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Women Over 40 Are Now Having More Babies Than Teenagers

Americans are increasingly reaching major life milestones later than previous generations, and parenthood is no exception.

While overall U.S. fertility rates have fallen for decades, births among women over 40 are moving in the opposite direction. Rising education levels, delayed marriage, and high housing costs have all contributed to a growing share of women waiting longer to have children.

Using newly published research based on National Vital Statistics System data, this map shows where births among women ages 40–49 are most common across the country.

Births After 40 Are Growing Nationwide

For the first time, women over 40 are having more babies than teenagers. Since 1990, the share of U.S. births to women 40 and older has more than tripled, reaching 4.3% in 2025, while birth rates among women ages 40–49 rose 24% over the past decade.

The table below highlights where births among women ages 40–49 were most common in 2024. Washington, D.C., recorded the highest rate in the nation at 13.6 births per 1,000 women, followed by New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii.

State	Births per 1,000 Women 2015 (Ages 40-49)	Births per 1,000 Women 2024 (Ages 40-49)	% Change
District of Columbia	13.1	13.6	4%
New York	8.3	10.5	27%
New Jersey	7.4	9.8	32%
Hawaii	8.6	9.7	13%
California	8.4	9.6	14%
Maryland	7.0	9.2	31%
Massachusetts	6.9	9.0	30%
Connecticut	6.0	8.5	42%
Virginia	6.3	8.0	27%
Delaware	5.0	7.8	56%
Alaska	5.8	7.7	33%
Washington	6.4	7.6	19%
Florida	5.8	7.5	29%
Colorado	6.1	7.3	20%
Minnesota	5.5	7.3	33%
Rhode Island	5.2	7.2	38%
Illinois	6.0	6.9	15%
Texas	5.9	6.8	15%
Georgia	5.3	6.5	23%
Nebraska	5.5	6.5	18%
Nevada	6.0	6.5	8%
Utah	6.4	6.5	2%
Pennsylvania	4.7	6.4	36%
Oregon	5.8	6.3	9%
Vermont	3.7	6.3	70%
North Carolina	4.6	6.2	35%
Arizona	5.7	6.1	7%
Idaho	5.2	6.1	17%
New Hampshire	4.2	6.0	43%
South Dakota	4.8	5.8	21%
Maine	3.5	5.7	63%
North Dakota	4.5	5.7	27%
South Carolina	4.1	5.7	39%
Wisconsin	4.3	5.6	30%
Tennessee	3.8	5.5	45%
Indiana	4.0	5.4	35%
Kansas	4.6	5.4	17%
Iowa	4.0	5.3	33%
Michigan	4.2	5.3	26%
Montana	4.9	5.3	8%
Ohio	4.0	5.2	30%
New Mexico	4.3	5.1	19%
Louisiana	3.9	5.0	28%
Missouri	3.7	4.9	32%
Kentucky	3.4	4.6	35%
Alabama	3.1	4.5	45%
Oklahoma	4.0	4.5	13%
Wyoming	4.4	4.5	2%
Arkansas	3.3	4.3	30%
Mississippi	2.8	3.8	36%
West Virginia	2.9	3.3	14%
U.S. Average	5.8	7.2	24%

Many of the highest-ranking states are both highly educated and expensive, with steep housing costs increasingly delaying homeownership and parenthood.

By contrast, Southern states account for seven of the 10 lowest birth rates among women in their 40s, including West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Still, most have seen double-digit growth since 2015, highlighting how later parenthood is rising even in lower-rate states.

How Education Is Reshaping America’s Birth Rates

The average age of first-time mothers reached a record 27.5 years in 2023, rising from 21 in 1972.

Compared with previous decades, Americans are also spending more years in higher education. With more time spent attaining degrees and advancing their careers, women are increasingly deferring childbirth into their 30s and 40s.

Researchers have also found that older parents often bring greater financial resources. Studies suggest that children of older mothers perform better on math and behavioral assessments, largely due to higher levels of parental education and income rather than age itself.

Later Parenthood Is Becoming More Visible

Births after 40 remain uncommon compared with women in their 20s or 30s. Yet their rapid growth highlights how much the timeline of adulthood has changed.

Previous generations often married, purchased homes, and started families in their 20s. Today, many Americans spend longer pursuing education, building careers, and saving for housing before reaching those milestones.

As those timelines shift, later parenthood is becoming a more visible part of the American family landscape.

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To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the cost of raising a child in every state.

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Ranked: The 50 Highest-Paid Creators in 2026

From YouTubers to podcasters and educators, today’s biggest creators are building businesses that extend far beyond social media. Many now generate revenue from consumer brands, subscriptions, live events, licensing, and other ventures alongside their online content.

Forbes’ Top Creators 2026 ranking measures that evolution using estimated earnings, audience size, engagement, and entrepreneurial success. The result is a snapshot of how digital creators are becoming some of the most influential media entrepreneurs in the world.

The World’s Highest-Earning Creators

Here’s a look at the biggest earners in the creator economy, based on the latest rankings.

The ranking reveals a winner-take-most creator economy. MrBeast sits in a league of his own, while the gap between the remaining top creators is much narrower.

MrBeast’s Empire Continues to Expand

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, earned $300 million over the year measured. His income is roughly 4.6 times higher than second-place creator Dhar Mann and accounts for nearly 30% of the combined earnings of the entire Top 50.

Much of that success comes from building businesses beyond YouTube itself. Beast Industries now spans viral entertainment, consumer products, food brands, and large-scale productions, transforming what began as a YouTube channel into a diversified media company.

YouTube Still Leads the Creator Economy

Although today’s biggest personalities publish across multiple platforms, YouTube remains the foundation for many of the highest earners. Long-form video provides opportunities to build loyal audiences that can later support podcasts, merchandise, subscription businesses, consumer brands, and licensing deals.

TikTok, however, continues to close the gap. Creators like Charli D’Amelio, Khaby Lame, Alix Earle, Jordan The Stallion, and Alan Chikin Chow have expanded beyond viral videos into beauty brands, television projects, live events, licensing deals, and major advertising campaigns.

The result is an industry where creators increasingly resemble modern media companies rather than individual influencers.

Why Brands Are Investing More in Creators

Consumers, particularly younger audiences, increasingly discover products and entertainment through creators rather than traditional advertising Audiences view creators as more authentic and relatable than celebrities, making recommendations feel more trustworthy and personal. At the same time, brands gain measurable engagement and direct access to highly targeted communities.

Today’s most successful creators are also entrepreneurs. Instead of relying solely on ad revenue, many operate portfolios that include consumer brands, podcasts, books, subscription communities, live tours, licensing deals, and production studios. That diversification has made creator-led businesses increasingly attractive to advertisers and investors alike.

As audiences spend more time with creator-led content, individual personalities are evolving into full-scale media businesses. Rather than depending on a single platform, many now generate revenue across commerce, entertainment, live events, and licensing, blurring the line between influencer, entrepreneur, and traditional media company.

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Want to explore more charts on entertainment, music, and pop culture? Check out Ranked: Spotify’s Most Streamed Albums Ever on the Voronoi app, where you can discover thousands of data-driven visualizations from trusted sources around the world.

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Mapped: America’s Favorite Dog Breed, By State

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Americans own more than 56 million dogs, but there’s no single breed that dominates the country. Instead, favorite breeds change dramatically from one state to the next.

Using an analysis of more than 1.2 million dog insurance records collected between 2022 and 2025 by U.S. News & World Report, this map reveals the most popular dog breed in every state.

The Most Popular Dog Breed in Every State

The table below shows each state’s favorite dog breed.

State	Most Popular Dog Breed
Alabama	Chihuahua
Alaska	German Shepherd
Arizona	Chihuahua
Arkansas	Chihuahua
California	French Bulldog
Colorado	Golden Retriever
Connecticut	Labrador Retriever
Delaware	Labrador Retriever
Florida	French Bulldog
Georgia	American Pit Bull Terrier
Hawaii	Chihuahua
Idaho	Labrador Retriever
Illinois	German Shepherd
Indiana	German Shepherd
Iowa	Labrador Retriever
Kansas	Chihuahua
Kentucky	Chihuahua
Louisiana	American Pit Bull Terrier
Maine	Labrador Retriever
Maryland	Labrador Retriever
Massachusetts	Labrador Retriever
Michigan	American Pit Bull Terrier
Minnesota	Golden Retriever
Mississippi	Chihuahua
Missouri	American Pit Bull Terrier
Montana	Golden Retriever
Nebraska	Labrador Retriever
Nevada	Chihuahua
New Hampshire	Labrador Retriever
New Jersey	Shih Tzu
New Mexico	Chihuahua
New York	Yorkshire Terrier
North Carolina	American Pit Bull Terrier
North Dakota	Golden Retriever
Ohio	American Pit Bull Terrier
Oklahoma	Chihuahua
Oregon	Chihuahua
Pennsylvania	Labrador Retriever
Rhode Island	Chihuahua
South Carolina	Labrador Retriever
South Dakota	Labrador Retriever
Tennessee	American Pit Bull Terrier
Texas	Chihuahua
Utah	Labrador Retriever
Vermont	Golden Retriever
Virginia	Labrador Retriever
Washington	Labrador Retriever
West Virginia	Chihuahua
Wisconsin	Labrador Retriever
Wyoming	German Shepherd

No Breed Dominates America

Labrador Retrievers rank first in 16 states, more than any other breed, but they still lead in fewer than one-third of states.

Chihuahuas follow closely with 14 states, while six other breeds claim the top spot elsewhere. Altogether, eight different breeds finish first somewhere in America, showing there’s no single nationwide favorite.

Regional Preferences Emerge

The map reveals several clear geographic patterns.

Labrador Retrievers are especially popular across much of the Northeast, Chihuahuas dominate the Southwest, and American Pit Bull Terriers lead in several Southern states.

These clusters suggest that local lifestyles, housing, and long-standing breed popularity continue to influence which dogs Americans bring home.

America’s love of dogs may be universal, but its favorite breeds to own are anything but. From French Bulldogs in California to Yorkshire Terriers in New York, the map highlights how regional tastes shape the dogs people choose across the country.

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To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on favorite dog breeds in the U.S. from a more national perspective.

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Mapped: Only 36 Countries Are Still Majority Rural

Today, most people live in cities, but that wasn’t always the case. Decades of industrialization and economic development have steadily shifted populations toward urban centers, making majority-rural countries increasingly uncommon.

The map above highlights the 36 countries where more than half of the population still lives in rural areas, using the latest available World Bank data. While most are concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, a handful remain across South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Caribbean.

The Most Rural Populations

Below, we show all countries sorted by rural population share:

Rank	Countries	Rural population (%, 2024)
1	Papua New Guinea	86.12
2	Liechtenstein	85.29
3	Burundi	84.84
4	Niger	82.77
5	Samoa	82.58
6	Rwanda	81.92
7	Malawi	81.40
8	Saint Lucia	80.69
9	Sri Lanka	80.58
10	Nepal	77.63
11	Tonga	76.79
12	Micronesia	76.44
13	Ethiopia	76.34
14	Chad	75.31
15	Swaziland	74.99
16	Cambodia	73.96
17	Vanuatu	73.85
18	Solomon Islands	73.51
19	Afghanistan	72.74
20	Guyana	72.68
21	Uganda	72.61
22	Tajikistan	71.48
23	Kenya	69.95
24	Comoros	69.58
25	Lesotho	69.10
26	Barbados	68.45
27	Burma	67.53
28	Zimbabwe	67.33
29	Burkina Faso	66.83
30	Sudan	63.25
31	India	63.13
32	Grenada	62.73
33	Tanzania	61.86
34	Kyrgyzstan	61.83
35	Pakistan	61.63
36	Guinea	61.48
37	Laos	61.09
38	Mozambique	60.67
39	Vietnam	59.81
40	Yemen	59.52
41	Mauritius	59.06
42	Bangladesh	58.77
43	Madagascar	58.77
44	Maldives	57.59
45	Faroe Isl.	56.79
46	Egypt	56.74
47	Moldova	56.40
48	Eritrea	56.09
49	Central African Republic	55.87
50	Aruba	55.53
51	Sierra Leone	55.22
52	Bhutan	55.00
53	Togo	54.94
54	Guinea-Bissau	54.11
55	Belize	53.16
56	Zambia	53.09
57	Mali	53.07
58	Democratic Republic of the Congo	51.94
59	Somalia	51.48
60	Philippines	51.39
61	Senegal	49.92
62	Uzbekistan	49.37
63	Benin	49.33
64	Bosnia & Herzegovina	49.29
65	Guatemala	46.46
66	Trinidad & Tobago	46.44
67	Ivory Coast	46.36
68	Liberia	45.92
69	Slovakia	45.83
70	Thailand	45.68
71	Turkmenistan	45.48
72	St. Vincent & the Grenadines	45.28
73	Romania	45.12
74	Nigeria	44.97
75	Namibia	44.21
76	Slovenia	43.56
77	Serbia	42.63
78	Jamaica	42.24
79	Azerbaijan	42.00
80	Syria	41.96
81	Kazakhstan	41.61
82	Kiribati	41.55
83	Mauritania	41.54
84	Croatia	41.06
85	Fiji	40.81
86	Indonesia	40.80
87	Seychelles	40.76
88	Austria	40.18
89	Ghana	40.15
90	North Macedonia	40.13
91	Cameroon	40.11
92	Nicaragua	39.85
93	Poland	39.67
94	Haiti	39.53
95	Honduras	39.18
96	Georgia	38.84
97	Paraguay	36.51
98	North Korea	36.50
99	Armenia	36.07
100	Ireland	35.24
101	Ecuador	34.97
102	Gambia	34.92
103	Albania	34.62
104	China	34.46
105	Morocco	34.36
106	Suriname	33.47
107	Tuvalu	33.07
108	Cyprus	32.92
109	Cape Verde	31.59
110	Portugal	31.58
111	Latvia	31.18
112	Montenegro	31.16
113	Lithuania	31.06
114	Mongolia	30.74
115	Angola	30.72
116	South Africa	30.70
117	Republic of Congo	30.36
118	Panama	30.11
119	Estonia	29.98
120	Ukraine	29.72
121	Tunisia	29.12
122	Bolivia	28.45
123	Iraq	28.15
124	Italy	27.71
125	Dominica	27.69
126	New Caledonia	26.89
127	Hungary	26.82
128	Botswana	26.51
129	Switzerland	25.67
130	Czechia	25.26
131	Equitorial Guinea	25.13
132	Russia	24.45
133	Algeria	24.25
134	El Salvador	24.00
135	Bulgaria	22.96
136	Iran	22.3
137	Palestine	22.12
138	Turkey	22.11
139	Germany	22.10
140	Djibouti	21.27
141	Peru	20.86
142	Malaysia	20.8
143	Brunei	20.56
144	Greece	19.02
145	Belarus	18.88
146	South Korea	18.50
147	Spain	18.20
148	Mexico	18.14
149	Libya	18.09
150	Canada	18.02
151	France	17.96
152	Colombia	17.35
153	Palau	17.16
154	Costa Rica	16.83
155	USA	16.49
156	Bahamas	16.24
157	Norway	15.68
158	United Kingdom	15.12
159	Dominican Republic	14.99
160	Saudi Arabia	14.83
161	Finland	14.13
162	Australia	13.25
163	New Zealand	12.91
164	Andorra	12.25
165	UA Emirates	11.99
166	Brazil	11.98
167	Chile	11.88
168	Venezuela	11.49
169	Denmark	11.37
170	Sweden	11.02
171	Oman	11.00
172	Lebanon	10.4
173	Bahrain	10.00
174	Gabon	8.69
175	Japan	7.87
176	Jordan	7.79
177	Luxembourg	7.73
178	Argentina	7.42
179	Israel	7.05
180	Netherlands	6.55
181	Iceland	5.91
182	Malta	4.99
183	Uruguay	4.15
184	San Marino	2.07
185	Belgium	1.78
186	Qatar	0.61
187	Bermuda	0
188	Gibraltar	0
189	Hong Kong	0
190	Kuwait	0
191	Macao	0
192	Monaco	0
193	Singapore	0

Africa dominates the ranking, with countries like Burundi, Malawi, Niger, and South Sudan among the world’s most rural. Outside Africa, Nepal, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia also remain predominantly rural.

The World Has Become Increasingly Urban

Urbanization has been one of the defining demographic shifts of the past century. As countries develop, employment opportunities, education, healthcare, and infrastructure often become concentrated in cities, drawing millions of people away from rural communities.

According to Our World in Data, about two-thirds of the global population lived in rural areas in 1960. Today, that share has fallen to roughly 43%, with urban residents now accounting for the majority of humanity.

The transition has been particularly rapid across East Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, where urban populations have grown dramatically over the past several decades.

Why Africa Still Has So Many Rural Countries

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for the overwhelming majority of countries on this list. Although many African cities are among the fastest-growing in the world, agriculture remains a major employer across the continent, and a significant share of the population continues to live in villages and smaller communities.

Many of these nations also have relatively young populations and lower levels of industrialization compared to more urbanized regions, meaning rural livelihoods remain central to their economies.

Many majority-rural countries also feature prominently in our ranking of the countries with the most agricultural land, reflecting the continued importance of farming and rural industries.

Will Majority-Rural Countries Become Rarer?

Current demographic projections suggest the answer is yes. Global population growth over the coming decades is expected to be concentrated in urban areas, with cities continuing to absorb most new residents.

That said, the pace of urbanization differs widely across countries. In many lower-income nations, especially across Africa, rural populations are expected to remain substantial for years to come, even as cities continue to expand.

The result is a world that is steadily becoming more urban, while rural communities continue to play a vital role in feeding populations, supporting livelihoods, and shaping national economies.

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

The FIFA World Cup has crowned just eight different champions across 22 tournaments, highlighting how difficult it is to reach, and stay at, the summit of international soccer.

Created by Harris Saleem, the following visualization tracks every winner from Uruguay’s triumph in 1930 through Argentina’s dramatic victory over France in 2022. The data comes from Fox Sports, which maintains a comprehensive archive of every tournament, champion, and podium finisher throughout World Cup history.

A Small Group of Nations Has Dominated World Cup History

Here’s a complete list of every FIFA World Cup winner since the tournament’s inception in 1930.

Country	No. of Titles	Years
Brazil	5	1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
Germany	4	1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
Italy	4	1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
Argentina	3	1978, 1986, 2022
France	2	1998, 2018
Uruguay	2	1930, 1950
England	1	1966
Spain	1	2010

Brazil remains the tournament’s most successful nation with five titles, while Germany and Italy have each lifted the trophy four times. Argentina’s victory in Qatar earned the country its third championship, leaving just eight nations to have ever won the competition.

The concentration of winners is remarkable given the World Cup’s global reach. More than 200 national teams compete during qualification, yet only a handful have consistently possessed the combination of elite player development, tactical continuity, and tournament experience needed to win it all.

Why Europe and South America Continue to Rule

Every World Cup champion has come from either Europe or South America. Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay account for 10 titles between them, while Germany, Italy, France, England, and Spain have combined for 12.

Several of these victories also defined entire eras of the sport. Brazil’s legendary teams of 1958, 1962, and 1970 established the country’s attacking identity, Italy became the first nation to win back-to-back World Cups in 1934 and 1938, and France emerged as a modern powerhouse after claiming titles in 1998 and 2018.

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

El Niño is one of Earth’s most closely watched climate patterns because even modest changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures can reshape weather around the world.

This visualization tracks every Northern Hemisphere winter ENSO phase from 1979-80 through the forecast 2026-27 season, highlighting nearly five decades of alternating El Niño, La Niña, and neutral conditions.

Created by Julie R. Peasley using data from Golden Gate Weather Services, the National Centers for Environmental Information, and NOAA, the graphic places the developing 2026 El Niño into historical context alongside some of the strongest events on record.

Nearly Five Decades of El Niño and La Niña Cycles

From 1979-80 through the forecast 2026-27 season, the Pacific has alternated between warmer, cooler, and neutral conditions. The full winter-by-winter dataset is shown below.

Although La Niña has occurred slightly more often since 1979, the strongest El Niño episodes have generally produced the most widespread global impacts. This highlights that an event’s intensity often matters more than how frequently it occurs.

The ENSO phases shown in the visualization are based on tropical Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies. Neutral conditions range from roughly -0.4°C to +0.4°C, while El Niño begins above +0.5°C and reaches the “very strong” category at +2.0°C or higher.

The El Niño Events Shaping Modern Climate History

Several El Niño episodes stand out for their global consequences. The 1982-83 event brought severe drought across Australia and Indonesia while triggering flooding across parts of the southern United States. It also fueled Hawaii’s strongest hurricane on record at the time.

The 1997-98 “super” El Niño became one of the strongest ever observed, contributing to floods, droughts, and wildfires across multiple continents. Record ocean heat during that event is estimated to have killed roughly 16% of the world’s coral reefs.

More recently, the powerful 2015-16 El Niño coincided with record global temperatures, destructive North Pacific hurricanes, Indonesian wildfires, drought in Ethiopia and parts of the Caribbean, and the largest annual increase in atmospheric CO₂ measured at the time. These climate swings also help explain longer-term shifts in global emissions.

What Is Happening in 2026?

According to NOAA, a new El Niño officially developed during June 2026 after tropical Pacific waters warmed beyond the threshold for El Niño conditions. Forecasters expect the event to strengthen through the 2026-27 Northern Hemisphere winter, although its ultimate intensity remains uncertain.

El Niño does not cause the same weather everywhere, but it raises the likelihood of climate extremes across many regions. NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization say the developing 2026 event could influence heat, rainfall, and storm patterns through the coming Northern Hemisphere winter, with impacts varying by location.

With oceans already experiencing exceptional warmth, scientists are watching closely to see whether this latest El Niño amplifies global temperatures further during late 2026 and into 2027.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you’re interested in how climate patterns translate into real-world economic impacts, check out U.S. Climate Disasters Have Cost Nearly $1 Trillion So Far This Decade on the Voronoi app, where you’ll find more data-driven visualizations covering weather, climate, and the environment.

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Countries With the Fastest Immigration Growth (2019–2024)

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Permanent immigration has accelerated across much of the OECD, but not always in the countries people might expect.

Using OECD data, this ranking compares how permanent immigration changed between 2019 and 2024.

Poland led by a wide margin, while Mexico, Spain, and Costa Rica also posted some of the largest increases. The data includes foreign nationals granted long-term residence.

How Permanent Immigration Changed Across the OECD

The table below shows the change in permanent migration by country between 2019 and 2024:

Rank	Country	Change in Permanent Migration 2019–2024
1	Poland	129%
2	Lithuania	97%
3	Mexico	79%
4	Spain	50%
5	Costa Rica	49%
6	Ireland	48%
7	Canada	42%
8	New Zealand	39%
9	Iceland	38%
10	U.S.	38%
11	Portugal	29%
12	Japan	29%
13	Switzerland	27%
14	Finland	24%
15	UK	22%
16	Australia	22%
17	Austria	22%
18	Israel	20%
19	Denmark	19%
20	Belgium	12%
21	Netherlands	11%
22	Luxembourg	8%
23	France	5%
24	South Korea	4%
25	Italy	1%
26	Germany	-9%
27	Hungary	-11%
28	Estonia	-14%
29	Slovakia	-22%
30	Norway	-23%
31	Sweden	-24%
32	Slovenia	-27%
33	Greece	-32%
34	Czechia	-36%
35	Chile	-56%
36	Latvia	-59%
37	Colombia	-73%
--	OECD Average	13%

Poland’s permanent immigration rose 129% between 2019 and 2024, the fastest increase across the OECD. Lithuania ranked second (+97%), while Mexico (+79%), Spain (+50%), and Costa Rica (+49%) rounded out the top five.

While Western Europe has traditionally attracted the largest numbers of migrants, Poland’s strong labor market, rising wages, and rapid economic expansion have made it one of the continent’s fastest-growing destinations for international workers.

Migration Growth Is Becoming Less Concentrated

One of the clearest trends is that immigration growth is no longer concentrated in the OECD’s traditional destinations.

While Canada, the U.S., and Australia all continued to attract more permanent migrants, some of the fastest growth occurred in smaller and emerging destination countries. This suggests migration patterns are broadening as workers respond to changing labor demand and economic opportunities.

Not every OECD nation experienced rising inflows. Colombia (-73%), Latvia (-59%), Czechia (-36%), Sweden (-24%), and Norway (-23%) all recorded declines in permanent immigration.

Colombia’s decline reflects a stabilization after a record wave of Venezuelan arrivals peaked around 2019. Although migration has slowed, Colombia continues to host Latin America’s largest migrant population.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on projected population change by country through 2050.

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Mapped: Income Needed to Live Comfortably in U.S. Cities

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This map ranks 56 major U.S. cities by the annual income a family of four needs to live comfortably.

Using data from SmartAsset, based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator updated in February 2026, the estimates apply the 50/30/20 budgeting framework: 50% of income for necessities, 30% for discretionary spending, and 20% for savings.

The results highlight how much the cost of maintaining the same standard of living varies across the country.

Bay Area Cities Lead the Ranking

San Francisco tops the ranking, with a family of four needing about $408,000 annually to live comfortably.

Nearby San Jose follows at roughly $403,000, while Oakland ranks third at $371,000.

High housing costs are the biggest driver behind these income requirements. California dominates the top of the ranking, with six cities appearing among the 10 most expensive places for families.

The Northeast and Pacific Coast Remain Costly

Boston, Arlington, New York, Seattle, Honolulu, and Washington, D.C. also rank among the most expensive cities.

These metro areas combine high housing costs with above-average expenses for transportation, childcare, and other necessities.

Many of these cities also offer higher wages than the national average, but elevated living costs often offset those income gains.

Southern Cities Offer Lower Income Thresholds

The lowest income requirements are concentrated in the South.

San Antonio ranks last, requiring about $193,000 for a family of four to live comfortably, followed by Memphis, New Orleans, and Houston.

The ranking highlights how expensive “living comfortably” has become across the United States. Under the 50/30/20 budgeting framework, every metro area analyzed requires a six-figure household income, with the highest-cost cities demanding more than $400,000 per year.

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If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The States Where Housing Prices Have Surged the Most (2021–2026) on Voronoi.

Use This Visualization

Charted: How China Reshaped Global Oil Trade

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.

Over the past three decades, the geography of global crude oil trade has been fundamentally reshaped.

Rapid economic growth across Asia fueled a surge in oil demand, while advances in North American production altered long-established trade flows.

This visualization tracks net crude oil imports and exports by region from 1990 to 2025, using data from OPEC, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and the UN Comtrade Database.

Asia Has Become the Center of Global Oil Demand

China experienced the largest change of any region in the dataset.

After importing almost no crude oil in the early 1990s, China’s net imports climbed to 11.5 million barrels per day in 2025, making it the world’s largest importer.

India also saw rapid growth, with imports rising from 0.8 to 5.0 million barrels per day over the same period.

Together, China and India have become the primary drivers of global crude oil demand growth.

North America’s Energy Revolution

In the early 1990s, North America was a significant net importer of crude oil. By 2019, however, the region had become a net exporter, reaching 2.5 million barrels per day by 2025.

The shift was largely driven by the U.S. shale revolution, which increased domestic oil production.

Combined with growing exports from Canada, North America has become an increasingly important supplier to global markets.

The Middle East Remains the World’s Export Hub

Even as oil demand has shifted toward Asia, the Middle East remains the dominant crude oil exporting region.

Net exports stood at 16.3 million barrels per day in 2025, far exceeding those of the CIS and Africa.

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If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Charted: The World’s Biggest Oil Producers on Voronoi.

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Trade flows often reveal relationships that GDP alone cannot.

This visualization, created by Iswardi Ishak, charts trade balances with both the U.S. and China across the world’s 40 largest economies, showing which countries depend on American consumers, Chinese manufacturing, or both.

Using bilateral trade data from Trade Map, the chart highlights several distinct patterns, from export hubs like Vietnam and Taiwan to commodity suppliers such as Australia and Brazil. Together, they show how countries occupy very different positions within today’s global trading system.

Trade Balances Between Major Economies

Here’s a look at trade balances with the U.S. and China among the world’s largest economies:

Country	Nominal GDP ($B)	Trade Balance with U.S. as % of GDP	Trade Balance with China as % of GDP
Argentina	637.2	0.04%	-0.89%
Australia	1,800	-1.01%	1.78%
Austria	534.6	2.31%	-0.18%
Bangladesh	450.5	1.35%	-4.82%
Belgium	671.7	0.37%	-3.96%
Brazil	2,190	-0.03%	1.40%
Canada	2,270	7.08%	-1.86%
Colombia	420.5	-0.40%	-3.22%
Czech Republic	347.1	0.13%	-10.35%
Denmark	424.5	0.08%	-1.38%
France	3,160	-0.18%	-1.59%
Germany	4,680	1.67%	-1.55%
India	3,760	0.94%	-2.51%
Indonesia	1,400	1.03%	-0.74%
Ireland	609.0	9.10%	0.01%
Israel	542.3	1.46%	-1.97%
Italy	2380	1.71%	-1.62%
Japan	4190	1.35%	-1.02%
Malaysia	422.2	3.76%	-5.64%
Mexico	1830	13.15%	-6.58%
Netherlands	1210	-1.97%	-2.57%
Norway	500.9	-0.38%	-1.60%
Pakistan	372.2	1.08%	-3.66%
Philippines	461.6	0.71%	-5.43%
Poland	917.6	0.06%	-3.66%
Romania	382.7	0.28%	-2.02%
Russia	2190	0.11%	0.63%
Saudi Arabia	1250	-0.54%	-0.71%
Singapore	572.9	-2.05%	2.44%
South Africa	401.1	0.31%	-2.33%
South Korea	1,880	2.98%	-0.36%
Spain	1,730	-0.63%	-2.25%
Sweden	604.8	1.66%	-0.67%
Switzerland	970.2	4.57%	2.28%
Taiwan	801.5	8.08%	2.20%
Thailand	529.4	6.59%	-8.70%
Turkey	1,360	0.01%	-3.05%
United Arab Emirates	552.3	-2.66%	-11.27%
United Kingdom	3,700	-0.60%	-1.40%
Vietnam	459.5	22.76%	-18.09%

Rather than splitting into two competing blocs, many economies occupy a middle ground. A common pattern is running a trade surplus with the U.S. while importing more from China, reflecting America’s role as a destination for finished goods and China’s role as a supplier of manufactured inputs.

A smaller group, including Taiwan and Ireland, maintains trade surpluses with both economies through high-value exports.

China Sits at the Center of Global Supply Chains

China records trade surpluses with most of the world’s largest economies, underscoring its position as one of the world’s key manufacturing hubs. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Chinese exports to the U.S. alone span everything from electronics and machinery to consumer goods and industrial components.

That helps explain why many countries simultaneously export heavily to the U.S. while importing from China. Rather than competing directly, the two economies often occupy different stages of global supply chains.

Even as some multinational firms pursue “China plus one” strategies to diversify manufacturing, China remains deeply embedded in global trade networks.

The U.S. Remains the World’s Biggest Buyer

On the other side of the equation, the U.S. continues to post persistent trade deficits with many major economies. America imports vast quantities of manufactured goods, consumer electronics, vehicles, and industrial products from overseas.

The imbalance has long been a source of political tension in Washington. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, disputes over tariffs, industrial subsidies, intellectual property, and technology access have fueled years of friction between the two superpowers.

The contrast between the two systems is striking: China produces and exports at scale, while the U.S. consumes and imports at scale. That imbalance has become a central issue in debates over economic resilience and domestic manufacturing.

Why These Trade Patterns Matter

Trade balances have become increasingly important as governments seek to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce supply chain risks. Tariffs, export controls, and industrial subsidies have all reshaped trade policy in recent years, yet the chart shows that many countries remain deeply integrated with both the U.S. and China.

Global trade has adapted rather than split into separate economic blocs. Many countries still rely on Chinese supply chains, American consumers, or both, even as policymakers push for more resilient and diversified trade relationships.

However, both economies remain deeply dependent on bilateral trade despite years of political tensions.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about how countries build global trade networks, check out Number of Trade Agreements Across 30 Economies on the Voronoi app.