competitive tax code. The U.S. ranks solidly middle-of-the-pack, weighed down by its citizenship tax system that can tax on overseas income and profits. Meanwhile, France and Italy sit at the bottom of the table, burdened by high payroll taxes and narrow consumption-tax bases. CountryProperty Taxes RankConsumption Taxes RankCross-Border Tax Rules Rank Estonia1189 Latvia5217 New Zealand8217 Switzerland3631 Lithuania72716 Luxembourg1465 Hungary23363 Czech Republic63211 Slovak Republic22826 Israel101010 Turkey22166 Sweden92312 Australia4933 Netherlands21174 Austria161415 Germany12138 Canada25819 U.S.28435 Norway152514 Costa Rica11728 Finland192422 Mexico31236 Slovenia243020 Korea32130 Japan26529 Belgium292624 Greece273421 Denmark172032 Chile131138 UK34332 Poland303723 Ireland183534 Spain371918 Iceland332927 Portugal202231 France313113 Italy383825 Colombia351537 These choices are by design, in pursuit of broadening the social security net, but they also increase distortions and freeze cross-border capital flows. The Other Side of “Tax Competitiveness” Tax Competitiveness as measured by the Tax Foundation prioritizes business mobility and investment flows over other policy goals like: Reducing inequality Funding robust public services Long-term fiscal sustainability Democratic choice about the size of government Estonia’s system works well for attracting capital and businesses, but may be sub-optimal for building a comprehensive welfare state or addressing inequality. And many would argue those are equally important measures of a good tax system. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Taxes Collected Relative to GDP Size in Every Major Economy on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The World’s Countries by Income Group (1987-2024) 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 The number of low-income countries has almost halved, with their global share dropping from 30% in 1987 (49 countries) to 12% in 2024 (25 countries). Middle-income is now the plurality. Upper-middle (25%) and lower-middle (23%) income groups together account for almost half of the world’s countries in 2024, underscoring a broad shift out of extreme poverty but not yet into the richest tier. The world’s income landscape has shifted dramatically over the last four decades. From 1987 to 2024, more of the world’s countries have steadily risen out of the low-income category, reshaping the global distribution of prosperity. This visualization tracks the shares of the world’s countries by income group over time using data from The World Bank. The World’s Nations by Income Group Over Time The World Bank classifies countries by income group annually using gross national income per capita thresholds (Atlas method): High Income: ≥ $13,936 Upper-middle income: $4,496-$13,935 Lower-middle income: $1,136-$4,495 Low income: ≤$1,135 You can see the data in the table below of the world’s nations by income group over time. YearLow income share of world's countries Lower-middle income share of world's countries Upper-middle Income share of world's countries High income share of world's countries Total number of countries 198730%28%17%25%163 198829%30%16%25%164 198929%32%13%26%168 199029%32%17%22%175 199128%33%19%20%193 199227%35%18%19%201 199329%33%18%20%202 199432%32%15%22%203 199531%32%14%24%203 199631%30%15%24%204 199730%28%17%25%204 199831%27%17%25%204 199931%26%18%24%204 200031%26%18%25%205 200132%25%18%25%206 200231%26%16%27%206 200330%27%17%26%206 200429%26%19%27%206 200526%28%19%27%206 200625%26%19%29%208 200724%26%19%31%208 200821%26%22%32%209 200919%26%22%33%212 201016%26%25%33%215 201117%25%25%33%215 201217%22%26%35%215 201316%23%26%35%215 201414%24%25%37%215 201514%24%26%36%218 201614%24%26%36%218 201716%22%26%37%218 201814%22%28%37%218 201913%23%26%38%218 202012%25%25%37%217 202113%25%25%37%217 202212%25%25%38%217 202312%24%25%40%217 202412%23%25%40%216 Since the total number of countries in the dataset rises from 163 in 1987 to 216 in 2024, it’s useful to look at both percentages and the overall direction of change. The big picture: fewer countries are low income, more are high income, and the middle remains the largest cohort. Low-Income Countries Nearly Halved Since 1987 In 1987, low-income countries made up 30% of the world. By 2024, that share is down to 12%. The decline is notable as it has occurred even as the count of countries has expanded over time. The trend underscores decades of progress in lifting countries above the lowest rung. As a result, the two middle income groups account for almost half of all countries (48%) in 2024, reflecting broad development progress from the 1990s and onwards. A larger middle-income cohort points to expanding consumer bases and manufacturing capacity across emerging markets. The Growth in the World’s High-Income Countries High-income economies increased from about 25% of countries in 1987 to roughly 40% in 2024. That rise captures steady upgrades in global wealth as economies have crossed income thresholds over time. At the same time, the smaller low-income share highlights long-term gains in poverty reduction—though the remaining group still faces structural constraints that require targeted policy and investment. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the countries with the most wealth per person on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Companies With the Biggest U.S. Fines (2020–2024) 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 Healthcare and pharma distribution companies were hit with the biggest U.S. fines, reflecting a series of opioid settlements made in the last few years. Crypto firms also paid large one-off penalties: FTX with $12.7B, Terraform Labs at $4.5B, and Binance averaging $2.8B per fine total. 3M’s $12.5 billion settlement in 2024 is one of the largest environment-related fines, due to their role in contaminating public water supplies with PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” U.S. authorities handed out more than $250 billion in corporate penalties between 2020 and 2024, an amount larger than the current GDP of New Zealand. The infographic above ranks the 30 companies hit with the highest U.S. fines over that period. Data for this visualization comes from Protecht Group which references Good Jobs First’s violation database. It tracks every publicly announced civil or criminal case brought by U.S. federal agencies, the Department of Justice, and state attorneys general. Their database includes non-American companies fined by U.S. authorities. Parent companies accrue penalties for subsidiaries. Ranked: 50 Most-Fined Companies by U.S. Authorities At the top of the list of most-fined companies, 3M attracted $18.7 billion in penalties from U.S. authorities in the last four years. RankParent CompanyFines Paid (2020–2024)# of Fines (2020–2024) 13M$18.7B48 2Johnson & Johnson$18.0B24 3PG&E Corp.$16.1B61 4Bayer$13.2B25 5 FTX Trading Ltd & Alameda Research LLC$12.7B1 6Binance Holdings$11.4B4 7Wells Fargo$8.9B44 8McKesson$8.5B9 9Purdue Pharma$8.3B1 10Walgreens Boots Alliance$7.6B36 11Cardinal Health$7.2B11 12Cencora Inc.$7.1B7 13Allianz$6.8B8 14Teva Pharmaceutical Industries$6.1B17 15CVS Health$5.6B103 16Goldman Sachs$4.9B27 17Terraform Labs PTE, Ltd.$4.5B1 18Cummins$4.1B18 19TD Bank$3.8B25 20AbbVie$3.7B15 21JPMorgan Chase$3.7B42 22Walmart$3.6B147 23Boeing$3.6B30 24Mercedes-Benz Group$3.1B10 25Kroger$2.9B109 26Lexington Law & CreditRepair.com$2.7B1 27Blue Cross Blue Shield Association$2.7B1 28Endo International$2.6B8 29Danske Bank$2.4B2 30Glencore$2.4B4 31Meta$2.4B13 32UBS$2.2B20 33GSK plc$2.2B2 34Navient$2.2B8 35Genesis Global Holdco$2.0B1 36Hawaiian Electric Industries$2.0B4 37Mallinckrodt$1.9B3 38Perfectus Aluminium$1.8B1 39Sempra Energy$1.8B27 40Alphabet Inc.$1.8B24 41Novartis$1.7B10 42McKinsey$1.7B9 43Mirror Trading International$1.7B1 44Hyundai Motor$1.7B14 45Indivior PLC$1.5B7 46Juul Labs$1.4B12 47Berkshire Hathaway$1.3B503 48RTX Corporation$1.3B14 49Bank of America$1.3B45 50Gemini Trust Company$1.2B2 The bulk of this is a $12.5 billion settlement in 2024 to help clean up “forever chemicals” from America’s water systems. 3M was a major manufacturer of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) found in products like firefighting foam, non-stick coatings, and stain-resistant fabrics. These chemicals are notoriously persistent in the environment, earning the nickname “forever chemicals.” Major Environment Disasters Culminate in Major Fines Across decades, 3M released PFAS into water supplies through direct manufacturing and improper disposal practices. This led to widespread contamination of public water systems, triggering lawsuits from municipalities and water providers. Then there’s utility giant PG&E, ranking third overall, paying $16.1 billion spread across 61 separate cases. The bulk of those fines stem from deadly California wildfires linked to its equipment. Meanwhile, Cummins and Mercedes-Benz faced hefty Clean Air Act settlements over diesel-emissions devices. Opioid Reckoning Drives Sky-High Fines in Healthcare Seven of the top 15 companies are in the broader healthcare space, led by Johnson & Johnson, McKesson, and Walgreens Boots Alliance. These firms agreed to multibillion-dollar settlements to resolve claims that their marketing or distribution practices helped fuel the opioid epidemic. Purdue Pharma’s single $8.3 billion fine (negotiated in 2020) shows how regulators bundled years of alleged misconduct into one historic payout. One-Off Mega Fines Hit Crypto and Big Finance Unlike healthcare and utilities, crypto platforms incurred huge but infrequent penalties. The most famous is: bankrupt exchange FTX and its affiliate Alameda Research. They face a $12.7 billion claw-back, while Terraform Labs will pay $4.5 billion after the SEC ruled its tokens were unregistered securities. Another crypto exchange, Binance agreed to pay $11.4 billion across four anti-money-laundering cases. Also not spared: traditional banks. Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and TD Bank collectively owe more than $21 billion for consumer-protection, trading, and sanctions breaches. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Companies Benefiting the Most From U.S. Taxpayer Support on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 5 hours ago on August 26, 2025 By Alan Kennedy Article & Editing Cody Good Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Empower   Car ownership costs: Why 60% of drivers are keeping their cars Key Takeaways Nearly 30% of respondents said car payments rank among their largest expenses. Younger generations are more likely to trade in their cars, but only 68% of Gen Z own one, the lowest rate across all generations. As cars grow more advanced and valuable, Americans believe buying offers greater benefits than leasing. From Boomers to Gen Z, drivers are reshaping the road ahead in response to increasingly expensive car ownership costs. Nearly 60% of Americans now keep their cars longer to manage rising interest rates, insurance premiums, and fuel prices. This graphic, created in partnership with Empower, visualizes how Americans are adjusting ownership habits to navigate tighter budgets. The growing weight of car costs With the national average car payment just above $450, nearly 30% of respondents said these payments are one of their top financial burdens. Car payment range% share < $1005% $100 - $2009% $201 - $50056% $501 - $100027% $1001 - $25003% A closer look at monthly payment data shows that more than half of respondents pay between $201 and $500 each month. Another 27% spend between $501 and $1,000, which helps explain why many hesitate to pay more. Car ownership habits by generation High interest rates and rising insurance and fuel prices are prompting Americans of all ages to keep their cars longer to reduce their car ownership costs. Age range% share Gen Z (18-26)38% Millennial (27-42)53% Gen X (43-57)61% Boomer (58-76)66% Silent Age (77+)71% Depending on age, anywhere from half to more than two-thirds of Americans plan to hold onto their cars longer. Gen Z trails at just 38%. This may reflect lower access since only 68% of Gen Z own a car at all, compared with nearly universal ownership among older groups. Americans choose ownership over leasing Across generations, Americans strongly prefer owning over leasing. Age Range% Share Gen Z (18-26)59% Millennial (27-42)59% Gen X (43-57)66% Boomer (58-76)68% Silent Age (77+)73% As cars become more advanced and valuable, the data shows most drivers believe buying outweighs leasing. Since car payments are among the highest costs for the average household, many are trying to save on car ownership costs by extending the lifespan of their vehicles. For wealth-building tips and the week’s financial headlines, check out Empower’s newsletter The Currency.   Source: Empower’s ‘Buckle Up’ study, based on online survey responses from 1,160 Americans ages 18+, which YouGov fielded from June 14-16, 2024. More from Empower Personal Finance6 days ago Retirement Savings: Reaching the ‘Magic Number’ The average American expects to have only a quarter of the retirement savings they will need before they retire. How can they bridge the gap? Money6 months ago Ranked: The Top 10 States by Average Net Worth Visual Capitalist partnered with Empower to explore Americans’ average net worth and rank the top states by average net worth. Personal Finance7 months ago Mapped: The Top 10 States by Credit Card Spending In this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Empower to rank the U.S. states by monthly credit card spending. Personal Finance10 months ago Ranked: The Top 10 States by Average Retirement Savings The average retirement savings across all states is $498,000 per person, but how much money have the top states saved? Personal Finance2 years ago How to Reach Financial Happiness Empower explores the roadblocks and stressors faced by Americans on the road to financial happiness. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Most Expensive Cities to Live in 2025 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 New York City tops the list, where a one-bedroom averages $4,107 in rent, while living costs for a single person are about $1,700 per month. Five of the top 10 cities with the highest cost of living are in Switzerland. From rent to groceries, the cost of living varies widely around the world. In recent years, rising price pressures have only sharpened these disparities. While tech and financial hubs often face the steepest costs, local factors like currency and imports also drive up prices. This infographic ranks the most expensive cities worldwide, based on data from Numbeo. The Top 15 Most Expensive Cities Globally For the rankings, cities are compared to New York City, which is set as the baseline of 100. To provide a broad view of urban affordability, cities were analyzed on everyday expenses like food, transportation, and utilities, and housing costs. These were measured in a “Cost of Living Plus Rent Index”, with data as of mid-year 2025: RankingCityCountryCost of Living Plus Rent Index 1New York, NY U.S.100 2Zurich Switzerland93.2 3Geneva Switzerland90.6 4San Francisco, CA U.S.85.3 5Basel Switzerland83.9 6Lausanne Switzerland83.4 7Boston, MA U.S.81.2 8Singapore Singapore80.9 9San Jose, CA U.S.80.4 10Lugano Switzerland79.1 11Honolulu, HI U.S.78.5 12Washington, DC U.S.78.1 13London United Kingdom77.9 14Bern Switzerland77.2 15Reykjavik Iceland76.3 New York City is the most expensive city in the world to live in, as high housing demand and limited supply drive up prices. As we can see, other U.S. cities like San Francisco, Boston, and San Jose also rank highly. Despite an exodus spurred by the pandemic, average home prices in San Francisco can hover around $1.3 million. Zurich ranks second globally, fueled by expensive housing costs and the strength of the Swiss franc. Meanwhile, Geneva and Basel also rank in the top five. Switzerland’s stable economy and high standard of living help explain these elevated costs. Ranking in eighth is Singapore, also standing as one of the world’s most densely populated countries, with 8,576 peopler per square kilometer in 2025. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this graphic on Europe’s most expensive countries on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualizing Global Energy Investment (2015-2025) 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 In 2025, global renewable energy investment is projected to hit $780 billion, outpacing oil investment by $237 billion. Over the past decade, investment in renewables has surged 109%. Global energy investment has shifted dramatically in the last decade. As the world transitions to cleaner sources, capital is flowing into technologies that support electrification and decarbonization. Bolstering this trend are rapidly declining costs across solar and wind power, in particular. This graphic shows global energy investment from 2015 to 2025, based on data from the IEA. Renewables Are Now the Largest Investment Worldwide Below, we compare projected 2025 investment with 2015 levels across major energy sources, including renewables, oil, and nuclear. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2024 U.S. dollars. Category2015 (Billion USD)2025E (Billion USD)Change % Renewables$374$780109% Oil$818$543-34% Grids & storage$332$47944% Energy efficiency$302$42942% Natural gas$454$368-19% Electrification$149$344131% Coal$222$25113% Nuclear$45$7464% Low-emissions fuels$6$28367% In 2015, oil dominated global energy investment at $818 billion. By 2025, that figure is expected to fall to $543 billion. Meanwhile, renewable energy will soar from $374 billion to $780 billion, making it the largest category overall. This 109% growth highlights the world’s accelerating shift away from fossil fuels and toward sustainable power generation. Electrification—which powers data centers and electric vehicles—is set to rise to $344 billion in 2025. Even more striking is the 367% jump in low-emissions fuels, from just $6 billion in 2015 to $28 billion in 2025. These categories, though smaller in absolute terms, show where future energy systems are headed. By contrast, oil and natural gas are seeing notable declines, down 34% and 19% respectively over the decade. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this graphic on the decline in renewable energy costs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The Most Popular Car Brands in Russia 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 LADA is the most popular car brand in Russia, with nearly one-third share, far ahead of any competitor. However, Chinese automakers collectively hold the majority of the market, accounting for over 40% of total sales. Russia’s car market has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Western brands like Ford, Volkswagen, and Renault exited the Russian market, leaving a supply gap that is being filled by domestic and Chinese automakers. In this chart, we show the most popular car brands in Russia by market share, as of 2023. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from RMAA. Note that this page has been updated since the creation of the above graphic. RankBrandMarket Share 1 LADA30.7% 2 Chery11.2% 3 Haval10.6% 4 Geely8.8% 5 Changan4.5% 6 EXEED4.0% 7 OMODA4.0% 8 Kia3.2% 9 Hyundai2.3% 10 Toyota2.2% Other18.5% LADA is Russia’s Most Popular Car Brand LADA is Russia’s top car brand with 30.7% of the market, benefiting from local manufacturing, affordability, and wide distribution. The company is known for making affordable, simple vehicles designed to handle Russia’s harsh road and weather conditions. Its parent company is AvtoVAZ, which is majority-owned by the Russian state through Rostec. LADA found success in Western Europe during the 1970s-1980s with models like the Niva, a small 4×4 off-roader. Though the company withdrew from the market in the 1990s, newer models could still be imported into the EU. Unfortunately, according to a 2023 article by Autocar, imports of the Lada Niva to the UK have been halted due to sanctions. The Rise of Chinese Automakers Based on this dataset, Chinese brands account for over 40% of Russia’s car sales. Brands like Chery, Haval, and Geely have stormed the market, offering modern vehicles at incredibly competitive prices. This momentum has drawn the ire of the Russian government, which recently imposed higher import duties on Chinese-made cars. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Global Vehicle Production in 2024 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.