Ranked: The World’s Deepest Lakes by Depth 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 Only one lake—Baikal—exceeds a mile in depth. A steep 1,460-foot drop separates the second and third deepest lakes. Lake Vostok ranks fourth despite being buried under 13,000 feet of Antarctic ice. Lake Baikal plunges to 5,387 feet—making it the only lake on Earth more than a mile deep. While Lake Tanganyika comes close, a sharp drop follows. The third-ranked Caspian Sea is over 1,400 feet shallower, highlighting how rare extreme lake depth really is. This visualization ranks the world’s deepest lakes by maximum depth in feet and meters, based on data from WorldAtlas. Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika Stand Apart As the world’s oldest lake at 25–30 million years old, Lake Baikal in Russia also ranks as the deepest lake, reaching a maximum depth of 5,387 feet. That makes it 564 feet deeper than Lake Tanganyika, which comes in second at 4,823 feet. The striking depth of these two ancient lakes is attributable to their status as rift lakes, which only occur in tectonically active regions. RankLakeLocationMax depth (ft)Max depth (m) 1Baikal Russia5,3871,642 2Tanganyika Tanzania, DRC Burundi Zambia4,8231,470 3Caspian Sea Iran Russia Turkmenistan Kazakhstan Azerbaijan3,3631,025 4Vostok Antarctica3,3001,000 5O'Higgins-San Martín Chile Argentina2,742836 6Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa Mozambique Malawi Tanzania2,316706 7Issyk Kul Kyrgyzstan2,192668 8Great Slave Canada2,015614 9Crater United States1,949594 10Matano Indonesia1,936590 Most lakes are formed by glaciers, as masses of ice carved out depressions in the landscape as they moved slowly. However, rift lakes like Baikal and Tanganyika occur where the planet’s crust has stretched, cracked, or shifted over millions of years to create deep basins that slowly filled with water. Due to their extreme depth, these lakes contain globally significant volumes of fresh surface water. Lake Baikal alone holds roughly 20% of the world’s unfrozen surface freshwater, underscoring how depth translates into global significance. Other lakes in the ranking stand out because of their unusual characteristics, from Antarctica’s Lake Vostok, hidden around 13,100 feet under ice in total darkness, to Crater Lake in the United States, which sits in a volcanic crater. A Sharp Drop Off in Depth The Caspian Sea, whose brackish water is roughly a third as salty as seawater, ranks as the third deepest lake at 3,363 feet. It’s also the world’s largest lake by surface area. A major gap of 1,460 feet—the largest in the data set—separates the Caspian Sea from the second largest lake. After this, the decline becomes much more gradual, with a similar-sized gap (1,427 ft) between third and 10th place lakes in the ranking. Deep Lakes Span Every Corner of the Globe The top 10 deepest lakes span a wide geographic range. They include lakes in Russia, Central Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Antarctica, and Southeast Asia. Several of the world’s deepest lakes even cross political borders. Lake Tanganyika touches Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia, while the Caspian Sea borders five countries. O’Higgins-San Martín Lake is shared by Chile and Argentina, and Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa is linked to Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualized: Exploring the Ocean’s Future on Voronoi.Use This Visualization

Ranked: The Top Car Brand in 61 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 Toyota is the best-selling car brand in 25 countries, accounting for 41% of the markets analyzed. Regional preferences remain strong, with local automakers dominating in countries like China, India, Russia and Vietnam. From Toyota to BYD, car buyers around the world continue to show strong preferences for both global giants and domestic champions. This visualization uses data from Focus2Move to show the top-selling car brand across 61 countries based on 2025 vehicle sales data. Argentina, Japan, and the Philippines use 2024 figures. While Toyota leads across much of North America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, several countries continue to favor homegrown automakers—revealing where global brands dominate and where local loyalty still wins out. Toyota’s Global Reach Remains Unmatched Toyota stands out as the clear global leader, ranking first in 25 countries across North America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe and Africa. The Japanese automaker leads in markets ranging from the United States and Japan to Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Its broad geographic reach reflects the company’s reputation for reliability, fuel efficiency, and strong dealer networks. CountryTop Brand AlgeriaFiat AngolaSuzuki ArgentinaToyota AustraliaToyota AustriaVolkswagen BahrainToyota BelgiumBMW BrazilFiat BulgariaŠkoda CanadaFord ChileToyota ChinaBYD ColombiaKia Czech RepublicŠkoda DenmarkVolkswagen EgyptNissan FinlandToyota FranceRenault GermanyVolkswagen GreeceToyota IndiaMaruti IndonesiaToyota IraqKia IranIran Khodro IrelandToyota IsraelToyota ItalyFiat JapanToyota JordanToyota KazakhstanHyundai KenyaIsuzu KuwaitToyota MalaysiaPerodua MexicoNissan NetherlandsKia NigeriaInnoson NorwayTesla OmanToyota PakistanSuzuki PhilippinesToyota PolandToyota PortugalPeugeot QatarToyota RomaniaDacia RussiaLada Saudi ArabiaToyota SingaporeBYD South AfricaToyota South KoreaHyundai SpainToyota SwedenVolvo SwitzerlandVolkswagen TaiwanToyota TanzaniaToyota ThailandToyota TurkeyRenault UAEToyota United KingdomVolkswagen United StatesToyota VietnamVinFast YemenToyota Toyota’s dominance in emerging markets is especially notable. Countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East continue to favor Toyota vehicles due to durability and lower long-term maintenance costs. Europe Still Favors Regional Brands Volkswagen remains the top-selling brand in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company benefits from strong brand recognition and a deep historical connection to European consumers. Regional loyalty also extends to smaller domestic champions. France favors Renault, Italy prefers Fiat, while Czech consumers continue to support Škoda. Domestic Automakers Hold Key Markets Several countries continue to support homegrown automakers despite growing international competition. China’s BYD leads its domestic market as electric vehicle adoption accelerates across the country. India’s Maruti remains dominant thanks to its affordability and extensive distribution network. Vietnam’s VinFast also tops its home market, reflecting the country’s push to establish a stronger domestic EV industry. Elsewhere, national champions like Iran Khodro in Iran and Innoson in Nigeria demonstrate how local manufacturing can remain competitive when supported by government policy and consumer preference. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Top 10 Automotive Exporters on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.Use This Visualization

Ranked: The World’s 20 Busiest Ports 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 Asia is home to the 10 busiest ports worldwide in total throughput. China accounts for over 40% of global container traffic. The busiest U.S. port, Los Angeles, ranks just 16th worldwide in container movements. Seaports are the backbone of global trade, moving the containers that carry everything from electronics to clothing to industrial goods. In 2024, the world’s ports processed the equivalent of 743 million shipping containers, and more than half of that traffic passed through just 20 ports. This graphic ranks the world’s busiest container ports by total throughput, using the most recent data available from the Lloyd’s List One Hundred Ports 2025 database. Throughput is measured in twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, the standard unit for global shipping and logistics. China: The World’s Port Capital China alone accounts for over 40% of global container traffic, reflecting its central role in global manufacturing and export supply chains. Of the six busiest ports worldwide, five are in China, led by the Port of Shanghai. Shanghai processed over 51.5 million TEUs in 2024, making it by far the busiest port worldwide. Singapore, the runner-up, processed more than 10 million fewer TEUs that year. The data table below showcases the world’s 20 busiest ports and their 2024 throughput, reflecting the dominance of Chinese ports. RankPortCountryTEU 2024 (Millions) 1Shanghai China51.5 2Singapore Singapore41.1 3Ningbo-Zhoushan China39.3 4Shenzhen China33.4 5Qingdao China30.9 6Guangzhou China26.1 7Busan South Korea24.4 8Tianjin China23.3 9Jebel Ali (Dubai) UAE15.5 10Port Klang Malaysia14.6 11Rotterdam Netherlands13.8 12Hong Kong China13.7 13Antwerp-Bruges Belgium13.5 14Xiamen China12.3 15Tanjung Pelepas Malaysia12.3 16Los Angeles United States10.3 17Tanger-Med Morocco10.2 18Taicang (Suzhou) China9.7 19Long Beach United States9.6 20Laem Chabang Thailand9.6 China’s port strength extends well beyond Shanghai. Ningbo-Zhoushan (39.3 million), Shenzhen (33.4 million), Qingdao (30.9 million), and Guangzhou (26.1 million) are all busier than any port outside China except Singapore. Their prominence today reflects not only China’s economic ascent into its role as “the factory floor of the world,” but also historical tradition. Between 1757 and 1842, Guangzhou served as the sole port where Western merchants could trade with China, back when the city was still known as Canton. Beyond China: Asia’s Hegemony China’s ports may dominate the rankings, but they are not the only major shipping hubs in Asia. The continent is home to three-quarters of the world’s busiest ports, including Singapore, Busan (24.4 million), and Port Klang (14.6 million). Many of these ports lie at strategic chokepoints. Singapore and Port Klang both sit on the Strait of Malacca, the busiest shipping strait in the world, through which roughly 25-30% of globally traded goods travel. Further west, Jebel Ali in Dubai (15.5 million) is the busiest port outside East Asia. Located in the Persian Gulf, it is the world’s largest manmade harbor and is owned by Emirati logistics giant DP World. The West’s Smaller Ports Europe and the U.S. remain major trading hubs, but their busiest ports now trail far behind Asia’s largest container gateways. Rotterdam (13.8 million) is the busiest non-Asian port worldwide, followed by nearby Antwerp-Bruges (13.5 million). The busiest U.S. ports are both located on California’s west coast. The Port of Los Angeles (10.3 million), promoted as “America’s Port,” ranks 16th worldwide by throughput, while neighboring Long Beach (9.5 million) ranks 19th. Notably, only one African port appears in the world’s top 20: Morocco’s Tanger-Med (10.2 million). No ports from Central or South America made the ranking. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more on the centers of global logistics, check out The Chokepoints of Global Shipping on Voronoi.Use This Visualization

Ranked: The World’s Largest Oil Stockpiles 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 holds an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of strategic crude oil inventory, more than the next nine largest stockpiles combined. The U.S., Japan, and OECD Europe are the next-largest holders, reflecting decades of preparation for major oil supply shocks. Global strategic oil inventories are one of the clearest indicators of how countries prepare for energy shocks and geopolitical uncertainty. These strategic reserves help governments stabilize domestic fuel supplies during wars, sanctions, natural disasters, or market disruptions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world is currently facing one of the largest energy supply disruptions in modern history following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has placed extreme strain on fuel markets and gasoline prices worldwide. This visualization shows the largest estimated current strategic oil inventories in on-land storage using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. It highlights which countries were most prepared to weather disruptions to global oil supply. The data does not account for the coordinated emergency release in March 2026 by IEA member countries. China’s Massive Oil Inventory Dominates the Rankings China’s oil stockpile is the standout figure in the ranking. At an estimated 1.4 billion barrels, it is larger than the combined strategic inventories of the U.S., Japan, OECD Europe, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Iran, the UAE, and India. RankCountry/RegionEst. Strategic Crude Oil Inventories, Dec 2025 (million bbl) 1 China1,397 2 U.S.413 3 Japan263 4OECD Europe179 5 Saudi Arabia82 6 South Korea79 7 Iran71 8 UAE34 9 India21 Today, the combined inventory of the countries listed above accounts for about 70% of the world’s total volume of oil in storage. The scale of China’s reserve reflects its high dependency on overseas supply routes, including strategically sensitive maritime corridors like the Strait of Hormuz. The larger the stockpile, the more flexibility countries have to navigate periods of market volatility. The U.S. Has the Second-Largest Stockpile of Crude Oil The United States ranks second with 413 million barrels in its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), a network of underground salt caverns created after the 1973 oil embargo. Japan ranks third with 263 million barrels, despite having limited domestic energy resources. Because the country imports nearly all of its crude oil, maintaining large emergency reserves has long been a national priority. The collective of European countries in the OECD has the fourth-largest crude oil stockpile, at 179 million barrels. Several Middle Eastern and other Asian countries also maintain sizable strategic reserves, highlighting the growing importance of energy security across both importing and exporting nations. As global oil demand and geopolitical tensions persist, many countries are continuing to expand storage capacity to better protect against future supply disruptions. A History of Oil Shocks and Strategic Releases The 1973–1974 oil crisis, brought on by a global embargo of oil by major producers, caused global oil prices to spike by 300%. The crisis exposed how vulnerable many industrialized nations were to disruptions in oil imports. In response, the IEA was created with one of its main goals being to establish strategic oil stockpiles in member countries to reduce the impact of future supply disruptions. Since 1974, there have been six strategic oil releases: 1991: in the build-up to the Gulf War. 2005: after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged oil infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico. 2011: in response to the prolonged disruption of oil supply caused by the Libyan Civil War. 2022: following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 2022: a second release later that year as the energy crisis deepened. 2026 (the largest so far): following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed this graphic, make sure to check out this graphic that shows how global coal consumption is still rising.Use This Visualization

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Young Americans Still Own Homes 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 Minnesota is the only state where a majority of Americans under 35 own homes. Young adult homeownership falls below 30% in California and New York. Midwestern and Southern states dominate the rankings thanks to lower home prices relative to income. For Americans under 35 years old, the path to homeownership looks dramatically different across the country. This map shows the share of young adults who own homes in each U.S. state, based on data from Evernest via ConsumerAffairs. While nearly half of young adults own homes across parts of the Midwest and South, ownership rates fall below 30% in high-cost states like Hawaii, California, and New York. The data suggests high home prices are increasingly outweighing income gains for younger buyers. Where Young Americans Are Most Likely to Own Homes Minnesota stands alone as the only state where a majority of Americans under 35 own homes. Across much of the Midwest and South, lower home prices relative to incomes continue to make ownership attainable for younger households. States like Michigan, Alabama, Indiana, and West Virginia all report ownership rates near or above 47%. The table below compares under-35 homeownership rates alongside average home prices and incomes by state. StateHomeownership Rate (Under 35)Avg. House Sale PriceAvg. Household Income (Ages 25-44) Minnesota50.8%$323,437$94,870 Michigan49.3%$236,678$75,980 Alabama49.1%$222,524$65,650 Indiana47.0%$231,691$76,730 Utah46.1%$508,930$95,210 West Virginia49.9%$158,255$64,760 Delaware46.5%$375,056$90,170 South Carolina48.0%$292,567$72,090 Mississippi49.2%$174,275$58,640 Kentucky46.9%$201,708$69,080 Iowa45.6%$209,333$79,280 Idaho45.8%$445,103$82,710 Maine45.1%$385,896$81,190 Pennsylvania44.1%$259,536$83,480 Missouri44.1%$238,797$74,130 North Carolina43.9%$325,005$74,880 Tennessee44.5%$315,888$71,710 Maryland40.9%$411,549$98,950 New Hampshire41.9%$462,492$101,860 Georgia42.8%$324,442$78,180 Ohio42.1%$219,861$75,120 Colorado40.5%$537,439$99,250 Arkansas43.5%$205,651$63,320 Illinois40.9%$259,430$86,620 South Dakota42.6%$295,632$80,820 New Mexico43.9%$296,178$66,010 Vermont41.1%$387,998$88,480 Virginia39.6%$382,930$93,920 Louisiana42.7%$196,628$64,890 Wisconsin40.2%$296,336$83,690 Kansas40.7%$217,707$79,210 Wyoming40.8%$338,484$83,820 New Jersey38.7%$523,220$106,270 Arizona40.4%$426,782$81,200 Connecticut38.0%$394,187$97,380 Florida40.2%$390,748$77,490 Oklahoma40.1%$200,266$65,840 Nevada38.1%$430,784$77,840 Nebraska37.9%$251,894$79,870 Montana38.5%$441,167$80,900 Alaska35.6%$360,554$96,770 Washington34.8%$577,920$103,000 North Dakota36.2%$257,276$82,360 Texas35.6%$299,727$77,880 Massachusetts32.6%$605,614$108,540 Rhode Island32.2%$447,922$93,540 Oregon32.8%$484,468$86,930 California27.8%$761,661$100,620 New York27.5%$462,697$92,270 Hawaii24.5%$829,941$94,200 By contrast, young homeownership falls sharply in America’s most expensive housing markets. In Hawaii, average home prices approach $830K, nearly nine times average young adult household incomes. As a result, just 24.5% of residents under 35 own homes, the lowest rate nationwide. California (27.8%), New York (27.5%), and Massachusetts (32.6%) follow a similar pattern, where even six-figure incomes struggle to offset elevated housing costs. Notably, Massachusetts has the highest average young adult household incomes, at nearly $109K, yet ranks among the lowest in homeownership. This reinforces how prices, not pay, are the binding constraint. The Cost Gap Driving Young Buyers Out Post-pandemic home price growth has far outpaced incomes, significantly raising the barrier to entry for first-time buyers. In 2025, median U.S. home prices relative to median household incomes were near record highs of 5.1, up from 3.1 in 1985. At the same time, the median homebuyer age has risen to 40, up from 29 in the 1980s, as buyers need more time to save. Higher interest rates have also raised monthly mortgage rates, increasing the minimum income requirements for buying a home. In turn, this is pricing out even more potential buyers across a growing number of markets. Together, these trends are pushing homeownership further out of reach for younger Americans, especially in high-cost states where prices have risen much faster than incomes. As a result, where Americans live increasingly shapes how early they can afford to buy a home. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on real estate ownership by generation.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Government Debt Has Diverged Across Major Economies 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 Government debt has diverged sharply across major economies since 2005. Several countries—including the U.S., UK, and France—now exceed 100% debt-to-GDP. Others, like Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, have reduced their debt burdens over the same period. Government debt has taken very different paths across the world over the past two decades. While some countries have seen debt levels surge past 100% of GDP, others have stabilized or reduced their burdens. This chart compares government debt as a share of GDP across major economies in 2005 and 2025, highlighting how fiscal trajectories have diverged over time. The data comes from the IMF’s October 2025 World Economic Outlook. Debt Paths Are Splitting Across Economies While global public debt has risen overall—from 68% to 95% of GDP—the headline number masks significant differences between countries. Some economies have seen rapid increases, while others have kept debt stable or reduced it. CountryDebt-to-GDP, 2005Debt-to-GDP, 2025Change (p.p.) China26%96%+70 UK41%103%+62 U.S.66%125%+59 Spain42%100%+58 Japan175%230%+55 France68%117%+49 Canada71%114%+43 Australia11%51%+40 Italy106%137%+31 South Korea25%53%+28 Brazil67%91%+24 Mexico37%59%+22 Poland47%60%+13 Russia15%23%+8 India82%81%-1 Indonesia43%41%-2 Germany67%64%-3 Netherlands50%44%-6 Saudi Arabia37%29%-8 Türkiye50%24%-26 Advanced economies76%110%+34 Emerging market and developing economies41%73%+32 World68%95%+27 Advanced Economies Lead the Surge Debt levels in advanced economies rose from 76% to 110% of GDP over the period. The United States (125%), France (117%), and the United Kingdom (103%) have all crossed the 100% threshold. Japan remains an outlier, with debt reaching 230% of GDP, the highest among major economies. These elevated levels reflect aging populations, persistent deficits, and large-scale stimulus efforts. Emerging markets and developing economies saw debt rise from 41% to 73% of GDP. China’s debt jumped sharply from 26% to 96%, while Brazil and South Africa also saw notable increases. Despite the overall upward trend, a number of countries have moved in the opposite direction. Türkiye and Saudi Arabia both reduced their debt-to-GDP ratios, showing that fiscal consolidation is still achievable under the right conditions. As borrowing costs rise and growth slows in many regions, these diverging debt paths are likely to become even more consequential. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Global Broad Money Supply Reaches $144 Trillion in 2025 on Voronoi, the app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The States Getting More From Education Dollars 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 Florida ranks 47th in public school funding but 24th in education performance, one of the largest positive gaps in the dataset. Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin also outperform their funding ranks by double digits. Several high-funding states, including Vermont, Rhode Island, and Alaska, rank much lower in performance than in spending. Some states spend heavily on education. Others deliver stronger results with far less. This chart compares education performance and public school funding across all 50 states, using data from ConsumerAffairs. It shows which states deliver strong results with less funding—and where higher spending still leads to weaker outcomes. The result is a state-by-state look at education efficiency, comparing rank in outcomes against rank in funding. In several cases, lower-spending states rank far higher in outcomes than their higher-funded peers. Where Education Dollars Go Furthest Florida stands out as one of the most efficient systems in the country, ranking 47th in funding but 24th in performance, a gap of 23 places. Tennessee shows a similar pattern, placing 38th in funding and 20th in performance. Meanwhile, Virginia and Wisconsin also outperform their spending levels, each with an efficiency gap of +13. This table ranks states by educational performance and funding. Performance is measured across K–12 and college outcomes, safety, and overall quality. Funding includes spending per student and teacher-to-student ratios. StatePerformance Rank 2025Public School Funding RankEfficiency Gap New York110 Connecticut23+1 Massachusetts32-1 New Jersey45+1 Illinois59+4 Washington610+4 Virginia720+13 California816+8 Maryland98-1 Pennsylvania107-3 Wisconsin1124+13 Kentucky1222+10 Wyoming1317+4 Minnesota1418+4 Nebraska1525+10 Vermont164-12 Georgia1721+4 Rhode Island186-12 Maine1913-6 Tennessee2038+18 Delaware2112-9 New Hampshire2211-11 Missouri2332+9 Florida2447+23 Colorado2526+1 Iowa2635+9 Kansas2729+2 Hawaii2815-13 Mississippi2937+8 North Carolina3042+12 Indiana3141+10 North Dakota3231-1 Montana3336+3 Texas3445+11 Ohio3523-12 South Dakota3643+7 Michigan3728-9 Arkansas3834-4 Utah3946+7 Oregon4014-26 Louisiana4140-1 South Carolina4230-12 Alabama4339-4 West Virginia4433-11 Idaho4548+3 New Mexico4627-19 Oklahoma4749+2 Nevada4844-4 Alaska4919-30 Arizona50500 These gaps suggest that spending alone does not explain education outcomes. Cost of living, policy choices, student demographics, teacher availability, and how funding is allocated can all shape results. Where High Spending Isn’t Delivering Results At the other end of the spectrum, several states spend heavily on education but see weaker outcomes. Vermont ranks 4th in funding but only 16th in performance, while Rhode Island (6th vs. 18th) and New Hampshire (11th vs. 22nd) show similar gaps. The most striking case is Alaska, which ranks 19th in funding but near the bottom (49th) in performance. Oregon also stands out, placing 14th in funding but 40th in performance, one of the largest mismatches in the dataset. While administration costs have grown over the past decade, the share of dollars spent on classroom instruction has shrunk. The Biggest Gap Is Efficiency While higher funding can support better resources, outcomes vary widely—even among states with similar funding levels. Some translate each dollar into stronger test scores, graduation rates, and college readiness, while others see far weaker returns. That gap points to deeper factors shaping education systems, from how money is allocated to differences in policy, cost of living, and student demographics. For families and taxpayers, the takeaway is straightforward: where you live can shape not just how much is spent on education, but how effectively it’s used. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more, explore this graphic on average salaries by state in 2025.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Where Housing Takes the Biggest Share of Income See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways In Hawaii, housing consumes 50% of median household income, the highest in the U.S. Coastal states dominate the top ranks, with California at 43% and several others above 30%. Midwestern states remain the most affordable, with Iowa at just 17%. In some parts of the U.S., housing takes up as much as half of a household’s income. This map shows how housing costs—including rent, mortgages, and energy—compare to median household income across all 50 states in 2026. The gap is striking: coastal states face some of the highest cost burdens, while much of the Midwest remains far more affordable. Data comes from WalletHub as of March 2026, which analyzed housing expenses relative to income to rank states from most to least affordable. Coastal States Face the Greatest Housing Burden Hawaii stands out dramatically. The typical household spends about one out of every two dollars on housing alone, far above any other state. California follows at 43%, highlighting persistent affordability challenges driven by high demand and limited housing supply. Several West Coast states, including Oregon and Washington, also rank in the top five. These high shares reflect limited supply, strong demand, and geographic constraints that push prices higher. The data table below shows each state’s share of median income spent on housing in 2026: RankStateHousing Costs as % of Median Monthly Household Income 1Hawaii50.02% 2California43.00% 3Massachusetts33.67% 4Oregon33.56% 5Washington32.97% 6Colorado32.58% 7Nevada32.36% 8Idaho30.88% 9Montana30.47% 10New York30.41% 11Utah30.01% 12Arizona29.97% 13Florida29.16% 14Rhode Island28.77% 15Maine26.60% 16New Jersey26.13% 17Delaware25.42% 18Vermont25.12% 19Virginia24.95% 20Wyoming24.91% 21Connecticut24.89% 22Tennessee24.87% 23New Hampshire24.68% 24North Carolina24.35% 25Alaska24.21% 26Maryland24.00% 27Georgia23.87% 28New Mexico23.72% 29South Carolina23.51% 30Texas22.63% 31Minnesota22.41% 32Louisiana21.90% 33Alabama21.63% 34Wisconsin21.50% 35South Dakota21.18% 36Pennsylvania21.00% 37Missouri20.68% 38Michigan20.39% 39Oklahoma20.36% 40North Dakota20.36% 41Kentucky20.34% 42Mississippi20.13% 43Arkansas19.93% 44Indiana19.70% 45Illinois19.70% 46Ohio19.68% 47Nebraska19.34% 48Kansas18.64% 49West Virginia18.39% 50Iowa17.26% A large group of states falls within the 25% to 30% range, including Florida, Virginia, and New Jersey. These markets are often seen as relatively balanced but still strained. Population growth, especially in Sun Belt states, has increased demand and pushed housing costs upward. This middle tier is where much of the U.S. now sits: not the most expensive, but no longer clearly affordable. As housing costs rise faster than incomes in many of these states, more households are being pushed closer to the 30% threshold often used to define “cost burdened.” Midwest and Southern U.S. States Offer Relative Affordability At the other end of the spectrum, states like Iowa, West Virginia, and Kansas have the lowest housing cost shares. Iowa households spend just 17% of their income on housing, nearly one-third of Hawaii’s level. Lower population density, more available land, and slower price growth contribute to this relative affordability. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Average Down Payment For A House By State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The Fastest-Growing Battery Materials Since 2020 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 Lithium production quadrupled between 2020 and 2025, far outpacing other battery materials in growth. The rapid rise of LFP batteries has shifted demand toward phosphorus and away from nickel-based chemistries. Battery production has expanded rapidly over the last five years, driving major increases in demand for critical minerals and refined materials. This visualization shows how global supply of key battery materials changed between 2020 and 2025, based on data from Benchmark Intelligence. It also highlights how the rise of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries is reshaping which materials matter most across the EV supply chain. Lithium Leads the Charge Lithium has seen the most dramatic growth of any battery material. Production surged from 395 kilotonnes in 2020 to 1,500 kilotonnes in 2025, a nearly fourfold increase. Material2020 Supply (Kilotonnes)2025 Supply (Kilotonnes)Growth (%) Lithium3951,544291% Cobalt127270113% Manganese5510693% Nickel2,5303,64144% Graphite9071,28942% Phosphorus4,0935,78641% The rapid expansion of lithium demand reflects its central role across nearly all modern battery chemistries. As electric vehicle adoption accelerates globally, lithium use continues to outpace other materials. The Rise of LFP Batteries A major shift in battery chemistry is reshaping material demand. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries have grown from just 19% of global market share in 2020 to 55% in 2025. This shift has driven increased demand for phosphorus, with purified phosphoric acid production rising 41% over the same period. China’s dominance in battery manufacturing and its preference for LFP technology have been key factors behind this transition. Nickel, Cobalt, and the Changing Mix Nickel-based chemistries, once dominant, are losing share as LFP rises. Nickel production still grew from 2,500 to 3,600 kilotonnes, reflecting continued demand for longer-range batteries. Meanwhile, cobalt and high-purity manganese sulphate more than doubled, supporting both legacy and evolving battery designs. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing 30 Years of Rare Earth Production, by Country on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Which States Give More to Washington Than They Get Back 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 Nebraska and Minnesota contribute the largest share of their economies to the federal government, paying about 10% more than they receive back. New Mexico stands out as America’s biggest net recipient, receiving federal funding equal to roughly 22% more than it contributes in taxes. Every state sends tax dollars to Washington and receives federal funding in return through programs like Social Security, Medicare, defense spending, infrastructure, and government contracts. This map shows which states give more to the federal government than they get back, and which receive more than they contribute, as a share of state GDP in 2024. The analysis combines data from the IRS, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and USASpending.gov. The results reveal a sharp divide across the country. Many high-income and economically productive states contribute substantially more in federal taxes, while several lower-income and rural states rely more heavily on federal spending. Top Net Contributors Lead in Economic Output Nebraska and Minnesota rank as America’s biggest net contributors relative to the size of their economies, each sending roughly 10% more of their GDP to Washington than they receive back in federal spending. High-income states like New Jersey, California, and Washington also rank among the biggest contributors. These states tend to have strong economies, higher wages, and larger tax bases. A clear geographic pattern emerges in the data: many coastal and Midwestern states are net contributors, while several Southern and Mountain West states receive more federal funding than they pay in taxes. In the table below, positive values indicate a state pays more than it receives, while negative values indicate it receives more than it pays. StateNet Federal Contribution (% of state GDP) Nebraska10% Minnesota10% New Jersey8% California7% Washington7% Ohio6% Illinois5% Massachusetts5% Delaware5% New York3% Rhode Island2% Texas2% Georgia2% Colorado2% Tennessee1% Connecticut1% Utah1% Florida1% Arkansas0% Missouri-1% Nevada-1% Indiana-1% Wyoming-1% South Dakota-1% North Dakota-1% North Carolina-2% Wisconsin-2% Kansas-2% Pennsylvania-3% Iowa-3% New Hampshire-3% Michigan-5% Maryland-5% Arizona-6% Oregon-6% Idaho-6% Oklahoma-8% Louisiana-9% Montana-9% Kentucky-10% Vermont-10% South Carolina-11% Virginia-12% Hawaii-12% Maine-14% Alabama-14% Alaska-15% Mississippi-21% West Virginia-21% New Mexico-22% Balanced States Sit Near the Middle Several states fall close to neutral, including Arkansas, Texas, and Georgia. These states have relatively balanced flows of federal taxes and spending. Their large, diverse economies help offset federal inflows and outflows. Southern and Rural States Receive More Than They Pay At the other end, states like New Mexico, West Virginia, and Mississippi receive significantly more federal funds than they contribute. Many of these states have smaller tax bases and depend more heavily on federal programs tied to healthcare, retirement benefits, military spending, and income support. In some cases, federal spending serves as a major economic stabilizer for local communities. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Massachusetts Ranked #1 Best State to Live on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Where Wages Go Furthest Around 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 Luxembourg ranks first globally, with average monthly purchasing power above $9,300. The U.S. places fifth worldwide, ahead of Finland and Norway after adjusting for local prices. Switzerland falls behind Canada and Spain once cost of living is factored in. Where does a paycheck actually stretch the furthest? This graphic ranks countries by average monthly earnings adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), using data from the International Labor Organization. Rather than comparing salaries on paper, the ranking measures how much goods and services workers can actually afford after accounting for local prices. The results show that high nominal wages do not always translate into stronger purchasing power. In some countries, expensive housing and consumer costs significantly reduce how far incomes go, while others combine relatively high wages with lower living costs. Where Monthly Wages Go Furthest by Country Luxembourg ranks first globally, with purchasing-power-adjusted monthly earnings exceeding $9,300. That gives workers nearly 50% more spending power than the average American. Belgium ($8,297) and the Netherlands ($7,234) follow, forming a cluster of high-income European economies where salaries retain strong purchasing power. This ranking is based on mean gross monthly wages adjusted for local prices and cost of living in 2024. The U.S., UK, and Canada data is for 2025. RankCountryMean Gross Monthly Wages, PPP-Adjusted 2024 1 Luxembourg$9,307 2 Belgium$8,297 3 Netherlands$7,234 4 Austria$6,832 5 U.S.$6,273 6 Finland$6,253 7 Norway$5,760 8 Denmark$5,512 9 Ireland$5,441 10 Italy$5,326 11 Slovenia$5,291 12 Spain$5,166 13 Canada$4,747 14 Switzerland$4,683 15 Cyprus$4,566 16 Sweden$4,538 17 UK$4,124 18 Estonia$4,065 19 Latvia$4,011 20 Lithuania$4,001 21 Croatia$3,945 22 Czechia$3,561 23 Greece$3,546 24 Poland$3,082 25 France$3,064 The U.S. ranks fifth globally, with PPP-adjusted earnings of roughly $6,300 per month, placing it ahead of Northern European countries like Finland and Norway. One of the biggest surprises in the ranking is Switzerland ($4,683). Despite having some of the world’s highest salaries on paper, the country falls behind both Canada and Spain after adjusting for local costs. Extremely expensive housing, services, and consumer prices significantly reduce real purchasing power. Countries with similar PPP-adjusted earnings can still have very different underlying dynamics. For example, Canada and Switzerland show comparable levels, but for opposite reasons: moderate wages and costs in Canada versus very high wages offset by very high costs in Switzerland. A Wide Gap Between Top and Bottom Earners Even after accounting for cost of living, large gaps in living standards remain across advanced economies. Workers in the highest-ranked countries earn nearly three times more per month than those near the bottom of the dataset, including Greece ($3,546) and France ($3,064). This gap highlights persistent differences in productivity, industry mix, and economic structure across countries. In practice, two workers earning similar salaries can experience very different standards of living depending on where they live. Ultimately, where you live can matter just as much as how much you earn. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on average full-time salaries in Europe.

The $126T Global Economy in One Giant Chart 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 global economy is projected to hit $126 trillion in 2026. Just four countries generate half of global GDP. The U.S. alone makes up over a quarter of global output. The global economy is expected to reach $126 trillion in 2026, but that output is highly concentrated. Just four countries—the United States, China, Germany, and Japan—generate roughly half of all economic activity worldwide. This graphic visualizes the full global economy using IMF projections from the April 2026 World Economic Outlook, breaking down nearly 200 countries by their share of nominal GDP. Half of Global GDP Comes From Just Four Countries The U.S., China, Germany, and Japan together produce over $63 trillion in output—roughly equal to the rest of the world combined. The table below lists all of the world’s economies as of 2026, ranked in descending order by size. RankCountry2026 GDP (billions $)Share 1 United States32,38425.6% 2 China20,85216.5% 3 Germany5,4534.3% 4 Japan4,3793.5% 5 United Kingdom4,2653.4% 6 India4,1533.3% 7 France3,5962.8% 8 Italy2,7382.2% 9 Russia2,6562.1% 10 Brazil2,6362.1% 11 Canada2,5072.0% 12 Australia2,1241.7% 13 Mexico2,1211.7% 14 Spain2,0911.7% 15 South Korea1,9311.5% 16 Turkey1,6401.3% 17 Indonesia1,5401.2% 18 Netherlands1,4501.1% 19 Saudi Arabia1,3891.1% 20 Switzerland1,1470.9% 21 Poland1,1340.9% 22 Taiwan9770.8% 23 Ireland7790.6% 24 Belgium7770.6% 25 Sweden7600.6% 26 Israel7200.6% 27 Argentina6880.5% 28 Singapore6600.5% 29 Austria6240.5% 30 United Arab Emirates6220.5% 31 Norway5990.5% 32 Thailand5800.5% 33 Colombia5400.4% 34 Vietnam5270.4% 35 Malaysia5160.4% 36 Philippines5120.4% 37 Bangladesh5110.4% 38 Denmark5040.4% 39 Romania4810.4% 40 South Africa4800.4% 41 Hong Kong4500.4% 42 Czech Republic4330.3% 43 Egypt4300.3% 44 Chile4080.3% 45 Pakistan4080.3% 46 Peru3810.3% 47 Portugal3810.3% 48 Nigeria3770.3% 49 Kazakhstan3600.3% 50 Finland3380.3% 51 Algeria3170.3% 52 Greece3080.2% 53 Iran3000.2% 54 New Zealand2790.2% 55 Hungary2710.2% 56 Iraq2650.2% 57 Ukraine2250.2% 58 Qatar2170.2% 59 Morocco1940.2% 60 Uzbekistan1820.1% 61 Kuwait1730.1% 62 Slovakia1690.1% 63 Angola1520.1% 64 Bulgaria1480.1% 65 Kenya1470.1% 66 Ecuador1380.1% 67 Dominican Republic1360.1% 68 Puerto Rico1290.1% 69 Guatemala1290.1% 70 Congo (DRC)1230.1% 71 Ethiopia1220.1% 72 Ghana1180.1% 73 Oman1170.1% 74 Croatia1170.1% 75 Côte d'Ivoire1120.1% 76 Serbia1120.1% 77 Venezuela1110.1% 78 Luxembourg1100.1% 79 Costa Rica1100.1% 80 Lithuania1060.1% 81 Belarus1020.1% 82 Sri Lanka990.1% 83 Uruguay960.1% 84 Panama950.1% 85 Tanzania950.1% 86 Slovenia870.1% 87 Myanmar840.1% 88 Turkmenistan830.1% 89 Bolivia810.1% 90 Azerbaijan780.1% 91 Uganda730.1% 92 Cameroon650.1% 93 Jordan650.1% 94 Tunisia610.0% 95 Paraguay610.0% 96 Zimbabwe570.0% 97 Macao540.0% 98 Latvia540.0% 99 Libya520.0% 100 Cambodia520.0% 101 Estonia520.0% 102 Bahrain490.0% 103 Nepal460.0% 104 Cyprus450.0% 105 Sudan450.0% 106 Iceland440.0% 107 Georgia430.0% 108 Honduras420.0% 109 Zambia410.0% 110 Senegal400.0% 111 El Salvador400.0% 112 Haiti390.0% 113 Bosnia and Herzegovina370.0% 114 Lebanon340.0% 115 Papua New Guinea340.0% 116 Guyana340.0% 117 Mali340.0% 118 Albania330.0% 119 Burkina Faso330.0% 120 Armenia320.0% 121 Malta310.0% 122 Guinea300.0% 123 Mongolia280.0% 124 Benin280.0% 125 Trinidad and Tobago270.0% 126 Chad260.0% 127 Niger250.0% 128 Nicaragua240.0% 129 Kyrgyz Republic240.0% 130 Gabon230.0% 131 Mozambique230.0% 132 Jamaica230.0% 133 Botswana220.0% 134 Moldova220.0% 135 North Macedonia220.0% 136 Madagascar210.0% 137 Tajikistan200.0% 138 Afghanistan200.0% 139 Laos190.0% 140 Malawi180.0% 141 Rwanda170.0% 142 Namibia170.0% 143 Mauritius170.0% 144 Bahamas, The170.0% 145 Congo, Rep. of the170.0% 146 Brunei170.0% 147 West Bank and Gaza160.0% 148 Mauritania140.0% 149 Somalia140.0% 150 Kosovo140.0% 151 Equatorial Guinea140.0% 152 Togo130.0% 153 Montenegro100.0% 154 Liechtenstein9.40.0% 155 Barbados8.50.0% 156 Sierra Leone8.30.0% 157 Burundi8.10.0% 158 Maldives8.10.0% 159 Yemen7.40.0% 160 Fiji6.40.0% 161 South Sudan6.10.0% 162 Suriname5.90.0% 163 Eswatini5.80.0% 164 Liberia5.60.0% 165 Andorra4.90.0% 166 Djibouti4.70.0% 167 Aruba4.70.0% 168 Bhutan3.90.0% 169 Central African Republic3.50.0% 170 Belize3.50.0% 171 Cabo Verde3.40.0% 172 Guinea-Bissau3.00.0% 173 Lesotho3.00.0% 174 Gambia, The2.80.0% 175 Saint Lucia2.80.0% 176 San Marino2.40.0% 177 Antigua and Barbuda2.40.0% 178 Seychelles2.30.0% 179 Timor-Leste2.20.0% 180 Solomon Islands1.80.0% 181 Comoros1.80.0% 182 Grenada1.50.0% 183 Vanuatu1.40.0% 184 Samoa1.40.0% 185 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1.20.0% 186 São Tomé and Príncipe1.20.0% 187 Saint Kitts and Nevis1.10.0% 188 Dominica0.80.0% 189 Tonga0.70.0% 190 Micronesia0.50.0% 191 Kiribati0.40.0% 192 Palau0.40.0% 193 Marshall Islands0.30.0% 194 Nauru0.20.0% 195 Tuvalu0.10.0% -- World126,254100.0% Size does not necessarily translate into high growth. Among the world’s four largest economies, China leads with projected 4.4% real growth in 2026, while the U.S. is expected to grow a still respectable 2.3%. Germany and Japan, which have faced years of stagnation, are projected to grow by just 0.7–0.8%. China’s outperformance continues a trend seen over the past few decades, although the country faces headwinds of its own, including a demographic slowdown and a prolonged property sector crisis. The Shifting Balance of Power Towards Asia Beyond China and Japan, Asia is increasingly driving global economic growth. Major emerging markets like India ($4.2 trillion) and Indonesia ($1.5 trillion) are expected to reshape the global economic order in the decades ahead. India, which in recent years became the world’s most populous country, is now the sixth-largest economy globally. Its strong 6.6% growth forecast for 2026 could see it surpass the United Kingdom ($4.3 trillion) and even Japan by 2028. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s projected 5% growth comes despite ongoing challenges in its manufacturing sector since the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as continued supply chain pressures linked to geopolitical tensions. The Downstream Effects of Trade Tensions Indonesia is not alone in feeling the effects of shifting global trade dynamics. High-tariff policies introduced by the U.S. since early 2025 have led to downward revisions in growth forecasts across several economies, particularly in North America. Canada ($2.3 trillion) and Mexico ($2.1 trillion), both highly dependent on U.S. trade, are especially exposed. With U.S.-Canada relations strained and negotiations over a trilateral trade agreement progressing slowly, the North American economic bloc faces increasing uncertainty. Learn More on the Voronoi App How will these numbers shift in 25 years? Find out with Visualizing the Future Global Economy by GDP in 2050 on Voronoi.Use This Visualization

China Produces More Coal Than the Rest of the World Combined 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 accounts for over half of global coal production. Just six countries produce nearly 90% of the world’s coal. Asia dominates both total output and recent production growth. China produces more coal than all nations combined. According to the 2025 Statistical Review of World Energy, China produced 4.78 billion tonnes of coal in 2024, accounting for 51.7% of the global total. Coal production is also highly concentrated beyond China. The top six producing countries, including India, Indonesia, and the U.S., together account for 87% of total supply. This chart ranks the world’s largest coal producers in 2024, illustrating how concentrated global coal output remains. Coal Production by Country China’s dominance becomes even clearer when compared side by side with other major producers: RankCountryMillions of tonnes of coal mined (2024)Share 1 China4,780.051.7% 2 India1,085.111.7% 3 Indonesia836.19.0% 4 U.S.464.65.0% 5 Australia462.95.0% 6 Russia427.24.6% 7 South Africa235.02.5% 8 Germany91.91.0% 9 Türkiye87.00.9% 10 Poland85.20.9% 11 Colombia52.70.6% 12 Vietnam43.80.5% 13 Canada42.60.5% -- Other547.45.9% -- World9,241.5100.0% India ranks second at just over 1 billion tonnes, but its 11.7% share is far behind China’s majority. The top six is rounded out by Indonesia (9.0%), the United States (5.0%), Australia (5.0%), and Russia (4.6%), after which production drops off sharply. Where Is Coal Production Growing? Below are the major countries that increased coal production between 2023 and 2024: RankCountryCoal Produced (2023)Coal Produced (2024)Growth (YoY) 1 Türkiye74.287.016.9% 2 Pakistan17.419.19.5% 3 Indonesia775.2836.17.6% 4 India1011.31085.17.0% 5 China4723.34780.00.9% Türkiye saw the strongest year-over-year growth at 16.9%, but is still only the ninth-largest coal producer globally. Notably, all countries on this list are in Asia, highlighting how rising energy demand in the region is driving new coal production even as other parts of the world reduce reliance on the fuel. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the share of global carbon emissions by country.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: U.S. Debt Could Hit $182 Trillion by 2056 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 U.S. federal debt is projected to rise from $39 trillion in 2026 to $182 trillion by 2056. Adding $10 trillion once took nearly 70 years. By the 2050s, it could take just 1–2 years. Even under stable economic assumptions, debt is expected to grow 4.6x over three decades. For decades, U.S. federal debt grew in long, gradual cycles. That pace is now accelerating rapidly. This chart shows how debt expanded from $51 billion in 1940 to nearly $40 trillion today, and how it could climb to $182 trillion by 2056. At that point, the U.S. may be adding $10 trillion in debt every one to two years. The data comes from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the White House as of March 2026. Data is in nominal dollars. How the U.S. Federal Debt Accelerated Each new $10 trillion in U.S. debt is arriving faster than the last, shrinking from decades to just years. It took nearly 70 years for U.S. debt to reach its first $10 trillion. In the decades ahead, that same increase could happen in just one to two years. The data table below shows how the U.S. national debt has changed since WWII and how quickly it is projected to rise over the next three decades: Fiscal yearU.S. gross federal debt (Billions, USD) 194051 194158 194279 1943143 1944204 1945260 1946271 1947257 1948252 1949253 1950257 1951255 1952259 1953266 1954271 1955274 1956273 1957272 1958280 1959287 1960291 1961293 1962303 1963310 1964316 1965322 1966328 1967340 1968369 1969366 1970381 1971408 1972436 1973466 1974484 1975542 1976629 1977706 1978777 1979829 1980909 19811000 19821100 19831400 19841600 19851800 19862100 19872300 19882600 19892900 19903200 19913600 19924000 19934400 19944600 19954900 19965200 19975400 19985500 19995600 20005600 20015800 20026200 20036800 20047400 20057900 20068500 20079000 200810000 200911900 201013500 201114800 201216100 201316700 201417800 201518100 201619500 201720200 201821500 201922700 202026900 202128400 202230800 202333000 202435200 202537400 2026P39400 2027P41300 2028P43300 2029P45200 2030P47200 2031P49200 2032P51500 2033P54400 2034P57400 2035P60400 2036P63700 2037P67200 2038P70800 2039P74800 2040P78800 2041P83100 2042P87700 2043P92400 2044P97500 2045P102700 2046P108200 2047P114100 2048P120200 2049P126600 2050P133500 2051P140500 2052P148000 2053P155900 2054P164200 2055P172900 2056P182000 After World War II, it took over 60 years for U.S. debt to reach $10 trillion. The next $10 trillion took nine years following the 2008 financial crisis. In the 2020s, pandemic spending compressed the interval to just five years. By the 2050s, each additional $10 trillion could take just one to two years. That is under modest assumptions, with no new wars, no recessions, and manageable interest rates. Even so, debt projections still reach $182 trillion by 2056. For context, that is a 4.6x jump from the current all-time high of $39 trillion, or nearly 3x the current valuation of all S&P 500 companies combined. Why Debt Matters for America’s Future As debt rises, a growing share of the federal budget is expected to go toward interest payments, crowding out spending on defense, infrastructure, and public services. If borrowing costs increase, the effects could spread across the economy, raising rates for households and businesses, slowing investment, and weighing on long-term growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about who the major holders of America’s debt are, check out this graphic, which gives a comprehensive breakdown of the country’s main creditors.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Most Americans Can’t Afford New Homes 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 65% of U.S. households can’t afford a new median-priced home. In the least affordable states, over 80% are priced out. Even in the most affordable state, a majority of households still can’t buy. Most Americans can’t afford a new home. A new analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that 65% of U.S. households are priced out of newly built homes, based on current prices and mortgage rates. In some parts of the country, the situation is even more extreme. More than 80% of households can’t afford a new home, highlighting how widespread the affordability gap has become. This map shows where Americans are being priced out and where barriers to homeownership are highest. Ranked: Where Americans Are Most Priced Out of New Homes At the extreme end, buying a new home is nearly out of reach. In New Hampshire, 83.4% of households are priced out of a new median-priced home. In total, 11 states have at least 80% of households locked out. This table shows the share of households priced out of new homes by state in 2026. A household is considered “priced out” if total housing costs—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance—exceed 28% of income, based on median new home prices and a 6% mortgage rate. State% of Households Priced Out of New HomesMedian New Home PriceIncome Needed to Qualify New Hampshire83.4%$677,982$211,080 Hawaii83.0%$884,781$234,818 Maine82.7%$548,493$160,714 Alaska82.2%$627,077$188,313 Connecticut81.8%$696,752$224,811 Wyoming81.8%$580,627$164,982 Montana81.5%$495,610$141,997 Oregon81.0%$608,135$173,717 New York80.5%$656,108$204,163 Vermont80.1%$580,627$181,064 Pennsylvania80.0%$528,370$160,900 Massachusetts79.8%$836,236$246,370 Wisconsin77.3%$485,449$149,085 Ohio76.5%$443,646$137,310 Washington76.1%$649,812$185,213 Colorado75.1%$644,149$179,928 Kansas73.4%$401,237$128,372 Rhode Island72.9%$578,724$174,451 South Carolina72.5%$421,098$118,180 New Mexico71.7%$362,847$104,055 Illinois71.3%$428,712$143,374 Michigan71.3%$371,503$122,158 Kentucky71.3%$398,741$109,299 Florida71.1%$429,644$127,139 Indiana70.7%$418,993$123,219 District of Columbia70.1%$836,441$232,260 Iowa70.0%$348,337$120,598 Arkansas70.0%$381,881$100,780 Alabama69.2%$375,944$106,586 New Jersey69.1%$527,069$172,356 Utah68.2%$531,151$145,638 Tennessee67.7%$399,580$111,631 Oklahoma67.6%$351,771$107,846 Arizona66.6%$446,796$122,364 Missouri66.6%$371,515$111,332 Idaho66.4%$430,280$117,615 North Carolina66.4%$394,058$112,263 Louisiana66.2%$318,728$95,895 California65.6%$545,892$153,471 Nevada65.5%$420,782$115,555 West Virginia64.8%$308,607$88,071 Texas64.5%$369,798$117,131 Georgia62.5%$374,579$109,329 Minnesota62.1%$402,209$122,025 Nebraska62.0%$328,603$107,185 South Dakota62.0%$346,894$106,233 North Dakota61.4%$382,451$116,480 Mississippi61.1%$266,837$80,174 Virginia58.9%$429,184$122,542 Maryland58.5%$432,949$127,559 Delaware56.0%$376,478$104,282 While high-cost states like Hawaii and Massachusetts rank among the least affordable, others such as Maine and Wyoming show that affordability pressures are no longer limited to major metro areas. Affordability Isn’t Just a Coastal Problem The most striking takeaway is how universal the problem has become. Even in lower-cost states like Mississippi ($267K) and West Virginia ($309K), a majority of households are still priced out new homes. While buyers need under $90,000 in income—compared to over $200,000 in the least affordable markets—that threshold remains out of reach for many. In other words, moving to a cheaper state is no longer a reliable solution. Instead, the data points to a deeper issue, which is that incomes have not kept pace with rising housing costs across the country. While existing homes can be more affordable than new construction, this data highlights a key constraint: much of the new housing supply entering the market is already out of reach for most households. The Bigger Picture As new home prices continue to outpace income growth, the gap between who can and can’t afford newly built homes is widening. That shift is reshaping where Americans live, how they build wealth, and whether homeownership is attainable at all. If even the most affordable states are out of reach for most households looking at new homes, the question becomes harder to ignore: where can buyers realistically go next? Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on where wealth is moving in America.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The Global Fertility Divide 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 Africa stands apart with a fertility rate of 4.0 children per woman, far above the 2.1 replacement level. Most of the world—including Asia, Europe, and the Americas—now falls below replacement, pointing to slower population growth ahead. A widening gap is emerging in global birth rates. This chart shows population-weighted total fertility rates (TFR) across major world regions, based on data from the UN World Population Prospects 2024 Revision, and how they compare to the 2.1 replacement level. While Africa remains far above this threshold, most of the world, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas, has already fallen below it. This split highlights where future population growth is likely to be concentrated. Africa Stands Apart Africa’s fertility rate of 4.0 children per woman is the highest of any region. It is nearly double the global average of 2.2 and close to three times Europe’s rate of 1.4. RegionPop-Weighted TFRPopulation (Millions)% of World Pop Africa4.01549.818.8% Middle East2.3388.24.7% Oceania2.046.60.6% Asia1.74445.854.0% South America1.7438.15.3% North America1.7617.37.5% Europe1.4745.89.1% World (total)2.28231.6100.0% With a rapidly growing population base, Africa is expected to drive a significant share of global population growth in the coming decades. Higher fertility rates are often linked to younger populations, lower urbanization, and differences in access to education and healthcare. Below Replacement in Most Regions Many parts of the world now have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1. Asia, North America, and South America each sit at 1.7, while Europe trails at 1.4. These levels point to aging populations, slower natural population growth, and potential workforce pressures over time. In many countries, immigration and family-support policies are becoming more important parts of the demographic outlook. Population Weight Matters Asia accounts for 54% of the global population, meaning its relatively low fertility rate has an outsized influence on the global average. By contrast, regions like Oceania and the Middle East have higher fertility rates but much smaller populations. This helps explain why the global average remains at 2.2 even as most major regions fall below replacement. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out When Will the Global Population Reach Its Peak? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 9 hours ago on May 4, 2026 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Zack Aboulazm Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Where Luxury Housing Prices Surged the Most in 2025 Tokyo saw luxury housing prices surge by nearly 60% in 2025, far outpacing other global markets. Across the world, growth ranged from strong double-digit gains in cities like Dubai and Manila to more modest increases elsewhere. This chart, created in partnership with Terzo, shows where the price of high-end homes surged the most in 2025. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series, which delivers quick economic insights. Cities With the Biggest Growth in Housing Prices Tokyo dominates the list of fastest-growing luxury housing prices in 2025. The newly-built apartment market drove growth, boosted by limited supply, low interest rates, and strong demand from Asia-Pacific buyers.  RankMarketRise in Luxury Home Prices, 2025 1 Tokyo58.5% 2 Dubai25.1% 3 Manila17.5% 4 Seoul14.7% 5 Prague14.6% 6 Cayman Islands11.0% 7 Mexico City9.4% 8 Bengaluru9.4% 9 Méribel9.0% 10 Mumbai8.7% Source: Knight Frank 2026 Wealth Report. As the second-highest city on the list, Dubai saw price growth of just over 25%. The city offers a low-tax alternative for wealthy individuals and sits within the United Arab Emirates, the primary business and financial gateway in the Middle East.  Notably, Dubai holds the record in super-prime home sales, with 500 homes selling for more than $10 million in 2025.  How Luxury Properties Performed Across Regions Regionally, Asia-Pacific cities dominate the ranking of luxury housing prices, accounting for five of the top 10 cities. 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See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Where Emissions Are Rising Fastest 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 Vietnam recorded the fastest emissions growth among major emitters, with CO₂ output rising 106% from 2014 to 2024. Indonesia and India also saw steep increases, underscoring how emissions growth is concentrated in fast-growing Asian economies. Meanwhile, the UK, Germany, and Japan cut emissions by over 20%, marking some of the largest declines globally. Global emissions are still rising—but the increase is highly uneven. Over the past decade, the fastest growth has come from rapidly industrializing economies. Vietnam more than doubled its emissions from 2014 to 2024, while Indonesia and India also posted steep gains as energy demand surged. Meanwhile, several advanced economies have moved in the opposite direction. Countries like the UK, Germany, and Japan have significantly reduced their carbon output, largely by phasing out coal and expanding renewable energy. Using data from the Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data, this graphic ranks the world’s largest emitters by how their fossil fuel and industrial CO₂ emissions changed from 2014 to 2024. Together, these countries account for roughly 80% of global emissions. Emissions Change Among the World’s Top 20 Emitters This table shows the world’s 20 largest emitters and how their carbon output has shifted over the last decade. Figures represent carbon emissions from fossil fuels and industry and exclude land-use change emissions. RankCountryCO₂ Emissions 2014(Tonnes)CO₂ Emissions 2024(Tonnes)Change(2014-2024) 1 Vietnam180M371M106.0% 2 Indonesia498M812M63.1% 3 India2.1B3.2B48.7% 4 Türkiye367M513M39.7% 5 China10B12.3B23.2% 6 Iran644M793M23.0% 7 Malaysia245M290M18.4% 8 Saudi Arabia585M692M18.3% 9 Russia1.6B1.8B8.7% 10 Australia393M387M-1.5% 11 Mexico484M461M-4.8% 12 Canada565M533M-5.6% 13 South Korea629M584M-7.3% 14 South Africa482M440M-8.7% 15 U.S.5.5B4.9B-11.3% 16 Brazil557M483M-13.2% 17 Italy349M302M-13.6% 18 Japan1.3B962M-23.7% 19 Germany793M572M-27.8% 20 UK439M313M-28.7% Among the world’s largest emitters, the fastest increases are concentrated in Asia. Vietnam (+106%) leads by a wide margin, followed by Indonesia (+63.1%) and India (+48.7%). At the same time, several advanced economies have sharply reduced emissions. The UK (-28.7%), Germany (-27.8%), and Japan (-23.7%) saw the largest declines over the decade. Together, these trends highlight a growing divide: emissions are rising fastest in emerging economies, while many developed nations are cutting output. The Giants: China vs. the U.S. When looking at absolute volume, the sheer scale of the world’s two largest emitters—China and the U.S.—continues to dictate the global climate trajectory. China’s emissions rose by 23.2%—an increase of 2.3 billion tonnes since 2014. This surge alone outweighs the total annual output of most other major nations combined. In contrast, the U.S. saw an 11.3% decline, dropping to 4.9 billion tonnes, primarily driven by a sharp drop in coal consumption. India stands as the world’s third-largest emitter, with its carbon footprint ballooning 48.7% over the decade. However, more promisingly, emissions grew at their slowest pace in two decades in 2025 (excluding the 2020 pandemic), up just 0.7% thanks to record growth in clean energy. As global manufacturing and energy demand continue to shift toward emerging markets, future emissions trends will depend increasingly on how quickly these economies scale lower-carbon energy sources. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the share of global carbon emissions by country.

Where the World’s $13T in Sovereign Wealth Is Held 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 Asia and the Middle East control the majority of the world’s $13 trillion in sovereign wealth. Norway alone holds over $2.1 trillion, the largest sovereign wealth fund globally. Middle Eastern funds exceed $5 trillion, built largely on oil revenues. Sovereign wealth funds now hold over $13 trillion in assets. But where is that capital actually concentrated? Most of it sits in Asia and the Middle East, where export surpluses and energy revenues have fueled massive state-owned funds. At the same time, Norway stands apart as the single largest holder, with a fund that exceeds $2.1 trillion. This graphic ranks the largest sovereign wealth funds using 2026 data from Global SWF, showing where the world’s state-owned capital is concentrated and which countries control the biggest pools of wealth. Norway’s $2 Trillion Investment Fund Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) was founded in 1990 to channel excess oil revenues into long-term investments. As of 2026, the fund has over $2.1 trillion in assets under management, making it the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund (SWF). Given Norway’s relatively small population of just five million people, this translates to over $350,000 for each of the country’s citizens. The table below shows how Norway’s fund compares with other major sovereign wealth funds, highlighting how concentrated global state-owned capital has become. RankSWF/State FundCountryAUM (USD Billions) 1NBIM Norway2,116 2SAFE IC China1,988 3CIC China1,567 4ADIA UAE - Abu Dhabi1,187 5PIF Saudi Arabia1,151 6KIA Kuwait1,002 7GIC Singapore936 8QIA Qatar580 9ICD UAE - Dubai429 10Mubadala UAE - Abu Dhabi385 11TWF Turkiye360 12Temasek Singapore324 13LIMAD UAE - Abu Dhabi300 14KIC South Korea232 15Danantara Indonesia230 16Future Fund Australia225 17NWF RU Russia178 18DH UAE - Dubai136 19EIA UAE116 20NDF Saudi Arabia115 21QIC Australia - QLD89 22Samruk Kazyna Kazakhstan88 23Alaska PFC USA - AK88 24DIF UAE - Dubai80 25PNB Malaysia78 New EntrantCanada Strong Canada18 Norway’s government has used NBIM to help the country avoid the “resource curse” that affects many oil-dependent economies. By investing in diversified global assets, the country has built a war chest for future public investment and sustainable development. The Middle East’s Many Funds Norway is far from the only country to invest its oil and gas revenues in a government-managed fund. Across the Middle East, similar SWFs have been set up in Saudi Arabia ($1.3 trillion), Kuwait ($1 trillion), and Qatar ($580 billion). In the United Arab Emirates, both the national government and individual emirate governments have done the same, with over $2.6 trillion in assets under management as of 2026. Even non-petrostates in the Middle East have opened SWFs in recent years. The Turkey Wealth Fund, founded in 2016, has over $360 billion in assets under management, including holdings across the country such as a sizable minority stake in Turkish Airlines and full ownership of the Port of İzmir. The World’s Newest SWF Canada is the latest country to join the club. In April 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the Canada Strong Fund, a new $18 billion SWF that, at the point of establishment, will be the world’s 55th-largest SWF of its kind. The Canadian government hopes to use the Canada Strong Fund to invest in strategic priorities across the country as it seeks to diversify trade partners and reduce reliance on the United States. Oil, mining, and gas revenues will likely play a role in bolstering the fund’s capital, similar to the nearby Alaska Permanent Fund ($88 billion), an American state-level SWF that pays out an annual dividend to Alaskan residents in what has been called the sole existing example of basic income. Learn More on the Voronoi App What about the other side of the equation? See how much debt is held by governments on Voronoi.Use This Visualization

Ranked: The U.S. Cities With the Most Sunshine 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 Yuma, Arizona ranks first with 4,015 hours of sunshine per year, averaging about 11 hours per day. Arizona claims three of the top four spots, while California has more top-20 cities than Florida. Most of America’s sunniest cities are clustered in the dry, high-pressure climates of the Southwest. Some U.S. cities average nearly 11 hours of sunshine per day—far more than the national norm. Using NOAA data and visualized by Julie Peasley, this map ranks the 20 sunniest U.S. cities based on annual sunshine hours. The results highlight a clear geographic divide. Southwestern cities dominate the top of the list, while Florida—despite its nickname—trails California in total entries. The Sunniest Cities in America Arizona dominates the very top of the ranking, with Yuma, Phoenix, and Tucson all placing in the top four. But California has the broader showing, with several cities across the state making the top 20. RankCityStateYearly Sunshine Hours 1YumaAZ4,015 2PhoenixAZ3,872 3Las VegasNV3,825 4TucsonAZ3,806 5El PasoTX3,763 6SacramentoCA3,608 7FresnoCA3,564 8AlbuquerqueNM3,415 9Los AngelesCA3,254 10MiamiFL3,154 11DenverCO3,107 12Oklahoma CityOK3,089 13San FranciscoCA3,062 14San DiegoCA3,055 15HonoluluHI3,036 16Salt Lake CityUT3,029 17BoiseID2,993 18TampaFL2,927 19WichitaKS2,922 20MemphisTN2,888 Florida still appears on the list, but its “Sunshine State” reputation does not translate into dominance. Miami and Tampa rank highly, though fewer Florida cities make the cut than California cities. The Southwest: America’s Sunshine Capital One pattern stands out immediately: geography drives the rankings. The sunniest cities cluster heavily in the U.S. Southwest, particularly Arizona, Nevada, California, and New Mexico. Cities like Yuma, Phoenix, and Las Vegas benefit from desert climates where clear skies are the norm. Persistent high-pressure systems suppress cloud formation, while low humidity limits the moisture needed for clouds to develop. In fact, the Southwest is one of the driest regions in North America. As noted in climate studies, limited precipitation and stable air masses create ideal conditions for near-constant sunshine. Why So Few Clouds? The Southwest’s sunshine advantage comes down to a simple recipe: dry air, stable weather patterns, and geography. Dry air: Desert regions lack the moisture needed to form clouds. High pressure systems: These systems promote sinking air, which inhibits cloud formation. Topography: Mountain ranges block moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Together, these conditions create the clear, sunny skies that define cities like Phoenix, whose climate is comparable to global hotspots like Karachi and Baghdad. Sunshine Beyond the Desert While the Southwest leads, other regions still make appearances. Cities like Miami and Tampa benefit from tropical climates with strong seasonal sunshine, while Denver and Boise combine elevation with relatively dry air. The gap across the ranking is striking. Yuma receives more than 1,000 additional sunshine hours per year than cities at the bottom of the top 20—underscoring how extreme the Southwest’s advantage really is. Learn More on the Voronoi App Explore how climate shapes cities worldwide in World Cities by Climate Type on the Voronoi app.