Where you fill up can make a significant difference in what you pay at the pump.

This map shows average regular gasoline prices across the U.S. using September 2026 data from AAA Fuel Tracker. Prices are per gallon and rounded to the nearest cent.

Where Gas Prices Run Highest and Lowest

The broader divide is regional. The highest fuel prices are concentrated in the West, while much of the South sits below the $4.48 national average.

The table below ranks prices from highest to lowest in the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Rank	State or District	Average Gas Price in September 2026 ($)
1	California	6.24
2	Hawaii	5.57
3	Washington	5.55
4	Nevada	5.37
5	Oregon	5.09
6	Alaska	5.07
7	Idaho	5.00
8	Utah	4.98
9	Illinois	4.85
10	Michigan	4.81
11	Arizona	4.78
12	Montana	4.61
13	Pennsylvania	4.55
13	Wyoming	4.55
15	New Mexico	4.53
16	Connecticut	4.49
16	New York	4.49
18	Vermont	4.46
19	District of Columbia	4.43
19	Maine	4.43
19	Ohio	4.43
22	Massachusetts	4.40
22	Nebraska	4.40
22	New Jersey	4.40
25	Rhode Island	4.39
25	Wisconsin	4.39
27	Florida	4.38
28	Minnesota	4.37
28	New Hampshire	4.37
28	West Virginia	4.37
31	Delaware	4.35
32	Iowa	4.33
32	Maryland	4.33
34	South Dakota	4.32
35	Colorado	4.31
36	North Dakota	4.26
37	Virginia	4.24
38	Missouri	4.18
39	Kansas	4.17
40	Kentucky	4.16
41	North Carolina	4.13
42	Oklahoma	4.12
43	Georgia	4.11
44	Alabama	4.09
45	Arkansas	4.06
45	Tennessee	4.06
47	South Carolina	4.05
48	Louisiana	4.03
49	Mississippi	4.00
50	Indiana	3.96
50	Texas	3.96
--	U.S. National Average	4.48

Part of the difference reflects the journey fuel takes to reach a station. Longer distances from refineries, ports, and distribution terminals can mean higher transportation costs, which can push up retail prices.

States such as Louisiana and Texas also benefit from extensive oil and refining infrastructure, helping keep distribution costs relatively low.

Why California Costs So Much More

California’s premium goes beyond taxes. The Golden State requires a special gasoline blend designed to reduce air pollution, which costs more to produce. State environmental programs also add compliance costs for fuel suppliers, alongside state and local taxes.

The state’s specialized fuel comes from a relatively limited pool of suppliers. California is geographically separated from major U.S. refining centers along the Gulf Coast, and only some refineries elsewhere can produce gasoline that meets its requirements. Bringing in additional supply is therefore more complicated than simply sourcing cheaper fuel from another state.

This becomes especially important when a refinery shuts down for maintenance or experiences an unexpected outage. Replacement supplies can take time to arrive, leaving the market more vulnerable to price spikes. The same factors that keep California expensive under normal conditions can make disruptions more painful for drivers.

No Relief This Fall

Gas prices usually ease after the summer driving season. Demand falls as travel slows, while cooler weather allows refiners to use less expensive gasoline components that would evaporate too easily in summer heat. The seasonal change in fuel requirements can help reduce costs even without a decline in global oil prices.

This September, however, that usual pattern has been disrupted. Expensive crude oil and continued volatility in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up prices at the pump. The national average of $4.48 per gallon is the highest on record for late September.

Local advantages offer only partial protection from those pressures. Gasoline prices generally track crude oil costs, so even states with lower distribution costs and taxes remain exposed to oil-market disruptions.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To compare these prices with major global events, check out Oil Prices and Geopolitical Events on Voronoi.

How concentrated does wealth have to become before the richest 0.1% own more than the bottom 80% of the population combined?

This world map identifies the countries where that threshold has been crossed, using the latest World Inequality Database estimates (2024). The estimates cover personal wealth among adults aged 20 and older in each country.

Where Wealth Is Most Concentrated

The countries shown in red span economies with very different histories and institutions, from the United States and South Africa to India and Sweden.

Even within this group, there is wide variation in the degree of wealth concentration. In South Africa, for example, the bottom 80% hold less than 5% of the country’s wealth. Meanwhile, the richest 0.1% hold nearly 30%, a share exceeded only by Russia among these 27 countries.

The table below ranks the 27 countries by the share of wealth held by their richest 0.1%.

Rank	Country	Top 0.1% wealth share	Bottom 80% wealth share
1	Russia	32.21%	14.59%
2	South Africa	29.95%	4.70%
3	India	29.69%	22.92%
4	Eswatini	28.36%	14.22%
5	Belize	22.56%	19.07%
6	Mexico	21.93%	15.62%
7	Iraq	21.87%	14.88%
8	Namibia	21.56%	15.15%
9	Chile	21.52%	15.61%
10	Brazil	21.46%	15.69%
11	Lebanon	21.11%	20.30%
12	Zimbabwe	21.06%	15.91%
13	Botswana	21.05%	15.60%
14	Colombia	21.00%	15.64%
15	Yemen	20.78%	15.84%
16	Mozambique	20.73%	15.88%
17	Georgia	20.68%	20.66%
18	Peru	20.50%	16.07%
19	Angola	20.40%	16.16%
20	Bahrain	20.15%	16.38%
21	Qatar	19.89%	16.60%
22	Oman	19.55%	16.88%
23	Zambia	18.98%	17.36%
24	Republic of the Congo	18.65%	17.64%
25	U.S.	18.38%	15.82%
26	Uruguay	18.30%	14.38%
27	Sweden	13.86%	10.84%

Percentages of total wealth do not add up to 100% because the remainder is held by people between the 80th and 99.9th percentiles.

Wealth inequality and income inequality measure different things. Income captures money earned over a period of time, while wealth reflects accumulated assets such as homes, businesses, investments, and savings, minus debts. Inheritance can therefore shape wealth disparities long before differences in annual earnings do.

The Persistence of Wealth Gaps

Owning assets creates opportunities that wages alone do not. A home can appreciate, shares can pay dividends, and a business can generate profits. Reinvesting those returns can build wealth further, while someone without savings must first create room in their budget to begin accumulating assets.

South Africa offers a striking example of how durable these differences can be. One study covering 1993–2017 found no sustained decline in wealth inequality after the end of apartheid. Financial assets dominated the portfolios of the richest 0.1%, while housing and pensions were the main holdings of the bottom 90%.

These findings point to inheritance and relative starting positions as important factors. Accumulating wealth over a lifetime does not necessarily erase advantages established at the beginning, helping explain why wealth gaps can persist across generations.

Why Does Sweden Stand Out?

Countries such as Brazil, Colombia, or India may be less surprising in this context, but Sweden stands apart because of its reputation for relatively low income inequality and a strong social safety net.

However, relatively equal incomes can coexist with concentrated asset ownership. Generous healthcare, childcare, education, and retirement programs mean many lower-income Swedes have less need to accumulate private financial assets to pay for essential services.

Sweden’s tax system also treats income and accumulated wealth differently. The country abolished its gift and inheritance taxes in 2004 and its net wealth tax in 2007.

No other country in the European Union appears in this group. However, that does not necessarily mean other EU countries have broadly equal wealth distributions.

The Top 0.1% in Wealth vs. Bottom 80% For Every Country

The table below lists countries and territories worldwide alongside the shares of wealth held by their top 0.1% and bottom 80%.

Country/Territory	Top 0.1% wealth share	Bottom 80% wealth share
Afghanistan	9.45%	25.72%
Albania	8.70%	26.63%
Algeria	12.49%	22.79%
Andorra	8.95%	26.32%
Anguilla	12.31%	22.95%
Antigua and Barbuda	12.28%	22.97%
Argentina	11.24%	24.40%
Armenia	10.76%	25.47%
Aruba	12.31%	22.95%
Australia	10.02%	26.12%
Austria	14.62%	23.53%
Azerbaijan	9.11%	26.12%
Bahamas	14.61%	20.99%
Bangladesh	9.61%	25.55%
Barbados	13.49%	22.67%
Belarus	8.47%	26.96%
Belgium	4.12%	31.18%
Benin	9.96%	25.17%
Bermuda	12.02%	23.21%
Bhutan	9.62%	25.54%
Bolivia	14.60%	21.00%
Bonaire	12.24%	23.01%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	8.71%	26.62%
Brunei Darussalam	8.93%	26.34%
Bulgaria	11.02%	24.75%
Burkina Faso	11.17%	23.98%
Burundi	11.03%	24.11%
Cabo Verde	12.38%	22.88%
Cambodia	10.56%	24.56%
Cameroon	11.22%	23.93%
Canada	14.81%	30.63%
Cayman Islands	12.33%	22.93%
Central African Republic	13.19%	22.19%
Chad	10.75%	24.37%
China	17.08%	21.17%
Comoros	13.19%	22.18%
Costa Rica	13.08%	22.28%
Croatia	8.90%	26.56%
Cuba	10.66%	24.47%
Curacao	12.33%	22.93%
Cyprus	12.34%	20.86%
Czech Republic	13.68%	25.60%
Côte d’Ivoire	10.09%	25.03%
DR Congo	15.45%	20.29%
Denmark	10.60%	29.37%
Djibouti	12.82%	22.50%
Dominica	12.29%	22.96%
Dominican Republic	10.34%	24.78%
Ecuador	10.47%	24.65%
Egypt	13.95%	22.93%
El Salvador	10.18%	24.94%
Equatorial Guinea	10.37%	24.75%
Eritrea	9.43%	25.74%
Estonia	14.56%	18.76%
Ethiopia	9.44%	25.74%
Micronesia	12.09%	23.14%
Fiji	11.98%	23.24%
Finland	6.11%	26.07%
France	13.34%	25.43%
French Polynesia	12.01%	23.21%
Gabon	9.93%	25.20%
Gambia	11.38%	23.78%
Germany	13.35%	25.46%
Ghana	12.20%	23.04%
Gibraltar	8.95%	26.31%
Greece	8.26%	22.29%
Greenland	12.06%	23.17%
Grenada	12.35%	22.91%
Guatemala	14.57%	21.02%
Guernsey	8.95%	26.31%
Guinea	9.16%	26.05%
Guinea-Bissau	9.60%	25.55%
Guyana	14.58%	21.01%
Haiti	14.56%	21.03%
Honduras	14.59%	21.00%
Hong Kong	20.03%	21.24%
Hungary	16.85%	20.42%
Iceland	6.98%	23.44%
Indonesia	8.32%	22.24%
Iran	10.83%	24.30%
Ireland	7.73%	16.05%
Isle of Man	8.95%	26.32%
Israel	16.07%	21.90%
Italy	9.20%	26.06%
Jamaica	14.58%	21.01%
Japan	10.20%	25.04%
Jersey	8.95%	26.31%
Jordan	12.45%	22.82%
Kazakhstan	13.14%	24.65%
Kenya	11.06%	24.08%
Kiribati	11.97%	23.25%
Kosovo	8.61%	26.75%
Kuwait	10.18%	24.94%
Kyrgyzstan	9.80%	25.34%
Laos	11.44%	23.73%
Latvia	12.39%	25.98%
Lesotho	12.75%	22.56%
Liberia	9.89%	25.25%
Libya	11.02%	24.12%
Liechtenstein	10.31%	25.92%
Lithuania	9.96%	25.17%
Luxembourg	17.18%	26.98%
Macao	9.62%	25.53%
Madagascar	10.93%	24.21%
Malawi	11.59%	23.59%
Malaysia	14.05%	24.81%
Maldives	9.33%	25.86%
Mali	10.23%	24.89%
Malta	4.66%	32.44%
Marshall Islands	11.97%	23.25%
Mauritania	9.40%	25.78%
Mauritius	11.10%	24.05%
Moldova	9.18%	26.04%
Monaco	17.49%	23.85%
Mongolia	9.79%	25.35%
Montenegro	8.82%	26.49%
Montserrat	12.32%	22.93%
Morocco	11.64%	23.64%
Myanmar	9.76%	25.38%
Nauru	12.05%	23.17%
Nepal	10.39%	25.40%
Netherlands	4.44%	36.66%
New Caledonia	12.05%	23.18%
New Zealand	8.92%	26.53%
Nicaragua	14.55%	21.04%
Niger	10.27%	24.85%
Nigeria	14.49%	24.11%
North Korea	9.90%	25.24%
North Macedonia	8.40%	27.06%
Norway	12.28%	30.13%
Pakistan	9.68%	25.47%
Palau	12.07%	23.16%
Palestine	14.01%	21.49%
Panama	14.55%	21.03%
Papua New Guinea	10.79%	24.34%
Paraguay	14.58%	21.01%
Philippines	13.11%	24.04%
Poland	15.17%	22.90%
Portugal	9.40%	24.09%
Puerto Rico	12.30%	22.96%
Romania	10.07%	25.44%
Rwanda	14.24%	21.30%
Saint Kitts and Nevis	20.56%	20.77%
Saint Lucia	12.35%	22.91%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	12.22%	23.02%
Samoa	12.08%	23.15%
San Marino	8.95%	26.31%
Sao Tome and Principe	13.28%	22.11%
Saudi Arabia	14.13%	21.39%
Senegal	10.47%	24.65%
Serbia	9.49%	25.68%
Seychelles	9.27%	25.93%
Sierra Leone	10.97%	24.17%
Singapore	14.29%	23.53%
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)	12.24%	23.01%
Slovakia	5.04%	33.89%
Slovenia	12.24%	27.47%
Solomon Islands	12.00%	23.22%
Somalia	11.51%	23.66%
South Korea	6.63%	14.97%
South Sudan	13.04%	22.31%
Spain	10.17%	27.79%
Sri Lanka	11.73%	23.46%
Sudan	10.25%	24.87%
Suriname	14.59%	21.00%
Switzerland	16.38%	22.21%
Syria	17.24%	18.81%
Taiwan	12.92%	23.13%
Tajikistan	9.65%	25.50%
Tanzania	14.09%	21.64%
Thailand	17.90%	20.22%
Timor-Leste	9.48%	25.69%
Togo	10.85%	24.28%
Tonga	12.03%	23.20%
Trinidad and Tobago	14.56%	21.03%
Tunisia	14.75%	20.87%
Turkmenistan	11.91%	23.30%
Turks and Caicos Islands	12.30%	22.95%
Tuvalu	12.06%	23.17%
Türkiye	15.40%	20.33%
Uganda	14.79%	20.84%
Ukraine	9.78%	26.55%
United Arab Emirates	12.77%	22.75%
United Kingdom	6.92%	25.73%
Uzbekistan	10.43%	24.69%
Vanuatu	12.01%	23.21%
Venezuela	15.97%	20.67%
Viet Nam	10.62%	24.95%
Virgin Islands, British	12.25%	23.00%

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To see how inequality in Europe is changing, check out The Euro Area Saw a Slight Decrease in Inequality Over Past 5 Years on Voronoi.

Despite geopolitical conflicts and supply chain disruptions, the global economy is forecast to grow by 3% in 2026. Among major economies, however, growth rates vary considerably.

This visualization ranks Group of 20 (G20) members by their projected real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2026, using the latest projections from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook. Real GDP growth adjusts for inflation, providing a clearer measure of changes in economic output.

The African Union, a G20 member since 2023, has been excluded because the political union does not have a single economy or common market.

Asia’s Emerging Market Champions

Asia dominates the top of the ranking. India, the world’s most populous country, leads with projected growth of 6.4%, followed by Indonesia at 5.0% and China at 4.6%.

These strong growth forecasts help explain how India is projected to rise from the world’s sixth-largest economy in 2026 to the third-largest by 2031. Jamie Dimon, head of the world’s largest bank, has also predicted that the Indian economy could triple in size over the next decade.

The table below ranks G20 members by their forecast real GDP growth rate in 2026.

Rank	G20 Economy	2026 Real GDP Growth Forecast (%)
1	India	6.4
2	Indonesia	5.0
3	China	4.6
4	Argentina	3.5
5	Türkiye	2.9
6	South Korea	2.6
7	Brazil	2.4
8	United States	2.3
9	Australia	1.9
10	Saudi Arabia	1.7
11	Mexico	1.2
12	European Union	1.2
13	Canada	1.1
14	Russia	1.1
15	South Africa	1.1
16	United Kingdom	1.0
17	Germany	0.7
18	France	0.6
19	Japan	0.6
20	Italy	0.5
--	World Average	3.0

India’s economic growth has been supported by strong public investment alongside steady consumer spending. Indonesia, meanwhile, has leveraged its resource endowments and high commodity prices to expand local processing and infrastructure.

China, the largest economy of the three, also has the most mature market. Its 4.6% growth forecast reflects a slower pace than in previous decades amid weakness in the property sector and growing demographic pressures.

Another Slow Year in Europe

Europe occupies much of the lower end of the ranking. The 27-member European Union is projected to grow by 1.2% in 2026, while Russia is forecast at 1.1%. Growth within the EU is stronger in some mid-sized economies, including Poland and Spain.

Several of Europe’s largest economies are expected to grow by less than 1% in real terms. The United Kingdom is forecast at 1.0%, followed by Germany at 0.7% and France at 0.6%. Italy’s 0.5% growth forecast is the lowest across the G20.

Several factors are weighing on European growth prospects, including energy costs and a fragmented capital landscape that can make it more difficult for businesses to expand across borders.

Slow growth also puts pressure on government finances. Many of Europe’s largest economies continue to run sizable budget deficits, making it more difficult to balance spending priorities without adding to borrowing.

What’s Supporting U.S. Growth?

The United States is forecast to grow by 2.3% in 2026, putting it ahead of the other major developed economies in the ranking despite headwinds including trade pressures and persistent inflation.

One factor supporting growth is continued investment in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Large-scale spending on technology and data centers is helping support capital investment as other parts of the economy face external pressures.

Between 2025 and 2032, annual AI infrastructure spending is projected to approach 4% of U.S. GDP. The scale of this investment exceeds that of many past infrastructure booms, while also increasing the economy’s exposure to continued spending in the sector.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To see how these growth figures compare with government debt levels, check out Government Debt to GDP Around the World in 2025 on Voronoi.

The U.S. labor market is projected to add nearly 5.9 million jobs between 2025 and 2035.

This graphic ranks 30 occupations by their projected increase in employment over the decade. The data for this visualization comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, using employment projections for 2025 to 2035.

The figures measure the net increase in employment for each occupation rather than total job openings, which can also include positions created when existing workers retire or change careers.

Home Care Dominates U.S. Job Growth

Home health and personal care aides stand far above every other occupation, with 847,300 new jobs projected by 2035. That represents about 14% of all net new jobs expected across the U.S. economy over the decade.

Rank	Occupation	New jobs by 2035P	Median wage, 2025
1	Home & Personal Care Aides	847K	$35,800
2	Stockers & Order Fillers	251K	$37,330
3	Fast Food Workers	223K	$31,200
4	Registered Nurses	195K	$97,550
5	Operations Managers	181K	$105,770
6	Software Developers	175K	$135,980
7	Restaurant Cooks	171K	$37,390
8	Health Services Managers	155K	$123,860
9	Nurse Practitioners	138K	$132,300
10	Construction Laborers	109K	$47,120
11	Management Analysts	109K	$101,860
12	IT Managers	108K	$175,140
13	Medical Assistants	108K	$45,690
14	Mental Health Counselors	98K	$59,350
15	Data Scientists	95K	$120,230
16	Financial Managers	85K	$166,570
17	Heavy Truck Drivers	84K	$58,640
18	Industrial Mechanics	80K	$64,520
19	Accountants & Auditors	79K	$83,680
20	Electricians	76K	$63,190
21	Project Managers	73K	$102,320
22	Maintenance Workers	69K	$49,590
23	Light Truck Drivers	68K	$44,860
24	Food Service Supervisors	67K	$44,080
25	Market Research Analysts	66K	$78,760
26	Other Managers	66K	$141,900
27	HR Specialists	60K	$75,940
28	Landscaping Workers	56K	$39,150
29	Construction Managers	55K	$114,990
30	Janitors & Cleaners	54K	$36,840

Demand is being fueled in part by America’s aging population and a shift toward providing long-term care in home and community settings. The Census Bureau projects that adults age 65 and older will outnumber children under 18 by 2029.

Healthcare and Tech Roles Are Growing Quickly

Healthcare occupations appear throughout the ranking, including registered nurses, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, and medical and health services managers.

Nurse practitioners are projected to grow 41% between 2025 and 2035, the fastest percentage increase among the occupations shown, while adding nearly 138,000 jobs.

Technology also remains a major source of higher-paying employment, with software developers projected to add about 175,000 jobs and data scientists another 95,000. Both occupations had median annual wages above $120,000 in 2025.

Job Growth Spans the Wage Spectrum

Some of the country’s biggest sources of new jobs are relatively low-paying service occupations.

Eleven of the 30 occupations shown have median annual wages below the overall U.S. median of $50,980, including home health and personal care aides, fast food workers, restaurant cooks, and light truck drivers.

At the other end of the spectrum, the ranking includes IT managers, financial managers, software developers, and nurse practitioners, all with median wages above $130,000.

The Skills Shaping the Jobs of the Future

Looking ahead, the skills needed in the labor market are also expected to shift.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, nearly 40% of skills required on the job are expected to change by 2030.

While demand for AI, big data, and cybersecurity skills is rising quickly, employers also continue to prioritize human capabilities such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience, leadership, and collaboration.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Every U.S. State’s Most Common Job, 25 Years Apart on Voronoi.

The world’s biggest companies generate enormous revenues, but the share that ultimately becomes profit varies widely.

This graphic ranks the world’s 30 largest companies by how much profit they generate for every $100 in revenue, based on Fortune Global 500 data. Profits are after taxes, extraordinary credits or charges, accounting changes, and noncontrolling interests, but before preferred dividends.

Why Tech Keeps More of Every $100

Revenue measures how much money flows through a company, but not how much ultimately reaches the bottom line. Across the world’s largest companies, Big Tech stands apart in how much of that revenue becomes profit.

Rank	Name	Profit per $100 in Revenue (2026)	Profit
1	Nvidia	$55.60	$120B
2	Microsoft	$36.10	$102B
3	Alphabet	$32.80	$132B
4	Meta	$30.10	$60B
5	Apple	$26.90	$112B
6	Industrial & Commercial Bank of China	$24.30	$51B
7	Saudi Aramco	$20.80	$93B
8	JPMorgan Chase	$20.30	$57B
9	Berkshire Hathaway	$18.00	$67B
10	Samsung Electronics	$13.30	$31B
11	Amazon	$10.80	$78B
12	ExxonMobil Holdings	$8.70	$29B
13	Toyota Motor	$7.60	$26B
14	Shell	$6.50	$18B
15	China National Petroleum	$5.30	$21B
16	Walmart	$3.10	$22B
17	Costco Wholesale	$2.90	$8B
18	UnitedHealth Group	$2.70	$12B
19	Hon Hai Precision Industry	$2.30	$6B
20	Volkswagen	$2.30	$8B
21	Cigna Group	$2.20	$6B
22	State Grid	$2.00	$11B
23	Sinopec Group	$1.40	$5B
24	McKesson	$1.20	$5B
25	Trafigura Group	$1.10	$3B
26	China State Construction Engineering	$1.10	$3B
27	Cardinal Health	$0.70	$2B
28	Cencora	$0.50	$2B
29	CVS Health	$0.40	$2B
30	Glencore	$0.10	$0.4B

Profits rounded to the nearest 10 cents.

The gap is striking even among corporate giants. Microsoft generates $36.10 in profit for every $100 in revenue, compared with roughly $3 for Walmart and Costco. Enormous revenue does not necessarily translate into an equally large profit margin.

Much of the difference comes down to business models. Software and digital platforms can serve additional customers at relatively low incremental cost, while retailers, manufacturers, and energy companies must continually pay for inventory, labor, raw materials, logistics, or production.

AI Is Rewriting Big Tech’s Business Model

The margins shown above reflect today’s business models, but AI is making many of those models more capital-intensive. Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into AI infrastructure. Hyperscaler capital spending is on track to reach $785 billion in 2026 and rise to nearly $1 trillion in 2027.

Nvidia is a major beneficiary of this investment. As a dominant supplier of AI chips, it sits at the center of the infrastructure buildout, while its CUDA software ecosystem can make switching to rival chips more difficult for developers.

On the flipside, the scale of AI investment is raising capital costs across Big Tech. As infrastructure spending climbs, those costs could begin to reshape the margins that currently put many tech companies near the top of this ranking.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s largest companies outside the U.S.

America’s Top-Rated Employers, State by State

This map shows the top-rated employer in every U.S. state in 2026, offering a snapshot of which large organizations earn the strongest marks from workers across the country.

The ranking is based on a Forbes survey of more than 245,000 employees. It covers organizations with at least 500 employees and considers pay, benefits, career growth, management, flexibility, and employee recommendations.

Big Tech Has the Widest Reach

Microsoft ranks first in nine states and Google in seven, meaning the two tech giants collectively lead nearly one-third of the country. Overall, tech companies take the top spot in 19 states.

State	Company	Sector
Alabama	NASA	Government
Alaska	Providence St. Joseph Health	Healthcare
Arizona	Apple	Tech
Arkansas	Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield	Finance
California	Trader Joe's	Consumer
Colorado	Microsoft	Tech
Connecticut	ASML Holding	Tech
Delaware	Mountaire	Consumer
District of Columbia	Google	Tech
Florida	Charles Schwab	Finance
Georgia	Microsoft	Tech
Hawaii	United Airlines	Industrial
Idaho	WinCo Foods	Consumer
Illinois	Google	Tech
Indiana	Google	Tech
Iowa	Hormel Foods	Consumer
Kansas	Pfizer	Healthcare
Kentucky	Toyota North America	Industrial
Louisiana	Lockheed Martin	Industrial
Maine	IDEXX Laboratories	Healthcare
Maryland	Microsoft	Tech
Massachusetts	Google	Tech
Michigan	Delta Air Lines	Industrial
Minnesota	Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota	Finance
Mississippi	University of Mississippi Medical Center	Healthcare
Missouri	Fabick Cat	Industrial
Montana	First Interstate Bank	Finance
Nebraska	Bryan Health	Healthcare
Nevada	JPMorganChase	Finance
New Hampshire	Demoulas Super Markets	Consumer
New Jersey	Google	Tech
New Mexico	Home Depot	Consumer
New York	Microsoft	Tech
North Carolina	Microsoft	Tech
North Dakota	Essentia Health	Healthcare
Ohio	Microsoft	Tech
Oklahoma	IBM	Tech
Oregon	Microsoft	Tech
Pennsylvania	Lockheed Martin	Industrial
Rhode Island	Fidelity Investments	Finance
South Carolina	Honeywell Technologies	Industrial
South Dakota	U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs	Government
Tennessee	Google	Tech
Texas	Microsoft	Tech
Utah	Delta Air Lines	Industrial
Vermont	M&T Bank	Finance
Virginia	Microsoft	Tech
Washington	Google	Tech
West Virginia	Sheetz	Consumer
Wisconsin	Kimberly-Clark	Consumer
Wyoming	State of Wyoming	Government

Outside of tech, the results span a wide range of employers.

NASA leads in Alabama, Lockheed Martin in Louisiana, Toyota in Kentucky, and Trader Joe’s in California. Healthcare, finance, government, industrial, and consumer organizations also claim top spots across the country.

What Makes a Great Employer?

Pay is only one part of how Americans evaluate their workplaces. Benefits, career development, management, flexibility, and job security can also shape overall satisfaction.

In 2026, overall U.S. job satisfaction reached 68.9%, the highest level in 39 years and the 16th consecutive annual increase. That marks a sharp recovery from 2010, when satisfaction fell to 42.6% amid a weak post-recession labor market.

Income remains a major dividing line. Satisfaction ranged from 45.3% among workers in households earning under $25,000 to 76% among those earning $150,000 or more.

At the same time, the labor market remains uncertain, which may make job security more important to workers. Nearly four in 10 workers also said advanced AI improved their job satisfaction, adding another dimension to the changing workplace landscape.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the 30 highest-paying jobs in America.

From semiconductors and displays to smartphones and computers, much of the hardware powering the global economy is produced in a relatively small group of countries.

This visualization ranks countries by their share of global digital hardware capacity in 2024–25. The data for this graphic comes from Ember analysis, drawing on data from SEMI, DSCC, Prismark, Counterpoint Research, TrendForce, IEA, BNEF, and GWEC.

Digital hardware includes semiconductor fabrication, displays, printed circuit boards, smartphones, computers, and related electronics manufacturing capacity.

China Accounts for Nearly Three-Fifths of Capacity

China’s lead is enormous: its share of global digital hardware capacity is nearly six times that of second-ranked Taiwan.

In fact, China has more capacity than every other country in the dataset combined.

Rank	Country	Share of digital hardware capacity, 2024–25
1	China	58.8%
2	Taiwan	10.2%
3	South Korea	6.7%
4	Japan	4.8%
5	India	3.8%
6	Vietnam	3.6%
7	United States	2.9%
8	Thailand	1.3%
9	Mexico	1.2%
10	Germany	0.7%
10	Singapore	0.7%
12	Malaysia	0.6%
13	Brazil	0.4%
14	Israel	0.3%
14	Indonesia	0.3%
15	Ireland	0.2%
15	Czechia	0.2%
15	Austria	0.2%
15	France	0.2%
15	Italy	0.2%
15	Türkiye	0.2%
22	Philippines	0.1%
22	Canada	0.1%
22	Bangladesh	0.1%
22	Pakistan	0.1%
22	Hungary	0.1%
22	United Kingdom	0.1%
22	Netherlands	0.1%
22	Egypt	0.1%
--	Rest of World	1.7%

China’s position reflects its broad manufacturing base across finished electronics, displays, printed circuit boards, and other components.

Large-scale production networks also connect factories with dense clusters of suppliers, helping make the country a central hub for global hardware production.

China is also seeking to reinforce its electronics leadership through a new five-year plan focused on semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other strategic technologies. The plan prioritizes advances across the integrated-circuit supply chain, including chips, as Beijing seeks to reduce reliance on Western technology.

The country targets more than 30 trillion yuan (about $4.5 trillion) in operating revenue from related industries by 2030.

East Asia Forms the Core of the Electronics Supply Chain

Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan add another 21.7% of global capacity beyond China’s share.

Each market plays a distinct role in the electronics ecosystem, with major companies including TSMC, Foxconn, Samsung, BOE, and Sony operating across the region.

Taiwan is particularly important in semiconductor fabrication and electronics assembly, while South Korea has substantial chip and display capacity.

Japan remains an important producer of electronics, components, and technologies that support the wider hardware supply chain.

India and Vietnam Lead the Next Tier

Beyond the top four countries, electronics manufacturing capacity drops sharply.

India ranks fifth with a 3.8% share, narrowly ahead of Vietnam at 3.6%.

The U.S. follows at 2.9%. While the country remains a major force in semiconductor design and innovation, its share of physical digital hardware capacity is comparatively small.

Thailand and Mexico are the only other countries above 1%, at 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively.

The ranking highlights the gap between where the world’s biggest technology companies are headquartered and where their physical hardware is actually produced. While the U.S. is home to many leading technology and chip-design firms, the manufacturing capacity behind the global electronics supply chain remains heavily concentrated in Asia.

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If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Big Tech AI Spending Over Time on Voronoi.

How U.S. Wealth Breaks Down by Generation

American households are worth a combined $185.7 trillion, and more than half of that belongs to a single generation.

This graphic compares each generation’s share of U.S. households with its share of household net worth as of Q2 2026, using data from the Federal Reserve’s Distributional Financial Accounts.

Net worth is assets such as homes, stocks, and pensions minus debts like mortgages and credit cards. The Fed assigns each household to a generation based on the birth year of its reference person, typically the head of household, and counts everyone born in 1981 or later as a Millennial, so Gen Z is included in that group.

Why Baby Boomers Hold So Much U.S. Wealth

Decades of accumulating stocks, homes, and pension savings have left Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, with the largest share of U.S. household wealth.

Generation X is the only generation whose share of wealth closely matches its share of households, at 26% for each, with $47.7 trillion in net worth.

The table below shows each generation’s share of U.S. households and household net worth as of Q2 2026:

Generation	Birth Years	U.S. Household Wealth by Generation, Q2 2026
		Share of Households (%)	Share of Net Worth (%)	Net Worth ($T)
Silent Generation and older	Before 1946	6.6	10.7	19.78
Baby Boomers	1946–1964	30.4	52.5	97.40
Generation X	1965–1980	25.8	25.7	47.66
Millennials (incl. Gen Z)	1981 or later	37.2	11.2	20.80
All U.S. households	--	100.0	100.0	185.65

The Silent Generation and older now head just 7% of households, but those households hold 11% of U.S. household wealth, averaging about $2.2 million in net worth each.

Stock ownership helps set Boomers’ wealth apart. They hold $35.2 trillion in stocks and mutual funds, or 55% of the household total. Their net worth rose by $7.9 trillion in Q2 2026 alone, with $5.5 trillion of that increase coming from equities. That quarterly equity gain alone was equal to more than a quarter of all Millennial and Gen Z wealth.

Millennial Wealth Is Growing, but Boomers Are Adding More

Millennials and Gen Z have grown from 4.9% of U.S. household net worth in Q2 2020 to 11.2% today, as their wealth nearly quadrupled from $5.3 trillion to $20.8 trillion.

Even so, Boomer net worth rose by $38.2 trillion over the same six years, compared with $15.5 trillion for Millennials and Gen Z, who make up the largest generational group in America. A smaller percentage gain on a much larger base can still add more dollars.

The table below shows each generation’s share of U.S. household net worth in the second quarter of every sixth year since 1990:

Generation	Share of U.S. Household Net Worth by Year (%)
	1990	1996	2002	2008	2014	2020	2026
Silent Generation and older	79.7	67.7	52.3	39.5	27.3	15.9	10.7
Baby Boomers	19.8	30.1	42.2	51.6	55.5	54.3	52.5
Generation X	0.5	2.2	5.5	8.6	15.7	24.9	25.7
Millennials (incl. Gen Z)	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.3	1.6	4.9	11.2
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

The Silent Generation held 80% of household wealth in 1990 and holds 11% today. The Boomer share peaked at 55.5% in 2014 and has slipped only three percentage points since, even as Boomers’ share of households fell from 36% to 30%.

Millennial balance sheets also look very different. Real estate makes up 38% of their assets, compared with 20% for Boomers, and they owe $8.6 trillion, or 43% of all household debt. That is more than Boomers and the Silent Generation owe combined, and equal to 29% of Millennial assets versus 4% for Boomers.

The generational wealth picture will continue to change as Boomers age and assets are transferred to younger generations. How quickly that reshapes the chart will depend not only on inheritances, but also on asset prices, debt, homeownership, and how wealth is distributed within each generation.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Wealth by Generation in the United States on Voronoi.