At the state level, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) defines GDP as “the sum of value added from all industries in the state. In essence, a state’s GDP measures the size of its economy, encompassing everything from its tech industry and farms to its factories and public sector. This metric matters because it
Euclidean zoning is the most widely used form of land-use regulation in the United States. It is responsible for shaping the sprawling, car-dependent suburban landscapes that define much of the American built environment. Rooted in the 1926 U.S. Supreme Court case Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co., Euclidean zoning separates land uses into distinct
As the United States continues to recover from pandemic-era crime surges, the national conversation around public safety remains front and center. According to the latest FBI Crime Data Explorer, the nationwide violent crime rate in 2023 was approximately 3.6 incidents per 1,000 people, a slight decrease from the previous year, signaling a slow but steady
According to the most recent Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), around 653,100 people were homeless in the United States on a single night in January 2023. This figure shows a 12% increase from the previous year, with 70,650 more people falling into homelessness since
Despite being one of the most developed nations in the world, the United States continues to grapple with major disparities in public education, particularly at the high school level. While many schools boast AP scholars and Ivy League hopefuls, others are stuck in a vicious cycle of academic failure, dropout crises, and chronic absenteeism. This
The United States population grew modestly between 2022 and 2023 (about +0.5% nationally), but this growth was uneven. While 42 states (and D.C.) gained residents, a handful saw alarming declines. Eight U.S. states lost population in the last few years, with a few experiencing especially large drops, as noted by Forbes. These losses have slowed
As of early 2025, five U.S. states are outperforming the national job market with the lowest unemployment rates in the country, significantly below the national average of 4.1%. Leading the nation is South Dakota, with an exceptionally low jobless rate of 1.9%, followed by North Dakota and Vermont, each at 2.6%. Montana (2.8%) and New
In 2025, the most affordable states in the U.S. sit mainly in the South and Midwest, where daily costs stay well below the national average of 100 on the cost of living index. Below is a clear look at the states with the lowest living expenses. Key Takeaways West Virginia ranks as the most affordable