Matthew Gray 
The Sunshine State’s population jumped by 1.9% in 2022 and added another 1.6% in 2023, nearly outpacing every other state in the country, according to the Census. Cities like Orlando, Tampa, and Miami collectively added nearly 150,000 people between 2022 and 2023, with metro areas like Wildwood-The Villages, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Ocala, and Port St. Lucie … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
According to the most recent Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), approximately 653,100 people were experiencing homelessness across the United States on a single night in January 2023. This figure marks a 12% increase from the previous year, with an estimated 70,650 more individuals falling … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Census Bureau has released its latest population projections, offering a glimpse into the nation’s future based on four distinct immigration scenarios: high, low, medium (“main”), and zero-immigration rates. In its main scenario, deemed the most probable by the JEC, the U.S. population is expected to inch upward from its current … Read more