See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: The States Where Education Pays Off Most 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 Washington D.C. leads the nation in education and income, with 66% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree and median household income topping $109,000. States with the highest shares of college graduates generally report the highest household incomes, highlighting the economic value of educational attainment. Alaska stands out as a major exception, earning nearly $96,000 per household despite a relatively low share of college graduates. A college degree remains one of the strongest predictors of income in America, but the relationship varies considerably across states. This graphic compares the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree against median household income across all 50 states and Washington D.C., using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In many states, higher educational attainment coincides with significantly higher household earnings, helping explain why some regions consistently rank near the top for prosperity. Among the top 10 income states, the average bachelor’s degree attainment rate is roughly 44%, compared with about 29% among the bottom 10 states. At the same time, several states outperform or underperform what education levels alone might suggest, revealing the role that industry mix, labor demand, and local economic strengths play in shaping incomes. How Do Education and Income Vary Across America? The table below shows where Americans are most educated and how much households earn. Educational attainment data is as of 2023, while median household incomes are as of 2024. Rank (Income)StateShare of College GradsMedian Household Income 1District of Columbia66%$109,707 2Massachusetts48%$104,828 3New Jersey44%$104,294 4Maryland44%$102,905 5Hawaii37%$100,745 6California38%$100,149 7New Hampshire41%$99,782 8Washington41%$99,389 9Colorado46%$97,113 10Utah38%$96,658 11Connecticut43%$96,049 12Alaska32%$95,665 13Virginia42%$92,090 14Delaware37%$87,534 15Minnesota40%$87,117 16New York41%$85,820 17Oregon38%$85,220 18Rhode Island39%$83,504 19Illinois38%$83,211 20Vermont44%$82,730 21Arizona34%$81,486 22Idaho32%$81,166 23Nevada29%$81,134 24Georgia35%$79,991 25Texas34%$79,721 26North Dakota34%$77,871 27Florida35%$77,735 28Pennsylvania35%$77,545 29Wisconsin34%$77,488 30South Dakota33%$76,881 31Maine37%$76,442 32Nebraska35%$76,376 33Wyoming30%$75,532 34Kansas36%$75,514 35Iowa32%$75,501 36Montana35%$75,340 37North Carolina37%$73,958 38Michigan33%$72,389 39South Carolina33%$72,350 40Ohio32%$72,212 41Tennessee32%$71,997 42Indiana30%$71,959 43Missouri33%$71,589 44New Mexico32%$67,816 45Alabama29%$66,659 46Oklahoma29%$66,148 47Kentucky28%$64,526 48Arkansas26%$62,106 49Louisiana27%$60,986 50West Virginia24%$60,798 51Mississippi26%$59,127 Where Education Delivers the Biggest Income Advantage Across the U.S., states with larger shares of college graduates tend to report higher household incomes. Among the highest-income states, bachelor’s degree attainment often exceeds 40%, while many lower-income states have college graduate shares below 30%. The pattern suggests that educational attainment remains closely linked to household prosperity, even as local economic conditions continue to influence outcomes. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, and Washington rank near the top on both measures. These states are home to high-paying industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, and professional services, which attract and reward highly educated workers. Meanwhile, states with lower educational attainment generally report lower household incomes, reinforcing the long-established connection between education and earnings. The gap is particularly notable in several Southern states, where education rates can be up to 20 percentage points lower than those at the top. Nationally, bachelor’s degree holders earn about $13,000 more than the median worker, with California seeing the highest wage premium of $23,732 and Wyoming seeing one of the lowest, at $4,051. When Education Isn’t the Whole Story While educational attainment helps explain income differences across much of the country, several states challenge the trend. Alaska is among the most notable examples. Despite ranking well below many top-income states in college graduate share, its median household income approaches $96,000. High-paying jobs in energy, transportation, and resource industries help support earnings that exceed what education levels alone might predict. At the other end of the spectrum, some highly educated states generate lower incomes than peers with similar graduation rates. For example, Vermont’s 44% grad rate matches New Jersey and Maryland, yet its median income lags $20,000 behind, demonstrating that workforce composition and industry mix remain critical pieces of the equation. Together, these outliers show that education is only one piece of the economic puzzle. Why the Degree Advantage Is Evolving For decades, earning a degree was one of the clearest paths to higher income. While that relationship remains strong, advances in artificial intelligence and ongoing shifts in the labor market are changing the outlook for many knowledge-based occupations. As a result, future economic success may depend not only on educational attainment, but also on how effectively states connect skilled workers with industries that have strong labor demand. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s most educated countries.

Published 5 hours ago on June 15, 2026 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Jennifer West Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email How Much Value $100 Loses in the Highest-Inflation Countries In some countries, $100 can lose more than a quarter of its purchasing power in just one year. While inflation affects economies around the world, the impact is most visible in countries where prices are rising rapidly. There, savings lose value faster and affording everyday essentials becomes increasingly difficult. This graphic, created in partnership with Plasma, shows where $100 is projected to lose the most value by the end of 2026. Where $100 Loses the Most Purchasing Power Venezuela continues to face the world’s highest inflation rate. If you had $100 at the start of 2026, it’s projected to be worth only $31 by the end of the year. Many people rush to spend their money on basic goods before it loses value.  There are some signs of improvement: the U.S. is easing sanctions on Venezuela, creating opportunities for greater connection with the global market and more foreign currency earnings. CountryPurchasing Power of $100 by End of 2026 Venezuela$31 Sudan$61 Iran$67 Bolivia$79 Argentina$80 Türkiye$80 Malawi$81 Haiti$82 Burundi$84 Myanmar$85 Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026. Based on projected inflation rates by the end of 2026. Sudan is another country facing extremes in rising prices. Due to the ongoing war, infrastructure, commercial activity, and agriculture have collapsed across the country. With sharp production declines and supply disruptions, prices continue to soar. Iran has also faced high inflation for years, but the recent conflict has pushed prices even higher. As fears of further disruption spread, many households rushed to stock up on essentials, triggering panic buying across parts of the country.  With supply chains under pressure and the cost of basic goods rising, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to afford everyday necessities. How High Inflation Affects People When inflation is high, money doesn’t “go as far” as it used to. People need more money to buy the same goods or services, which can lead to panic buying, more frequent shopping trips, or going without basic essentials. Holding a more stable foreign currency can help people manage volatility and preserve purchasing power in high-inflation countries. With the Plasma One app, users can add local currency, hold it in U.S. dollars, and withdraw locally when they need it. Plasma One also offers free stablecoin transfers across borders and spending in over 180 countries, wherever Visa is accepted. Protect your money’s purchasing power with Plasma One. Visual Capitalist readers can get early access with code VCAPSF. You may also like Housing4 hours ago The States Where Housing Prices Have Surged the Most (2021–2026) Maine and Vermont lead the nation in home price growth. Explore the latest data shaping the U.S. housing market. Personal Finance3 months ago Where $2.6T in Daily Cross-Border Currency Trades Happen Foreign exchange markets are the backbone of global trade and finance. Where do the $2.6 trillion in daily cross-border currency trades originate? Personal Finance7 months ago Inflation Watch: Countries Losing the Most Purchasing Power in 2025 When prices rise, money’s value melts away. See how inflation could shrink the value of $100 by the end of 2025 in the hardest-hit countries. Technology7 months ago Unbanked in a Connected World: Account Ownership vs Phone Ownership In many unbanked countries, fewer than one in three adults have a financial account, but most own a mobile phone. Technology9 months ago Ranked: The Biggest Buyers of U.S. Debt Stablecoin Week: See how stablecoin issuers stack up against countries like Japan and Singapore as major buyers of U.S. debt. Technology9 months ago Mapped: Stablecoin Regulation Globally Which countries have stablecoin regulation proposed or in place, and which have no tailored laws? Find out in this Stablecoin Week piece. Technology11 months ago Stablecoin Evolution: Milestones of the New Payment Rail The GENIUS Act marks a turning point for stablecoin. Explore 8 key milestones in the digital dollar’s rise to mainstream finance. Technology11 months ago Is the U.S. Dollar Primed for a Digital Rebound? U.S. dollar influence is shrinking in some spaces, but stablecoins could give the currency a new chapter of global dominance. Money12 months ago Ranked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025 In the first half of 2025, one currency dropped over 50% against the U.S. dollar. What led to the decline? Technology1 year ago Ranked: Countries With the Highest Remittance Costs To send money across borders, workers can be charged high remittance fees—over 50% of the amount transferred in some cases. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: The Salary Needed to Afford Rent Across America See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The average U.S. renter now needs nearly $70,000 a year to afford a modest two-bedroom rental while spending no more than 30% of income on housing. In California and Hawaii, renters need more than $100,000 annually to meet that affordability benchmark. More than half of U.S. renter households are now cost-burdened, spending over 30% of their income on housing. A modest two-bedroom rental now requires nearly $70,000 a year in income to be considered affordable in the U.S. Using data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, this map shows the salary needed to afford a two-bedroom rental in every state in 2025 while spending no more than 30% of income on housing and utilities. The gap between wages and housing costs varies dramatically across the country. In some states, renters can meet the affordability benchmark on incomes below $40,000. In others, even six-figure salaries are barely enough to keep up with rent. Where Rent Requires a Six-Figure Income California and Hawaii are the only states where renters need more than $100,000 annually to afford a modest two-bedroom home. New York and Massachusetts are close behind at roughly $96,000, underscoring how quickly housing costs can outpace incomes in the nation’s most expensive markets. RankStateSalary Needed to Afford Rent (2 bedroom)Hourly Wage 1California$103.2K$49.61 2Hawaii$102.3K$49.19 3New York$95.7K$46.03 4Massachusetts$95.5K$45.90 5District of Columbia$92.6K$44.50 6Washington$85.5K$41.11 7New Jersey$83.2K$39.99 8Maryland$81.4K$39.15 9Florida$77.5K$37.27 10Colorado$76.5K$36.79 11Connecticut$73.7K$35.42 12New Hampshire$73.0K$35.08 13Arizona$71.1K$34.18 14Virginia$70.0K$33.64 15Oregon$68.7K$33.02 16Nevada$68.5K$32.94 17Delaware$66.9K$32.18 18Rhode Island$66.0K$31.71 19Illinois$62.0K$29.81 20Alaska$61.8K$29.73 21Vermont$61.8K$29.73 22Texas$61.6K$29.64 23Georgia$61.3K$29.46 24Utah$60.9K$29.29 25Montana$60.3K$28.99 26Maine$59.1K$28.42 27Minnesota$58.7K$28.23 28Pennsylvania$57.9K$27.83 29Idaho$57.9K$27.83 30North Carolina$56.4K$27.14 31Tennessee$56.2K$27.01 32South Carolina$53.9K$25.91 33Michigan$50.9K$24.46 34New Mexico$48.2K$23.18 35Wisconsin$48.2K$23.15 36Louisiana$47.6K$22.88 37Ohio$46.8K$22.51 38Indiana$46.1K$22.18 39Missouri$44.9K$21.61 40Nebraska$44.9K$21.57 41Kentucky$44.7K$21.47 42Oklahoma$43.6K$20.98 43Kansas$43.4K$20.87 44Mississippi$43.2K$20.79 45Alabama$42.9K$20.61 46Wyoming$42.1K$20.25 47Iowa$41.6K$19.99 48North Dakota$40.5K$19.47 49Arkansas$39.5K$18.98 50South Dakota$39.4K$18.96 51West Virginia$39.4K$18.94 -- U.S. Average$69.9K$33.63 State averages only tell part of the story. In some of America’s most expensive metro areas, the income needed to afford a modest rental climbs far beyond the six-figure threshold. In parts of Santa Cruz County, renters need more than $168,000 annually to afford a modest two-bedroom home. In nearby San Jose, the threshold approaches $138,000, highlighting how housing costs can strain even highly paid workers. The Most Affordable States for Renters At the other end of the ranking, several Midwestern and Southern states require hourly wages of roughly $20 to meet the same affordability standard. In Arkansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi, renters need less than half the income required in the most expensive states to afford a modest two-bedroom rental. The affordability gap becomes even clearer when compared with local incomes. In West Virginia, the median household income is roughly $61,000, more than $20,000 above the state’s affordability threshold. Similar gaps exist in South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, and several other lower-cost states. Over Half of U.S. Renters Are Cost-Burdened A record 22.6 million renter households were cost-burdened in 2023, up 2.2 million since 2019. Florida has the nation’s highest share of cost-burdened renters, with roughly 60% of households spending more than 30% of income on housing. Nevada (57%) and California (55%) also rank among the most stretched. North Dakota and Alaska stand apart as the only states where fewer than four in 10 renter households are cost-burdened. The result is a growing housing affordability challenge. In lower-cost states, median household incomes still comfortably exceed the salary needed to afford rent. In many high-cost states, however, renters increasingly need incomes once associated with upper-middle-class households just to secure a modest two-bedroom home. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic showing the salary needed to buy a home in each state.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Countries With the Most Uranium See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Australia holds 28% of the world’s identified uranium resources, more than double Kazakhstan’s total. Australia, Kazakhstan, and Canada account for 52% of global uranium resources. Identified uranium resources have increased by more than 25% over the last decade as exploration activity expanded worldwide. Uranium resources are heavily concentrated in a handful of countries, with Australia alone holding more than a quarter of the world’s known supply. This graphic ranks countries by identified recoverable uranium resources in 2023. The figures include resources that can be recovered at costs of up to $130 per kilogram of uranium. The data for this visualization comes from the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency. Australia Leads by a Wide Margin Global identified uranium resources totaled 5.9 million tonnes in 2023. More than half of that supply is concentrated in just three countries: Australia, Kazakhstan, and Canada. Australia has the world’s largest uranium resource base, with 1.7 million tonnes of contained uranium metal. That equals 28% of the global total, making Australia the clear leader. Its resources are more than double those of Kazakhstan, the second-largest holder. CountryMetric tons of identified recoverable uranium (2023)Percentage of world Australia1,671,20028% Kazakhstan813,90014% Canada582,00010% Namibia497,9008% Russia476,6008% Niger336,0006% South Africa320,9005% China270,5005% Brazil167,8003% Mongolia144,6002% Ukraine106,7002% Botswana87,2001% United States67,8001% Tanzania57,7001% Uzbekistan45,0001% Argentina34,3001% Peru33,4001% Spain28,5001% Türkiye27,1001% Zambia23,0000% Mauritania18,2000% Other115,4002% World total5,925,700100% Having large uranium resources does not necessarily mean producing the most uranium. Resource estimates measure what is known to exist and can potentially be recovered economically, while production depends on mine development, investment, permitting, and government policy. Despite this large resource base, Australia’s uranium mining industry is smaller than its reserves might suggest, partly due to policy restrictions and project development timelines. Kazakhstan and Canada Round Out the Top Three Kazakhstan holds 813,900 tonnes of uranium resources, or 14% of the global total. Canada follows with 582,000 tonnes, equal to 10% of the world’s resources. Together with Australia, these three countries account for 52% of identified global uranium resources. Both Kazakhstan and Canada are also major uranium producers, making them central to the global nuclear fuel supply chain. A Broad Global Resource Base Beyond the top three, uranium resources are spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Namibia and Niger are notable African holders, while Russia, China, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan represent major Eurasian resource bases. Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and the U.S. add to the resource picture in the Americas. As countries look to expand low-carbon electricity generation, uranium supply has become increasingly important to energy security planning. Continued exploration has helped increase identified global uranium resources by more than 25% over the last decade, expanding the potential fuel base for future nuclear power growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Biggest Electricity Consumers on Voronoi.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Refugees Hosted Per Capita by Country 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 Lebanon hosts the world’s highest concentration of refugees, with 131 refugees per 1,000 residents. Most countries at the top of the ranking border major conflict zones, highlighting how geography shapes refugee flows. The U.S. ranks 82nd globally on a per-capita basis despite being among the world’s largest refugee-hosting countries in absolute terms. The countries carrying the world’s largest refugee burden are often not the ones most people expect. Using data from the UNHCR via Our World in Data, this graphic ranks countries by the number of refugees hosted per 1,000 residents in 2024. The results reveal how proximity to conflict frequently matters more than economic size. Many of the countries at the top of the ranking border active war zones and have absorbed large refugee populations relative to their own populations. Which Countries Carry the Largest Refugee Burden? Roughly two-thirds of the world’s refugees remain in neighboring countries, helping explain why several relatively small nations rank ahead of much larger economies. Rather than being distributed across the world’s wealthiest countries, refugee populations are often concentrated in states that share borders with major conflicts. The ranking below shows which countries carry the largest refugee burden relative to their population. RankCountryRefugees Per 1,000 People 2024Region 1 Lebanon130.7Middle East 2 Chad63.0Africa 3 Jordan55.7Middle East 4 Armenia48.5Asia 5 Moldova44.8Europe 6 South Sudan43.1Africa 7 Iran38.1Middle East 8 Czechia36.4Europe 9 Uganda35.2Africa 10 Cyprus33.7Europe 11 Türkiye33.6Europe 12 Germany32.5Europe 13 Austria31.2Europe 14 Estonia31.1Europe 15 Mauritania30.0Africa 16 Montenegro29.2Europe 17 Libya27.1Africa 18 Latvia26.3Europe 19 Slovakia26.2Europe 20 Poland26.2Europe 21 Ireland23.7Europe 22 Norway22.2Europe 23 Switzerland22.0Europe 24 Liechtenstein21.1Europe 25 Djibouti20.5Africa 26 Iceland20.0Europe 27 Lithuania18.7Europe 28 Finland16.6Europe 29 Denmark16.4Europe 30 Bulgaria16.1Europe 82 United States1.3North America Why Does Lebanon Rank So High? Lebanon tops the ranking by a wide margin, hosting 130.7 refugees per 1,000 residents. Put differently, about one out of every eight people living in the country is a refugee, the highest ratio in the world. Its position reflects the country’s proximity to Syria, which has produced one of the world’s largest refugee crises since civil war broke out in 2011. Over the past decade, millions of Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries, with Lebanon absorbing one of the largest shares relative to its population. The country has also faced mounting economic and political challenges of its own. More recently, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah displaced more than one million people within Lebanon, adding further strain to public services and infrastructure. Taken together, these pressures help explain why Lebanon remains one of the countries most affected by displacement anywhere in the world. Geography Matters More Than Wealth Many of the countries hosting the largest refugee populations are located near active conflicts or regions experiencing prolonged instability. Jordan and Lebanon border Syria. Moldova shares a border with Ukraine. Chad hosts refugees from neighboring Sudan, while Uganda has long received people fleeing violence in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The pattern helps explain why many smaller countries appear near the top of the ranking despite having far fewer economic resources than larger developed nations. For refugees, crossing a nearby border is often the fastest and safest option. As a result, neighboring countries frequently absorb the largest influxes long before refugees are resettled elsewhere. Why the U.S. Ranks 82nd At first glance, America’s ranking may seem surprisingly low. The United States hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees and remains the world’s 18th-largest refugee destination in absolute terms. However, its population of more than 340 million significantly changes the picture. When refugee numbers are adjusted for population size, the U.S. hosts roughly 1.3 refugees per 1,000 residents, placing it 82nd globally. The gap highlights why per-capita measures can reveal a different reality than headline totals. While large countries often host more refugees overall, smaller nations can experience a much greater impact relative to their population size. Refugee Pressures Are Reaching Record Levels The number of forcibly displaced people worldwide has surpassed 120 million, nearly double the level seen a decade ago. Conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Syria, and other regions continue to drive displacement across borders. For host countries, the impact extends beyond humanitarian assistance. Large refugee populations can increase demand for housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public services, particularly in smaller countries with limited resources. The ranking highlights a reality often overlooked in global migration debates: the countries carrying the largest refugee burden are frequently those located closest to conflict, not necessarily those with the largest economies. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s largest migration corridors.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The Countries With the Most High-Speed Rail 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 operates 40,493 km of high-speed rail, more than the rest of the world combined. Spain leads Europe with 3,993 km, ahead of Japan and France. Morocco is Africa’s only country with a high-speed rail network, while the U.S. has just 735 km in operation. Over the last two decades, high-speed rail has evolved from a niche transportation technology into a centerpiece of national infrastructure strategy. Countries have pursued these networks for different reasons, from reducing domestic flight demand to improving connections between major economic hubs. The result is a striking global divide between nations that have invested heavily in high-speed rail and those that have largely stayed on the sidelines. This graphic ranks countries by installed high-speed rail length using 2024 data from the International Union of Railways (UIC). High-speed rail generally refers to passenger lines capable of operating at speeds of at least 200 km/h (124 mph), including Japan’s famous Shinkansen bullet trains. China: The Giant of High-Speed Rail China has built 40,493 km of high-speed rail, giving it a network larger than all other countries combined. The scale of this lead is striking: Spain, the world’s second-ranked country, operates less than one-tenth as much high-speed rail. China’s rail expansion has been one of the largest infrastructure buildouts in modern history. Since the late 2000s, the country has rapidly connected major cities through a national network designed to reduce travel times and support economic growth. The network links major metropolitan areas including Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Wuhan. This data table ranks countries based on their total high-speed rail length in operation as of 2024. RankCountryLength in km 1 China40,493 2 Spain3993 3 Japan3146 4 France2735 5 Germany1631 6 Turkiye1232 7 Finland1120 8 Italy921 9 Sweden895 10 South Korea873 11 USA735 12 Saudi Arabia449 13 Austria254 14 Poland224 15 Belgium209 16 Morocco186 17 Switzerland176 18 UK113 19 Netherlands90 20 Serbia78 21 Denmark56 China’s high-speed rail network extends to all Chinese provinces as well as Hong Kong, although Macau remains disconnected as of 2026. The Beijing-Tianjin route, which began operations in 2008, was China’s first high-speed passenger rail line. Europe’s High-Speed Rail Champion In Europe, no country has rolled out high-speed rail more extensively than Spain, which counted 3,993 km of network length as of 2024. The Barcelona-Madrid high-speed line, which was also introduced in 2008, has helped reduce carbon emissions as travelers have opted for rail instead of short-haul flights between the nation’s two largest cities. Unlike China’s coast-oriented system, Spain’s high-speed rail network is concentrated around Madrid, which is located in the center of the country. This creates a drawback for travelers hoping to bypass the capital, such as those traveling between Barcelona and Valencia or Alicante and Málaga. The Lack of High-Speed Rail in the Americas High-speed rail remains rare outside Eurasia. Of the world’s 10 largest high-speed rail networks, eight are located in Europe or Asia, highlighting how concentrated this infrastructure remains despite decades of discussion in other regions. In Africa, the challenge has largely been one of resources. Morocco (186 km) is the only country with any high-speed rail in operation as of 2024, while other countries have prioritized more essential infrastructure projects. In the Americas, meanwhile, high-speed rail has lagged due to transportation systems that prioritize highways and automobile travel over intercity rail. The U.S. has only 735 km of high-speed rail in operation, as long-awaited projects in California have yet to come to fruition. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The State of High-Speed Rail Projects in the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Which States Brew the Most Craft Beer? 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 Seven states brewed more than 1 million barrels of craft beer in 2025 and together accounted for 53% of U.S. production. California led the nation with 3.45 million barrels, nearly one in six craft beer barrels brewed nationwide. Vermont and Maine ranked among the strongest producers relative to population, out-brewing several much larger states. American craft brewers produced roughly 22 million barrels of beer in 2025, the equivalent of more than 7 billion 12-ounce cans. That output is concentrated in a few key states. This map shows the barrels of craft beer produced in every U.S. state in 2025, based on data from the Brewers Association. Figures reflect the association’s June 2026 revision and cover all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. To count as craft, a brewery must produce no more than 6 million barrels per year and be less than 25% owned by a large alcohol company. One barrel equals 31 gallons, or roughly 330 twelve-ounce cans. California Brews Nearly One in Every Six U.S. Craft Beers California tops the nation with 3.45 million barrels of craft beer brewed in 2025. The state’s 939 craft breweries are also the most in the country, well ahead of second-place Pennsylvania’s 538. Pennsylvania ranks second in volume at 2.0 million barrels, with much of that total coming from Yuengling, America’s oldest operating brewery, founded in 1829, and its largest craft brewer by volume. The data table below shows each state’s total production of craft beer in 2025 in barrels: RankStateBarrels of Craft Beer Produced (2025) 1California3,450,329 2Pennsylvania2,004,382 3Texas1,422,277 4Ohio1,298,489 5New York1,281,220 6Florida1,153,556 7Oregon1,109,391 8Colorado854,707 9Massachusetts812,974 10North Carolina772,964 11Wisconsin609,271 12Georgia601,462 13Washington533,296 14Minnesota466,625 15Connecticut450,232 16Illinois409,589 17Vermont357,138 18Virginia342,075 19Maine338,405 20Missouri284,297 21Michigan267,660 22Arizona229,212 23Indiana222,088 24Montana216,992 25Delaware186,803 26Hawaii179,149 27Maryland176,644 28Tennessee174,083 29New Jersey161,094 30Louisiana155,643 31Iowa134,108 32Alaska133,395 33New Mexico132,852 34South Carolina125,086 35Kentucky121,865 36Utah102,241 37New Hampshire88,320 38Alabama80,869 39Arkansas71,520 40Oklahoma69,318 41Idaho64,945 42Wyoming63,130 43Rhode Island59,768 44Nevada54,683 45Nebraska46,358 46Kansas35,059 47District of Columbia30,036 48West Virginia21,562 49South Dakota21,183 50North Dakota19,051 51Mississippi18,262 In total, seven states: California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, New York, Florida, and Oregon, each brewed more than 1 million barrels in 2025. Together, they accounted for 53% of all U.S. craft beer production. At the other end of the list, Mississippi brewed 18,262 barrels of craft beer in 2025, the least of any state. Big States’ Beer Brewing and What Defines Craft Population explains much of the order, as the four most populous states, California, Texas, Florida, and New York, all rank in the top six, but not all of it. Ohio’s 1.3 million barrels edge out far larger New York and Florida, while Illinois, the sixth-most populous state, ranks just 16th at 409,589 barrels. Smaller states punch above their weight, too: Vermont, the second-smallest state by population, brewed 357,138 barrels in 2025, out-brewing far larger Virginia and Michigan, with Maine close behind at 338,405. Demand varies just as much as supply, with Americans’ alcohol spending per capita differing widely from state to state. Because the Brewers Association’s definition hinges on independent ownership, state totals can shift when breweries change hands. Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing, in 2019, and Michigan’s Bell’s Brewery, in 2021, were both acquired by Lion, a subsidiary of Japan’s Kirin. This moved their volumes out of the craft column and dented both states’ totals. That helps explain why Michigan’s 410 craft breweries produced just 268,660 barrels in 2025, ranking the state 21st by volume. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Which States Have the Most Breweries Per Person? on Voronoi.

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Which Countries Americans Like Most—and Least 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 Japan ranks as America’s most favorably viewed country, with 85% of Americans holding a positive opinion. Canada and the United Kingdom recorded their lowest favorability ratings since Gallup began tracking them. North Korea, Iran, and Russia are America’s least popular countries, with unfavorable ratings near 80% or higher. Public opinion offers a window into how Americans perceive the world beyond their borders. Using Gallup survey data from February 2026, this ranking shows how Americans view 21 major countries, from longtime allies to geopolitical competitors. The results provide a snapshot of global perceptions at a time of shifting international relationships and rising geopolitical tensions. How Americans View 21 Major Countries The table below shows favorable and unfavorable ratings based on a Gallup survey of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted in February 2026. Country% Favorable% No Opinion% Unfavorable Japan85%6%9% Italy84%6%10% Canada80%5%15% Denmark80%10%10% France76%7%17% United Kingdom76%6%18% Germany75%6%19% Mexico66%2%32% Ukraine63%6%31% India61%9%30% Egypt59%13%28% Israel46%6%48% Palestine37%10%53% Venezuela37%7%56% Cuba36%6%58% Saudi Arabia36%8%56% China34%5%61% Iraq21%8%71% Russia17%4%79% Iran13%8%79% North Korea13%5%82% America’s Allies Dominate the Top Canada remains one of America’s most favorably viewed countries, but its 80% rating is the lowest Gallup has recorded. Japan, Canada, Italy, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany all rank near the top of the list. Their strong economic, security, and cultural connections to the U.S. highlight how foreign relationships can shape public perceptions. Notably, each of the top seven countries is either a NATO member or a formal U.S. treaty ally. Japan and Italy moved ahead of Canada and Britain in 2026 after favorability toward both longtime allies fell to record lows. Meanwhile, Japan’s rating has climbed steadily from 65% in 1995, reflecting decades of expanding economic and security ties. Mexico ranks eighth overall with a 66% favorable rating, suggesting that deep economic and cultural connections can outweigh political tensions. Israel Stands Apart Israel occupies a uniquely divisive position in American public opinion. In 2026, 46% of Americans viewed Israel favorably, while 48% viewed it unfavorably, making it one of the few countries in the survey with nearly equal shares of positive and negative views. The divide comes amid changing attitudes toward the Middle East conflict. According to Gallup, 2026 marked the first year in more than two decades that Americans expressed greater sympathy for Palestinians than Israelis. While this measure differs from overall country favorability, it highlights how public opinion on the region has shifted in recent years. What the Results Reveal The rankings suggest that public opinion is shaped by more than economics or geography alone. Countries with longstanding diplomatic, security, and cultural ties to the United States tend to receive the strongest ratings, while nations associated with conflict or strategic competition generally rank near the bottom. At the same time, the results highlight how perceptions can evolve. Japan has steadily climbed in favorability over the past three decades, while support for longtime partners such as Canada and the United Kingdom has softened in recent years. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries losing trust in America.

Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Most Spoken Languages in 2026 See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Only two languages have more than 1 billion speakers: English and Mandarin Chinese. Six of the world’s 15 most spoken languages are primarily spoken in Asia. French, Portuguese, and Spanish rank among the global leaders thanks to their reach across multiple continents. English is spoken by nearly one in six people worldwide, making it the most spoken language on Earth in 2026. Using data from Ethnologue, this visualization ranks the world’s most spoken languages by total speakers, combining both native and second-language users. Only two languages have crossed the one-billion-speaker mark: English and Mandarin Chinese. Which Languages Have the Most Speakers? Below, the top 15 languages are ranked based on the latest Ethnologue data: RankLanguageTotal Speakers (Millions) 1English1.49B 2Mandarin Chinese1.18B 3Hindi611M 4Spanish561M 5Standard Arabic335M 6French334M 7Bengali274M 8Portuguese269M 9Indonesian255M 10Urdu246M 11Russian210M 12Standard German133M 13Japanese126M 14Nigerian Pidgin121M 15Egyptian Arabic118M English tops the ranking with 1.49 billion speakers, reflecting its role as the dominant language of international business, education, science, and media. While native English speakers make up only a fraction of that total, the language is widely taught and used as a second language around the world. Mandarin Chinese ranks second with 1.18 billion speakers. Its position is driven primarily by China’s large population, making it the world’s largest native language by number of speakers. The rankings reveal two major patterns: the influence of Asia’s population centers and the global reach of languages spoken across multiple continents. Asia Is Home to Many of the World’s Largest Language Communities Six of the top 15 languages in the ranking are primarily spoken in Asia, including Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Bengali, Indonesian, Urdu, and Japanese. Together, these languages reflect the enormous population bases of China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Japan. Hindi ranks third globally with 611 million speakers, while Bengali ranks seventh with 274 million. European and Colonial Languages Have Wide Reach Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Standard German all rank among the world’s most spoken languages. Spanish places fourth with 561 million speakers, supported by its use across Latin America, Spain, and parts of the United States. French is used widely throughout Africa, Europe, and parts of North America, while Portuguese connects large populations in Brazil, Portugal, and several African countries. Their presence across multiple regions helps explain why both rank among the world’s most spoken languages. French ranks just behind Standard Arabic, with 334 million speakers worldwide. Arabic Appears in Multiple Forms Standard Arabic ranks fifth with 335 million speakers, while Egyptian Arabic ranks 15th with 118 million. This reflects the diversity of Arabic as both a standardized written language and a family of widely spoken regional varieties. Egyptian Arabic’s high ranking is linked to Egypt’s large population and its long-standing influence in Arab media and entertainment. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Where the World’s Migrants Live Today on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Use This Visualization Mapped: How Japan Lost Its Economic Dominance in Asia See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways In 1995, Japan’s economy was larger than the rest of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe combined. By 2025, the combined economies of four Chinese provincial regions exceeded Japan’s entire GDP. The comparison highlights one of the biggest shifts in global economic power over the last 30 years. The story of modern Asia can be told through a single economic handoff. For decades, Japan was the region’s dominant economic power and one of the world’s most influential economies. But while Japan’s growth slowed after the collapse of its asset bubble, China embarked on an expansion that reshaped global trade, manufacturing, and investment. This graphic compares Japan’s nominal GDP in 1995 and 2025, using two striking snapshots to show how the balance of economic power in Asia has changed. National GDP figures come from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook (April 2026), while Chinese provincial data comes from official statistical bulletins. Japan: Big in the 90s In 1995, the Soviet Union had just collapsed, and Japan was comfortably the world’s second-largest economy by nominal GDP after the United States. As the first non-Western country to industrialize, Japan had long been the dominant economic power in its region, aided by postwar rebuilding and high-quality, high-value exports coveted around the world. By 1995, Japan’s economy was larger than the rest of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe combined. This data table lists 1995 nominal GDP for Japan and selected global regions. Country/Region1995 GDP (trillions of USD) Japan5.6 Asia (ex. Japan)3.9 Eastern Europe0.8 Africa0.8 Japan’s rise was so dramatic that many observers in the 1980s believed it could eventually challenge U.S. economic leadership. Japanese firms dominated industries ranging from consumer electronics to automobiles, while Tokyo became synonymous with corporate and technological excellence. Washington responded with restrictions on Japanese car and semiconductor exports, as well as the Plaza Accord, which led to a sharp appreciation of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar and other currencies. Japan’s policy responses to the Plaza Accord have been cited in part for contributing to the country’s massive asset price bubble of the late 1980s. Japan’s Decline and the Rise of China Japan’s economy began to sputter after the collapse of the asset price bubble in 1990, and the following decades have often been referred to as the Lost Decades. During this period, Japan’s nominal GDP fell in part because of a weaker yen, real GDP growth slowed to a crawl, and national debt surged. Meanwhile, across the East China Sea, another Asian giant emerged. Through its reform and opening-up era, China’s economy grew rapidly throughout the early 21st century, averaging at least 7% growth annually and reshaping global supply chains. Despite having been an impoverished and underdeveloped country for much of the 20th century, China surpassed Japan in nominal GDP in 2010 and became the world’s second-largest economy. Japan and the Chinese Century In 1995, Japan outweighed most of Afro-Eurasia in nominal GDP. By 2025, however, China’s economic boom was visible even at the provincial level. Country/Province2025 GDP (trillions of USD) Japan4.4 Guangdong2.1 Fujian0.8 Zhejiang1.4 Shanghai0.8 China’s economy is a roughly $20 trillion powerhouse as of 2025, nearly five times larger than Japan’s. In fact, Japan’s nominal GDP is smaller than the combined GDP of Shanghai and the Chinese provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang. Just as Japan once towered over the rest of Asia, China now stands as the region’s dominant economic power. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Rise of China and the Decline of Japan in Global Exports on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Use This Visualization Elon Musk: The World’s First Trillionaire 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 Elon Musk’s forecasted net worth reaches over $1.1 trillion as SpaceX goes public, making him the world’s first trillionaire. At $1.1 trillion, Musk’s fortune is nearly four times that of the world’s second-richest person, Larry Page ($292.7 billion), and larger than the next three fortunes combined. For more than a century, the ceiling for personal wealth has been measured in billions. Today, that changes as SpaceX begins trading on the Nasdaq, pushing Elon Musk to become the world’s first trillionaire. This graphic ranks the world’s 10 richest people using net worth estimates from the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list as of June 11, 2026. Musk’s figure is the approximately $1.1 trillion forecast from Forbes and Reuters calculations made ahead of SpaceX’s market debut. Elon Musk’s Wealth Eclipses the Richest in the World At a forecast $1.1 trillion, Musk’s fortune is nearly four times the size of the next-largest in the world, Google co-founder Larry Page’s $292.7 billion. It also exceeds the combined fortunes of Page, Sergey Brin ($270.0 billion), and Jeff Bezos ($251.5 billion), who rank second through fourth. The data table below shows the net worth of the top 10 richest people, using data from Forbes and a forecast calculated by Reuters and Forbes for Elon Musk’s net worth: RankNameNet Worth (USD Billions)Primary Source of Wealth 1Elon Musk*$1,100.0Tesla & SpaceX 2Larry Page$292.7Google 3Sergey Brin$270.0Google 4Jeff Bezos$251.5Amazon 5Larry Ellison$230.1Oracle 6Michael Dell$224.4Dell Technologies 7Mark Zuckerberg$195.3Meta 8Jensen Huang$177.1Nvidia 9Bernard Arnault & family$152.3LVMH 10Warren Buffett$143.4Berkshire Hathaway *Musk’s figure is his forecast post-IPO net worth, per Forbes and Reuters calculations based on company filings. All other figures are Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates as of June 11, 2026. The rest of the list underscores how concentrated extreme wealth has become: nine of the 10 are American, and eight of the 10 fortunes were built in technology, with the AI boom lifting the stakes of Jensen Huang, Larry Ellison, and Michael Dell to records over the past year. Together, the top 10 hold roughly $3.0 trillion, with Musk accounting for over a third of the total. How One IPO Mints a Trillionaire SpaceX priced its initial public offering at $135 per share, valuing the company at approximately $1.77 trillion, and raising up to $75 billion, which makes it the largest IPO in history, far surpassing the $25.6 billion raised by Saudi Aramco in its record 2019 listing. The trillionaire math comes from re-pricing what Musk already owns. As recently as January, when Musk became the first person to cross a $700 billion net worth, Forbes valued his SpaceX stake at $366 billion, based on the company’s $800 billion private-market valuation. At the $135 IPO price, that same stake is worth roughly $866 billion according to the company’s updated prospectus, more than doubling the value of his single largest asset overnight. There is one major caveat: it is a paper milestone. Musk’s SpaceX shares are locked up for more than 12 months after the listing, meaning the stake that pushes him past $1 trillion cannot be sold any time soon. Why $1.1 Trillion May Be the Floor The $1.1 trillion forecast is arguably conservative relative to its own components. Musk’s SpaceX stake at the IPO price (~$866 billion) plus his Tesla stock and options (roughly $455 billion combined) already total about $1.3 trillion, before counting his stakes in xAI and other private ventures. Forecasts typically apply discounts for locked-up shares, unexercised options, and taxes, which is how analysts arrive at the lower headline figure. Where his net worth actually lands depends on how SpaceX trades. Wealth trackers mark holdings at market prices, not the offer price, so a strong first-day pop could push Musk’s tracked net worth well above $1.1 trillion, while a weak debut could delay the milestone altogether. Either way, the trillion-dollar threshold caps a dramatic acceleration in record-setting wealth. It took until 1916 for John D. Rockefeller to become the world’s first billionaire, and another 101 years for Jeff Bezos to post the first $100 billion fortune in 2017. Musk crossed $600 billion in December 2025, $700 billion in January 2026, and is now set to reach $1 trillion just nine years after the first centibillionaire. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out how SpaceX’s IPO compares to past major IPOs on Voronoi.

Published 3 hours ago on June 12, 2026 By Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by PICTON Investments What Happens to $10M in Investment Gains After Taxes? Taxes can quietly erode long-term investment returns. Two Canadians investing the same $1 million can earn identical 8% annualized returns over 30 years. Yet their final wealth can look dramatically different after taxes. This visual, created in partnership with PICTON Investments, shows how investment income types shape long-term net returns. It highlights why tax-aware portfolio construction matters for Canadian investors focused on preserving wealth. Why Tax Efficiency Matters Different investment income faces different tax treatment in Canada. Interest income, rental income, and foreign income typically face the highest tax rates. Capital gains and eligible dividends often receive more favourable treatment. Over 30 years, the impact compounds significantly. A portfolio generating interest income grows to just $3.2 million after taxes over 30 years, assuming 8% annualized returns. The same gross return generated through deferred capital gains grows to more than $7.5 million after taxes. Income TypeGross End Value (No Tax)Net End Value (After Tax)Total Tax Paid (30 Years) Interest/Foreign/Rental$10,062,657$3,191,411$6,871,246 Eligible Dividend$10,062,657$4,498,204$5,564,453 Realized Capital Gains$10,062,657$5,698,151$4,364,506 Deferred CG (Liquidated)$10,062,657$7,511,773$2,550,884 Non-Taxed$10,062,657$10,062,657$0 For illustration purposes only. That difference can reshape retirement outcomes, estate planning, and long-term wealth accumulation. Net Investing Starts With Portfolio Design Tax-efficient investing is not about chasing higher returns. It focuses on keeping more of what investors already earn. PICTON calls this approach “net investing.” Advisors evaluate every decision through a net lens. That includes account location, investment structure, and income type. The goal is simple: maximize net returns after taxes. Over time, disciplined tax management can create transformational differences in net wealth. Tax Rates Vary Across Canada Tax treatment also varies depending on where investors live. Across Canadian provinces and territories, interest income tax rates range from 44.5% in Nunavut to 54.8% in Newfoundland and Labrador. Capital gains generally face lower effective tax rates, ranging from 22.3% to 27.4%. Tax Rate ProvinceInterest IncomeCapital Gains*Non-Eligible Div.Eligible Div. Newfoundland & Labrador54.8%27.4%49.0%54.8% Nova Scotia54.0%27.0%50.0%54.0% Ontario53.5%26.8%47.7%53.5% Quebec53.3%26.7%48.7%53.3% New Brunswick52.5%26.3%46.8%52.5% Prince Edward Island52.0%26.0%47.9%52.0% British Columbia53.5%26.8%48.9%53.5% Alberta48.0%24.0%42.3%48.0% Saskatchewan47.5%23.8%41.3%47.5% Manitoba50.4%25.2%46.7%50.4% Yukon48.0%24.0%44.0%48.0% Northwest Territories47.1%23.5%36.8%47.1% Nunavut44.50%22.30%37.80%44.50% * Effective tax rate on capital gain has accounted for the 50% inclusion for taxable income. As of May 11th, 2026. Eligible Canadian dividends also benefit from preferential tax treatment in many provinces. The Power of Net Returns Taxes play a major role in long-term investing outcomes. Gross returns only tell part of the story. What investors keep after taxes ultimately determines how wealth compounds over time. By incorporating tax considerations into portfolio construction, investors can improve net returns and build stronger long-term outcomes. From income type to account structure, every decision can influence after-tax wealth accumulation. For Canadians focused on preserving and growing wealth, tax-efficient investing remains a critical part of building better portfolios. Explore Portfolio Design with Taxes in Mind. Source: Picton Mahoney Asset Management. For illustrative purposes only. Based on tax rates for an Ontario resident in the highest marginal tax bracket in 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific financial, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice specific to any person, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. © 2026 Picton Mahoney Asset Management. All rights reserved. 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Stocks3 years ago Visualizing BlackRock’s Top Equity Holdings BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager, with over $9 trillion in holdings. Here are the company’s top equity holdings. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join 375,000+ email subscribers: *Sign Up

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Which States Are Leading America’s Economy? 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 Massachusetts ranks as America’s strongest state economy in 2026, ahead of Washington, Utah, and California. Sun Belt states including North Carolina, Texas, Florida, and Georgia now rank among the country’s economic leaders. Innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent attraction continue to separate the highest-performing states from the rest of the country. America’s biggest economies aren’t always its strongest. While California, Texas, and New York dominate in economic size, long-term competitiveness depends on a broader mix of factors, from business creation and labor market strength to innovation and investment. This 2026 analysis by WalletHub evaluates all 50 states and Washington, D.C. across 28 indicators of economic activity, economic health, and innovation potential. This ranking highlights the states that are building the foundations for future growth. Where Every State Ranks in 2026 The ranking below evaluates the economic strength of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2026: RankStateTotal State Economy Score 2026 1Massachusetts69.4 2Washington67.3 3Utah65.9 4California65.0 5Delaware63.0 6North Carolina60.3 7New York57.6 8Texas57.0 9Colorado56.4 10Florida54.3 11Idaho53.4 12Georgia53.1 13New Hampshire52.9 14Virginia51.2 15Arizona51.1 16Connecticut51.0 17Tennessee50.8 18South Carolina49.3 19Montana48.9 20Maryland48.7 21Minnesota48.1 22Indiana47.4 23Kansas47.3 24Oregon47.1 25New Jersey46.2 26New Mexico45.7 27Michigan44.6 28Alabama44.4 29Vermont44.4 30Pennsylvania44.2 31Wisconsin43.5 32Alaska42.9 33District of Columbia42.1 34Nebraska41.7 35Nevada41.1 36Arkansas40.3 37Illinois40.1 38Ohio39.8 39Iowa39.3 40North Dakota38.8 41South Dakota38.7 42Missouri38.4 43Oklahoma38.3 44Hawaii38.3 45Mississippi36.2 46Wyoming35.9 47Rhode Island35.4 48Maine33.8 49Louisiana33.2 50Kentucky32.4 51West Virginia25.4 Why Massachusetts Leads the Ranking Massachusetts outperformed larger states including California, Texas, and New York thanks to its combination of innovation output, STEM talent, and business formation. It is also home to many of the nation’s fastest-growing tech companies, with business creation propelled by its innovation-driven economy and world-class universities. Despite being the nation’s 15th-most populous state, Massachusetts is well-positioned to drive innovation and economic growth as technology rapidly accelerates. Innovation Is the Biggest Separator The 10 highest-ranking states differ significantly in geography, politics, and industry mix. However, they share a common strength: generating new ideas and new businesses at a considerable rate. Like Massachusetts, Washington is powered by technology and research. Notably, software developers rank as Washington’s most common occupation. California remains the epicenter for AI giants and venture capital activity. Utah is now one of the country’s fastest-growing tech hubs, with cost-of-living-adjusted median household income reaching $91,600, the highest in the nation. In contrast, many of the lowest-ranked states produce fewer high-growth companies due to lower investment levels, fewer patents, and less-developed innovation ecosystems. The New Geography of Growth One of the clearest patterns in the ranking is the continued rise of the Sun Belt. North Carolina, Texas, Florida, and Georgia all rank among America’s economic leaders, reflecting years of population growth, business investment, and job creation. North Carolina ranks sixth overall, ahead of New York and Colorado. In 2025, it gained a net 84,100 residents, the highest in the country. Texas places eighth, while Florida and Georgia also rank among the top 15. Tennessee and South Carolina also finish comfortably in the upper half of the ranking, while both states recorded some of the strongest domestic migration gains last year. The result is a broader shift in America’s economic map. While coastal innovation hubs remain dominant, many Southern states are becoming important centers of growth in their own right. The States Building Tomorrow’s Economy The rankings suggest that future economic leadership will depend less on size alone and more on a state’s ability to attract talent, support entrepreneurship, and turn innovation into growth. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the fastest-growing states by 2050.

Use This Visualization The Biggest IPOs in History—and Where SpaceX Fits In 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 SpaceX is expected to raise $75 billion in its June 2026 IPO, nearly three times more than any company in history. Saudi Aramco currently holds the IPO record after raising $25.6 billion in 2019. China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. account for many of the world’s largest public offerings. A SpaceX IPO could rewrite the record books. The Elon Musk-founded company is expected to raise roughly $75 billion when it goes public on June 12, 2026, which would make it by far the largest IPO ever recorded. For comparison, the current record holder, Saudi Aramco, raised $25.6 billion in its 2019 debut. This graphic ranks the biggest IPOs in history as of 2026 using corporate disclosures and news reports, based on gross proceeds raised before fees and expenses. Values are rounded to the nearest billion dollars, exclude greenshoe options, and are not adjusted for inflation. SpaceX: To the Moon? SpaceX is expected to IPO on June 12, 2026, at a value of $135 per share. Market forecasts predict that the space exploration company, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, will raise $75 billion in gross proceeds from its IPO. The following data table lists the largest IPOs in history based on gross proceeds. RankCompanyYearCountrySectorIPO Gross Proceeds (billions of USD) 1Saudi Aramco2019 Saudi ArabiaEnergy25.6 2Alibaba2014 ChinaTech21.8 3SoftBank Corp2018 JapanComm. services21.3 4Agricultural Bank of China2010 ChinaFinancial services19.2 5ICBC2006 ChinaFinancial services19.1 6AIA Group2010 Hong KongFinancial services17.8 7Visa2008 USAFinancial services, tech17.9 8NTT DoCoMo1998 JapanComm. services18.4 9Meta (Facebook)2012 USATech16.0 10Enel1999 ItalyEnergy16.4 --SpaceX2026 USASpace75 Companies decide how many shares to sell and at what price when they IPO, with the resulting figures contributing to the company’s total market capitalization. Based on the announced SpaceX figures, the company is valued at $1.75 trillion as of 2026. Notably, fewer than 20 publicly held companies have ever reached a market capitalization of one trillion dollars, with the most famous including Apple, Nvidia, Saudi Aramco, and TSMC. Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla, passed the one-trillion-dollar threshold in October 2021. Which Countries Have Produced the Biggest IPOs? The largest IPOs have come from a diverse mix of markets. Saudi Arabia holds the current record through Aramco, while China contributed several of the biggest public offerings through Alibaba, ICBC, and the Agricultural Bank of China. Japan also features prominently with SoftBank and NTT DoCoMo, while the U.S. appears through Visa and Meta. Together, these companies span energy, finance, communications, and technology, highlighting how blockbuster IPOs have emerged across multiple sectors and regions. 2026: The Year of the Massive IPO? Based on current projections, 2026 could be the year SpaceX shatters all IPO records. The company is also likely to be added to the Nasdaq-100 shortly after its debut following recent rule revisions by the major index. However, SpaceX is not the only giant expected to go public in 2026. Two leaders in artificial intelligence, Anthropic and OpenAI, have also filed documents indicating they could have IPOs by year’s end. Each of these companies is valued in the one-trillion-dollar range, and the two AI competitors are likely to compete for investor attention. In any case, 2026 could be a landmark year for massive public offerings. Learn More on the Voronoi App Want to take a look back at how some of the biggest IPOs transpired in years past? Check out The Best Performing U.S. IPOs of 2023 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Charted: Where Cooling Is Becoming a Luxury in Europe This was originally posted on the 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: Cyprus, Malta, Spain, and Italy record some of Europe’s highest cooling demand, putting growing pressure on household energy budgets. Northern European countries still have relatively low cooling needs, but hotter summers are steadily increasing demand across the region. High electricity prices across Europe are making air conditioning harder for many households to afford. Europe’s summers are getting hotter, longer, and more dangerous. At the same time, the cost of staying cool is rising, turning air conditioning and indoor cooling into a luxury for many households. The visualization above, created by DataPulse, uses data from Eurostat to examine cooling degree days across Europe, a metric used to estimate how much energy is needed to cool buildings. Countries in Southern Europe, including Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, record some of the highest cooling demand in the region. Meanwhile, Northern European nations have historically required little cooling, but hotter summers are steadily changing that equation. Why Cooling Demand Is Rising Cooling degree days measure how often outdoor temperatures exceed a comfort threshold, typically around 24°C (75°F). The higher the number, the greater the need for indoor cooling systems like air conditioning. As Europe experiences more frequent heatwaves, cooling is becoming less optional. Eurostat’s cooling degree day data shows how demand varies sharply across the continent, with hotter southern countries facing much higher cooling needs than most of Northern Europe. Country2024 Net Income (€, thousands)Cooling Degree Days Avg. Belgium30.421.2 Bulgaria7.8237.1 Czechia15.123.8 Denmark34.81.0 Germany27.621.8 Estonia16.113.0 Ireland33.00.1 Greece10.9418.4 Spain19.3308.8 France25.674.8 Croatia12.3207.8 Italy20.6317.4 Cyprus20.7804.9 Latvia12.814.0 Lithuania12.319.3 Luxembourg50.815.5 Hungary8.8158.7 Malta20.4772.5 Netherlands32.015.9 Austria33.231.8 Poland11.929.9 Portugal12.6226.4 Romania7.8158.7 Slovenia19.674.3 Slovakia10.264.4 Finland28.72.6 Sweden26.90.5 This trend comes alongside growing concerns over climate resilience. Heat-related deaths have climbed during extreme weather events, while public infrastructure faces additional strain during prolonged periods of high temperatures. Soaring Electricity Bills Are Widening the Cooling Gap While cooling demand rises, energy affordability is moving in the opposite direction. Electricity prices across Europe surged sharply following the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, exposing how vulnerable many households are to energy shocks. Even as wholesale prices stabilize, residential electricity bills remain elevated in many countries. For lower-income households, this creates what some researchers call a “cooling gap”: the inability to afford adequate indoor cooling during dangerous heat periods. The regions that need cooling most are also places where higher electricity costs can put added pressure on household budgets. This is turning access to cooling into a growing climate affordability issue across Europe. The issue also intersects with broader emissions and energy-transition debates. While cooling demand grows, Europe is simultaneously attempting to reduce fossil fuel dependence and decarbonize its electricity grid. When Air Conditioning Becomes Essential Infrastructure Historically, many European homes were built to retain heat rather than release it. As a result, buildings in countries like Germany, France, and the UK are often poorly adapted for extreme summer temperatures. This raises a larger question for Europe: when extreme heat becomes more common, should access to cooling be treated as basic infrastructure? In many parts of the world, access to cooling increasingly resembles a public health necessity rather than a discretionary expense. Governments are beginning to invest in cooling centers, urban tree coverage, and building retrofits to reduce indoor heat exposure without relying solely on energy-intensive air conditioning. Still, for millions of households, relief from extreme heat may ultimately come down to one thing: whether they can afford the electricity bill. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about Europe’s energy transition and climate outlook, check out Europe’s Emissions Are Set to Shrink 43% by 2050 on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization China Added More Solar 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 added 336 TWh of new solar generation in 2025, more than the rest of the world combined (300 TWh). China accounted for 53% of all global solar additions, helping solar meet 75% of worldwide electricity demand growth. Asia outside China, North America, and Europe each added around 80–90 TWh, highlighting the scale gap between China and every other region. Solar power continued its record expansion in 2025, becoming the largest source of new electricity generation worldwide and meeting 75% of global demand growth. The pace of deployment also helped drive a rare milestone: global fossil fuel generation declined even as electricity demand increased. According to Ember’s Global Electricity Review 2026, rapid clean power additions in China and India were a major reason why. This map shows where new solar generation was added in 2025, highlighting the regions leading the world’s energy transition. China vs. the World China added 336 terawatt-hours (TWh) of new solar generation in 2025, exceeding the combined total of every other region. To put that scale into perspective, China’s solar additions in a single year were greater than all of the electricity the United Kingdom used in 2025 (322 TWh). The data table below breaks down solar additions in 2025 by region, along with China: Country/Region2025 Solar Power Additions (TWh) China336 Asia (ex. China)90 North America86 Europe80 Latin America & Caribbean24 Middle East10 Oceania6 Africa4 Excluding China, the rest of the world accounted for 300 TWh of new solar additions. Asia outside China added the second-largest amount of solar with 90 TWh, followed by North America at 86 TWh and Europe at 80 TWh. Why China’s Scale Matters The scale of China’s electricity deployment has global implications. In 2025, global fossil fuel generation fell, which according to Ember, may be the first time this has happened without an economic recession or stagnation as the leading cause. Fossil fuel generation reductions were led by China (-56 TWh) and India (-52 TWh), driven by each country’s rapid clean power deployment. This was despite moderate fossil fuel generation increases in the U.S., EU, and other regions. China dominates the solar supply chain, allowing it to leverage its production scale to lower costs and accelerate adoption. However, this makes the global energy transition more exposed to Chinese policy, trade rules, and manufacturing capacity. Global Solar Power Additions Are Soaring It was a record-setting year as the world added 636 TWh of solar power, beating the previous solar record in 2024 (+479 TWh) by 33%. This is the fourth year in a row that solar has had the largest absolute growth of any electricity source. Coal is the only electricity source to have a larger recorded annual increase in recent years, after generation jumped by 719 TWh following the pandemic in 2021. However, coal’s expansion was driven by a rebound in demand, unlike solar’s structural capacity expansion. 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.

Published 2 hours ago on June 11, 2026 By Cody Good Graphics & Design Abha Patil Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X Canada Ranked: Which Countries Produce the Most Silver? Key Takeaways Mexico produces the most silver in the world, mining 173 million ounces, or about 20% of global supply. Peru and China are the key runners up, and their combined scale highlights how supply depends on a small group of major mining countries. Mexico is the world’s top silver producer, mining 173 million ounces, or about one-fifth of global supply. That scale gives the country an outsized role in a market already facing a fifth straight annual deficit. This graphic, in partnership with Global X Canada, is the first of three graphics in the Investing in Silver series. It shows which countries produced the most silver in 2025. Mexico Leads with the Most Silver Production In 2025, Mexico mined 173 million ounces, or about 20% of global output, making it the world’s top producer. CountryRegionMillion ounces MexicoNorth America173 PeruSouth America131 ChinaAsia113 RussiaEurope56 BoliviaSouth America50 ChileSouth America43 PolandEurope43 United StatesNorth America36 AustraliaOceania33 ArgentinaSouth America22 IndiaAsia20 KazakhstanAsia17 SwedenEurope14 MoroccoAfrica12 UzbekistanAsia11 CanadaNorth America10 IndonesiaAsia9 IranMiddle East4 SpainEurope4 Papua New GuineaAsia4 Others-45 Global Total-847 Source: The Silver Institute: World Silver Survey 2026 Peru ranked second with 131 million ounces, followed by China with 113 million ounces. Taken together, North and South America lead the world with 219 and 246 million ounces, respectively. Production Hubs and Supply Risks Global production spans every major region, yet output remains clustered in a few mining economies. This puts major producers in focus for investors tracking opportunities and supply risks. At the same time, markets have tightened as demand has outpaced supply. For the fifth straight year, global supply has run a deficit. Existing producers are under pressure while new sources of supply may present opportunities for early investment. Investing in Silver For investors, silver offers exposure to both industrial growth and precious-metal demand. In addition, production concentration can support prices when supply disruptions hit major mining regions. As supply deficits persist, Global X Canada’s ETFs can help investors access commodities without choosing individual miners. To learn more, explore the Global X Silver Miners Index ETF (SLVX) as demand rises, supporting a long-term growth opportunity. See how SILVX offers potential upside through rising prices and operational growth within the silver sector. Commissions, management fees, and expenses all may be associated with an investment in products (the “Global X Funds”) managed by Global X Investments Canada Inc. The Global X Funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Certain Global X Funds may have exposure to leveraged investment techniques that magnify gains and losses which may result in greater volatility in value and could be subject to aggressive investment risk and price volatility risk. Such risks are described in the prospectus. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the Global X Funds. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. Certain statements may constitute a forward-looking statement, including those identified by the expression “expect” and similar expressions (including grammatical variations thereof). 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This communication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase investment products (the “Global X Funds”) managed by Global X Investments Canada Inc. and is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding any particular investment. Investors should consult their professional advisors prior to implementing any changes to their investment strategies. These investments may not be suitable to the circumstances of an investor. All comments, opinions and views expressed are generally based on information available as of the date of publication and should not be considered as advice to purchase or to sell mentioned securities. Before making any investment decision, please consult your investment advisor or advisors. Global X Investments Canada Inc. (“Global X”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. (“Mirae Asset”), the Korea-based asset management entity of Mirae Asset Financial Group. Global X is a corporation existing under the laws of Canada and is the manager, investment manager and trustee of the Global X Funds. You may also like Space2 weeks ago The Largest Public Space Companies by Country Rocket Lab leads the public pure-play space companies, with a C$71.4 billion market cap exceeding the next five companies combined. Space1 month ago Who Owns the Most Satellites? SpaceX has the most operational satellites in the world, with Starlink’s scale showing how commercial networks now shape orbital infrastructure. Economy1 month ago The Fastest Growing Space Economy Sectors by 2035 The space economy is set to reach C$2.5T by 2035, with supply chains, food, and defense leading growth in space-enabled industries. 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Use This Visualization Ranked: The World’s Biggest Reserve Currencies Today 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 The U.S. dollar accounted for 56.8% of global foreign exchange reserves at the end of 2025, more than all other major reserve currencies combined. The euro ranked second with $2.66 trillion in reserve holdings, equal to 20.2% of the global total. China’s renminbi represented just 2.0% of reserves, down from its 2022 peak despite years of de-dollarization efforts. Central banks held $13.1 trillion in foreign exchange reserves at the end of 2025, with the U.S. dollar continuing to dominate global holdings. Despite years of discussion around de-dollarization, reserve managers still keep the majority of their assets in dollar-denominated instruments. Meanwhile, the euro remains the leading alternative, and the Chinese renminbi’s share has slipped from recent highs. This visualization shows how global foreign exchange reserves were allocated across currencies in Q4 2025, based on data from the IMF’s Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves (COFER) database. The Dollar Still Dominates Global Reserves Despite years of de-dollarization efforts, the U.S. dollar remains by far the world’s most important reserve currency. Central banks collectively held $7.46 trillion in dollar-denominated reserves at the end of 2025, representing 56.8% of the global total. CurrencyReserves (USD trillions)Share of Total Reserves U.S. dollars7.4656.8% Euros2.6620.2% Japanese yen0.765.8% Pounds sterling0.584.4% Canadian dollars0.332.5% Australian dollars0.272.0% Chinese renminbi0.262.0% Swiss francs0.030.2% Other currencies0.816.1% Total foreign reserves13.14100.0% The dollar’s dominance stems from the size of the U.S. economy, the depth of U.S. Treasury markets, and its central role in global trade and finance. Many commodities, including oil, continue to be priced and settled in dollars, reinforcing demand for the currency worldwide. The dollar’s share has gradually declined from roughly 65% a decade ago, but no single currency has emerged as a clear replacement. The Euro Remains the Leading Alternative The euro is the world’s second-largest reserve currency, accounting for $2.66 trillion in holdings and 20.2% of total reserves. Although well behind the dollar, the euro remains the primary alternative for central banks seeking diversification. The currency benefits from the economic size of the Eurozone and the liquidity of European government bond markets. Together, the dollar and euro account for more than three-quarters of all global reserves. Beyond these two leaders, the Japanese yen and British pound hold shares of 5.8% and 4.4%, respectively. Renminbi Growth Has Stalled One of the most notable findings is the relatively small role played by China’s renminbi. Central banks held approximately $257 billion worth of renminbi reserves in Q4 2025, equal to just 2.0% of the global total. The renminbi’s reserve share declined from its 2022 peak of 2.9%, despite expectations that geopolitical tensions and diversification efforts might accelerate its adoption. Instead of flowing primarily into the renminbi, some reserve diversification has been spread across currencies such as the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Swiss franc, and a growing collection of smaller reserve currencies. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The $126T Global Economy in One Giant Chart on Voronoi.

Use This Visualization Ranked: Where Electricity Costs the Most and Least 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 Bermuda has the world’s highest residential electricity prices at $0.466 per kWh, while Iran has the lowest at just $0.003. Households in the most expensive markets pay more than 150 times as much for electricity as those in the cheapest. Europe and fuel-importing island nations dominate the highest-cost rankings. What determines the price of electricity? The answer varies widely across countries, with energy policy, fuel availability, taxes, and infrastructure all playing a role. Using data from GlobalPetrolPrices.com, this visualization ranks countries by average residential electricity prices between 2023 and 2026. The results reveal a striking divide between regions that subsidize power or have abundant energy resources and those facing higher generation and distribution costs. Why Is Electricity So Expensive in Europe? Europe accounts for many of the world’s highest residential electricity prices. Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the UK all rank among the global top 10. RankCountryElectricity rates in USD/kWh, (2023–2026 average) 1 Bermuda0.466 2 Ireland0.447 3 Italy0.415 4 Cayman Islands0.411 5 Germany0.406 6 Belgium0.404 7 UK0.404 8 Liechtenstein0.402 9 Switzerland0.366 10 Denmark0.361 11 Czech Republic0.352 12 Austria0.351 13 Bahamas0.348 14 Cyprus0.340 15 Cape Verde0.329 16 Barbados0.313 17 Guatemala0.297 18 Estonia0.290 19 Jamaica0.287 20 Netherlands0.284 21 Latvia0.281 22 Lithuania0.281 23 France0.276 24 Luxembourg0.258 25 Australia0.257 26 Uruguay0.254 27 El Salvador0.253 28 Spain0.253 29 Greece0.251 30 Sweden0.241 31 Portugal0.237 32 Poland0.234 33 Honduras0.233 34 Singapore0.233 35 Sierra Leone0.231 36 Japan0.228 37 Slovenia0.227 38 Chile0.224 39 Mali0.221 40 Kenya0.218 41 Belize0.217 42 Slovakia0.213 43 Romania0.212 44 Aruba0.211 45 New Zealand0.209 46 Burkina Faso0.208 47 Rwanda0.208 48 Philippines0.207 49 Gabon0.207 50 Colombia0.205 51 South Africa0.204 52 Togo0.198 53 Andorra0.195 54 Peru0.187 55 USA0.186 56 Hong Kong0.184 57 Senegal0.183 58 Israel0.182 59 Croatia0.178 60 Moldova0.177 61 Iceland0.177 62 Panama0.176 63 Nicaragua0.176 64 Finland0.174 65 Uganda0.171 66 Costa Rica0.170 67 Brazil0.162 68 Norway0.162 69 Bulgaria0.154 70 Cambodia0.150 71 Malta0.148 72 Ghana0.143 73 Namibia0.141 74 Mauritius0.134 75 Ivory Coast0.131 76 Madagascar0.129 77 Serbia0.128 78 North Macedonia0.128 79 Eswatini0.127 80 Thailand0.127 81 Mozambique0.127 82 South Korea0.126 83 Canada0.123 84 Montenegro0.121 85 Morocco0.120 86 Albania0.118 87 Sri Lanka0.116 88 Dominican Republic0.115 89 Armenia0.112 90 Hungary0.110 91 Mexico0.108 92 Lesotho0.106 93 Bosnia & Herzegovina0.106 94 Maldives0.101 95 Taiwan0.098 96 Ecuador0.097 97 Botswana0.094 98 Indonesia0.091 99 Tanzania0.091 100 Jordan0.090 101 Malawi0.087 102 Belarus0.085 103 Cameroon0.084 104 Argentina0.083 105 Ukraine0.083 106 UAE0.080 107 Vietnam0.078 108 India0.077 109 China0.076 110 Venezuela0.069 111 Russia0.068 112 Turkey0.067 113 Tunisia0.067 114 Georgia0.066 115 DR Congo0.065 116 Pakistan0.064 117 Bangladesh0.062 118 Trinidad & Tobago0.057 119 Kazakhstan0.056 120 Paraguay0.054 121 Afghanistan0.052 122 Saudi Arabia0.052 123 Malaysia0.050 124 Suriname0.049 125 Bahrain0.048 126 Azerbaijan0.048 127 Nepal0.043 128 Algeria0.041 129 Kuwait0.039 130 Uzbekistan0.037 131 Nigeria0.036 132 Qatar0.032 133 Oman0.030 134 Laos0.029 135 Myanmar0.025 136 Egypt0.024 137 Zambia0.023 138 Angola0.016 139 Bhutan0.015 140 Cuba0.015 141 Sudan0.015 142 Iraq0.015 143 Kyrgyzstan0.014 144 Ethiopia0.006 145 Iran0.003 While fuel costs play a role, household electricity bills in many European countries also include taxes, environmental levies, renewable energy surcharges, and grid maintenance costs. These additional charges can significantly increase the final price consumers pay compared with countries that subsidize electricity or have abundant domestic energy resources. Why Do Island Nations Pay So Much for Power? Five island economies rank among the world’s most expensive electricity markets, including Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Cape Verde. Unlike larger countries that can draw power from extensive regional grids, many islands generate electricity locally using imported fuels. Transport costs, smaller customer bases, and limited economies of scale all contribute to higher electricity bills, leaving households more exposed to swings in global energy prices. Subsidies Keep Prices Low in Energy-Rich Countries At the opposite end of the ranking, many countries with abundant fossil fuel resources maintain exceptionally low electricity prices. Iran records the lowest average residential electricity price globally at just $0.003 per kWh. Other countries with very low prices include Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Angola, and Egypt. In many cases, government subsidies help keep electricity affordable for households. Energy-producing nations such as Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria also benefit from access to low-cost domestic fuel supplies, allowing them to offer electricity at a fraction of the prices seen in Europe. The World’s Biggest Electricity Price Gap The difference between the highest- and lowest-priced electricity markets is striking. Bermuda’s average residential electricity price of $0.466 per kWh is more than 155 times higher than Iran’s average of $0.003. While expensive markets are often found in Europe and island economies, many of the cheapest countries either produce large amounts of fossil fuels domestically or subsidize electricity for households. These policies can dramatically reduce consumer prices, though they often come at a significant fiscal cost to governments. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about where the world’s energy comes from, check out this graphic on Voronoi, which shows global crude oil production by region.

Mapped: The Trust Gap Across Europe See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways: Teen trust levels in Northern and Western Europe have declined over the last decade, while Eastern and Southern Europe saw gains. Danish teenagers now rank below peers in Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria on measures of social trust. Despite major regional shifts, overall trust levels across Europe have remained relatively stable since the 2010s. A handshake with a stranger once carried different meaning in Europe. In countries like Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands, high social trust was often viewed as part of the social fabric itself. But according to a visualization created by The European Correspondent, younger Europeans are beginning to see trust differently. The graphic draws on Eurostat data measuring how strongly people agree with the statement that “most people can be trusted.” While overall trust across Europe has remained relatively stable over the past decade, the regional shifts underneath the surface tell a more complicated story. A Generational Shift in Trust One of the clearest findings is that trust among teenagers has weakened in parts of Northern and Western Europe. Country Trust Score (2013)Trust Score (2025) Belgium5.76.2 Bulgaria4.25.4 Czechia5.35.3 Denmark8.35.7 Germany5.55.6 Estonia5.85.3 Ireland6.46.7 Greece5.35.1 Spain6.36.2 France5.04.0 Croatia5.16.6 Italy5.76.1 Cyprus4.53.5 Latvia6.56.1 Lithuania6.14.4 Luxembourg5.55.6 Hungary5.35.3 Malta6.25.0 Netherlands6.96.7 Austria5.85.4 Poland6.06.9 Portugal5.35.5 Romania6.47.5 Slovenia6.54.6 Slovakia5.86.1 Finland7.47.0 Sweden6.85.6 Norway7.36.0 Serbia4.25.5 Türkiye4.53.3 Today, Danish teenagers rank below peers in countries like Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria on some trust measures. That marks a sharp reversal for a country long associated with some of the world’s highest social trust levels. Meanwhile, several Eastern and Southern European countries have experienced rising trust among younger generations. The trend suggests that trust is not fixed or cultural destiny. It can shift significantly within a single decade. Why Social Trust Matters The biggest surprises come from the contrasting regional trends. Countries once viewed as Europe’s most trusting societies have slipped, while several Eastern European nations have climbed steadily higher. Researchers studying social trust argue that economics alone cannot explain these changes. A 2024 study published in the European Journal of Political Economy found that institutional confidence, perceptions of fairness, and social inclusion all play important roles in shaping whether people trust others. Another sociological review found that trust often develops through everyday social experiences, schools, communities, and local institutions can reinforce or weaken it over time. In other words, trust behaves less like a permanent national trait and more like a living social condition. The Younger Generation Is Sending a Message The decline in trust among younger Europeans may also reflect broader anxieties facing Gen Z. Even in wealthy countries, younger people increasingly report feeling disconnected from institutions and from each other. That may help explain why some traditionally high-trust countries are seeing trust erode among teens despite maintaining strong economies. At the same time, several countries in Eastern Europe have experienced improving living standards and greater integration into broader European institutions over the past decade, potentially helping boost confidence and social cohesion. The findings also align with broader global research on confidence and civic participation. In fact, recent data on how much people trust institutions by country shows that institutional trust and interpersonal trust often move together. Ultimately, the data suggests that trust is neither guaranteed nor permanent. And for governments across Europe, the attitudes of younger generations may serve as an early warning sign about the long-term health of social cohesion. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Can People be Trusted? We Find Out on the Voronoi app.