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Ranked: U.S. States That Spend the Most on Going Out

2025-10-21 02:36:02

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

This chart ranks the states that spend the most on going out in 224, adjusted for price differences.

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Ranked: U.S. States That Spend the Most on Going Out

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

  • Colorado residents spend the most on going out, about $5,600 each year eating out or staying in hotel accommodations.
  • This is the highest in the country, after adjusting for price differences between states.
  • Despite the cost accounting, wealthier states still spend more, suggesting that states with higher incomes have greater discretionary spending.

From après-ski dinners in Denver to double espressos in Honolulu, Americans love treating themselves when they go out.

But how much they’re willing (and able) to spend varies widely.

This chart ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia by their per-capita spending on food services and accommodation in 2024, after stripping out regional price differences.

Data for this visualization comes from Bureau of Economic Analysis.

To make states comparable, figures are adjusted for local price levels using BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) for “Other Services” based on 2023 data. Regions are based on Census Bureau’s methodology. Results are expressed in 2024 dollars.

ℹ As 2024 category RPPs are not yet published, 2023 is used as a proxy as year-to-year changes in relative price levels are typically small.

Where Americans Spend the Most Going Out, by State

Topping the list, Colorado residents shell out an average of $5,677 per person, about $1,500 above the U.S. norm.

Rank State Region State Code Per capita spending on food & lodging in 2024
1 Colorado West CO $5,677
2 District of Columbia South DC $5,661
3 Hawaii West HI $5,412
4 Alaska West AK $5,126
5 California West CA $5,126
6 Florida South FL $4,879
7 Rhode Island Northeast RI $4,844
8 Massachusetts Northeast MA $4,762
9 New York Northeast NY $4,607
10 Maine Northeast ME $4,509
11 Nevada West NV $4,474
12 Montana West MT $4,415
13 Delaware South DE $4,395
14 North Dakota Midwest ND $4,369
15 New Mexico West NM $4,330
16 Vermont Northeast VT $4,238
17 Texas South TX $4,222
18 Wyoming West WY $4,204
19 Illinois Midwest IL $4,200
20 Arizona West AZ $4,159
21 South Dakota Midwest SD $4,148
22 Tennessee South TN $4,145
23 South Carolina South SC $4,138
24 Virginia South VA $4,124
25 Louisiana South LA $4,084
26 New Hampshire Northeast NH $4,080
27 Oregon West OR $4,069
28 Connecticut Northeast CT $4,062
29 Maryland South MD $4,016
30 New Jersey Northeast NJ $4,015
31 Georgia South GA $3,993
32 Washington West WA $3,949
33 North Carolina South NC $3,898
34 Missouri Midwest MO $3,859
35 Oklahoma South OK $3,790
36 Nebraska Midwest NE $3,771
37 Kansas Midwest KS $3,591
38 Wisconsin Midwest WI $3,553
39 Utah West UT $3,541
40 Minnesota Midwest MN $3,522
41 Pennsylvania Northeast PA $3,510
42 Indiana Midwest IN $3,500
43 Ohio Midwest OH $3,491
44 Kentucky South KY $3,427
45 Alabama South AL $3,403
46 Michigan Midwest MI $3,374
47 Mississippi South MS $3,369
48 Idaho West ID $3,320
49 Iowa Midwest IA $3,272
50 Arkansas South AR $3,140
51 West Virginia South WV $3,080
N/A U.S. Average N/A USA $4,194

Right behind is the District of Columbia at $5,661, where a dense concentration of restaurants that caters to well-paid professionals.

Hawaii ($5,412), Alaska ($5,126), and California ($5,126) round out the five biggest spenders

This reflects both tourism-driven economies and higher household incomes, a clear mix of how prosperity and lifestyle intersect. Higher wages provide the discretionary cushion, while vibrant leisure industries offer plenty of ways to spend it.

ℹ Related: Look at the latest estimates for household income by state.

The Midwest Prefers Eating In

Regional patterns emerge quickly. Western states lead with an average of $4,446, buoyed by tourism hotspots and hip urban centers.

The Northeast follows at $4,292, helped by dense cityscapes like New York and Boston.

Meanwhile, Midwestern states average just $3,721, a full $700 below the U.S. average.

At the bottom sit West Virginia ($3,080), Arkansas ($3,140), Iowa ($3,272), Idaho ($3,320), and Mississippi ($3,369).

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out the Minimum Wages in All 50 States and 35 Countries, Adjusted for Living Costs on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Top Countries Behind U.S. Tariff Revenue

2025-10-21 01:06:42

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The following content is sponsored by Terzo

Top Countries Behind U.S. Tariff Revenue

Key Takeaways

  • At the beginning of 2025, the United States implemented higher tariff rates on imported goods from many major trading partners.
  • At a trade-weighted tariff rate of 47.3%, nearly one-third of U.S. tariff revenue is collected on imports originating from China.
  • Despite long-standing free trade agreements under NAFTA and later the USMCA, imports from Mexico and Canada now generate the second- and third-highest tariff revenues for the U.S.

Tariff rates vary by country, as does the value of goods each nation exports to the U.S. As a result, their contributions to U.S. tariff revenue differ significantly.

In this Markets in a Minute graphic, created in partnership with Terzo, we break down which countries generate the most U.S. tariff revenue through imports under the new rates.

Top Sources of U.S. Tariff Revenue by Country

Amid rapidly shifting trade policies, exact revenue figures are hard to confirm. Global Trade Alert approximated tariff revenue by applying current tariff rates to 2024 import data. The data comprises the country’s top 20 trading partners.

Here are the results:

Exporter Hypothetical Tariff Revenue ($ billions)
China 205.2
Mexico 84.1
Canada 78.8
India 33.0
Japan 32.3
Germany 29.9
Vietnam 29.8
South Korea 27.9
Taiwan 17.3
Italy 12.9
Thailand 12.6
Brazil 12.5
Switzerland 12.2
France 9.9
Other 105.5

China’s imports top the list, generating an estimated $205.2 billion in U.S. trade revenue. This is nearly 30% of the projected $703.9 billion total. The high volume of Chinese imports and a steep trade-weighted tax rate of 47.3% largely drive this.

Despite long-standing free trade agreements under NAFTA and later the USMCA, imports from Mexico and Canada now generate the second- and third-highest trade revenues for the country. They totaled $84.1 billion and $78.8 billion, respectively. 

Other Trading Partners

The remaining $335.7 billion is split between imports from a variety of countries. India ($33.0 billion) and Germany ($32.3 billion) are also estimated to be heavy contributors. 

The U.S. once considered imposing punitive tariffs on Switzerland before reversing the proposal. As a result, its imports are estimated to contribute $12.2 billion.

Uncertainty Ahead

With geopolitical tensions and trade dynamics evolving quickly, policies may continue to shift. Investors can benefit from staying informed on these macroeconomic developments.

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Ranked: Cities Where Young Americans Can Still Afford a Home

2025-10-20 22:31:34

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This graphic ranks the 50 largest U.S. metros by where young Americans can afford a home.

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Ranked: Cities Where Young Americans Can Still Afford a Home

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

  • Nearly 10% of Nashville’s residents below the age of 30 hold a mortgage, according to LendingTree’s analysis of 2024 credit reports.
  • Among the 50 largest metros, this is the highest share of adults under 30 with mortgages, suggesting it’s the best city for young Americans to afford a home.

We rank the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas by the share of adults under 30 who have a mortgage, painting a clear picture of where today’s twentysomethings can realistically afford a home.

Data for this visualization comes from LendingTree. They analyzed 32,000 anonymized fourth-quarter 2024 credit reports of adults under 30 in the 50 largest U.S. metros to create this ranking. Please see their methodology section for more details.

The American Dream is Still Within Reach In These Cities

At 9.4%, Nashville claims the highest share of under-30 mortgage holders in the country.

Rank City State Share of Americans Under 30 With Mortgages
1 Nashville Tennessee 9.4%
2 Indianapolis Indiana 8.4%
3 Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 7.0%
4 Cincinnati Ohio 6.5%
5 Louisville Kentucky 5.8%
6 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 5.7%
7 San Antonio Texas 5.3%
8 Hartford Connecticut 5.0%
9 Virginia Beach Virginia 4.9%
10 Buffalo New York 4.7%
10 Salt Lake City Utah 4.7%
12 Raleigh North Carolina 4.6%
13 Detroit Michigan 4.5%
14 Minneapolis Minnesota 4.3%
14 Phoenix Arizona 4.3%
14 Providence Rhode Island 4.3%
17 Birmingham Alabama 4.1%
18 Memphis Tennessee 4.0%
19 Denver Colorado 3.7%
19 Las Vegas Nevada 3.7%
21 New Orleans Louisiana 3.5%
21 Riverside California 3.5%
23 Houston Texas 3.4%
24 Cleveland Ohio 3.3%
25 Baltimore Maryland 3.2%
25 Dallas Texas 3.2%
25 Tampa Florida 3.2%
28 Charlotte North Carolina 3.1%
28 Chicago Illinois 3.1%
28 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 3.1%
31 Miami Florida 3.0%
31 St. Louis Missouri 3.0%
33 Kansas City Missouri 2.9%
34 Austin Texas 2.8%
34 Columbus Ohio 2.8%
36 Orlando Florida 2.6%
36 Seattle Washington 2.6%
38 Jacksonville Florida 2.5%
38 Milwaukee Wisconsin 2.5%
40 Washington, D.C. District of Columbia 2.4%
41 Atlanta Georgia 2.3%
42 Portland Oregon 2.2%
43 Richmond Virginia 2.1%
44 San Francisco California 2.0%
45 San Diego California 1.7%
46 Sacramento California 1.6%
47 Boston Massachusetts 1.4%
48 Los Angeles California 1.3%
49 New York New York 1.2%
50 San Jose California 0.8%

The Music City’s housing-price growth has slowed from its pandemic peak, and a steady influx of jobs in healthcare, tech, and entertainment is giving young workers both stable incomes and loan approval power.

Indianapolis (8.4%) and Pittsburgh (7.0%) follow, proof that mid-sized metros with diversified economies and moderate price tags remain happy hunting grounds for first-time buyers.

These leaders share several traits: median home prices well below the national average, shorter commute times that widen the geographic radius of affordable neighborhoods, and state-level programs that reduce down-payment hurdles.

ℹ Related: Here’s the latest median home prices by state.

Midwest Cities and South Dominate Home Affordability

Beyond the top three, the next dozen cities are heavily concentrated in the Midwest and South.

Cincinnati, Louisville, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio all break the 5% threshold.

Lower land costs and more flexible zoning keep construction pipelines open, while relatively low student-debt balances reduce the debt-to-income ratios that lenders scrutinize.

ℹ Related: See how Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, and Oklahoma perform on average student debt by state.

Even mid-tier Rust Belt metros such as Detroit (4.5%) and Minneapolis (4.3%) do better than larger coastal cities.

Their affordable starter-home inventories help offset slower wage growth. This illustrates that absolute price matters more than headline salary figures when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage before age 30.

Coastal State Economies Are Punishing for Home Ownership

At the other end of the spectrum stand San Jose (0.8%), New York City (1.2%), and Los Angeles (1.3%).

Sky-high property values inflate required down payments to six figures, while stricter land-use rules limit new supply and keep entry-level stock scarce.

Even Boston (1.4%) and Seattle (2.6%), cities with strong job markets, show that surging demand can overwhelm wage gains. This can and push homeownership beyond the reach of many young professionals.

ℹ Related: The median age of first-time home buyers in the U.S. is now 38, the oldest ever recorded.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

For a broarder perspective, check out: Where Homes are Affordable in North America Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Ranked: The World’s Most Educated Populations, Across 45 Countries

2025-10-20 20:05:59

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Ranked: The World’s Most Educated Populations, Across 45 Countries

Use This Visualization

The World’s Most Educated Populations, Across 45 Countries

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.

Key Takeaways

  • Advanced economies such as Canada, Ireland, and South Korea have some of the highest shares of tertiary-educated adults (55–65%).
  • Germany is a wealthy economy with relatively fewer university graduates, reflecting its strong apprenticeship system that provides high-skill jobs without degrees.

Which countries have the most educated populations?

Higher levels of tertiary education among a populace generally indicate greater potential for innovation and economic growth, but this isn’t always the case.

In this graphic, we visualize educational attainment by country, breaking things down into three categories: below high-school, high-school or diploma, and college or university degree.

Data & Discussion

This data comes from the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2025 report. It compares educational attainment among working-age adults across 45 countries as of 2024.

Country Below high-school
(%)
High-school or
diploma (%)
College or university
degree (%)
🇨🇦 Canada 6.4 28.9 64.7
🇮🇪 Ireland 10.7 31.7 57.5
🇰🇷 South Korea 6.5 37.3 56.2
🇱🇺 Luxembourg 17.6 28.0 54.4
🇬🇧 UK 17.1 29.0 53.8
🇦🇺 Australia 13.0 33.9 53.1
🇸🇪 Sweden 11.7 36.5 51.8
🇺🇸 U.S. 8.0 41.3 50.7
🇮🇱 Israel 12.3 37.2 50.5
🇳🇴 Norway 17.1 32.5 50.4
🇱🇹 Lithuania 7.0 45.3 47.7
🇨🇭 Switzerland 13.8 39.7 46.5
🇩🇰 Denmark 16.2 38.7 45.1
🇳🇱 Netherlands 18.3 36.6 45.1
🇧🇪 Belgium 17.2 37.8 45.0
🇮🇸 Iceland 20.4 35.1 44.5
🇳🇿 New Zealand 16.9 39.2 44.0
🇫🇷 France 16.1 40.6 43.4
🇫🇮 Finland 10.9 46.4 42.7
🇪🇪 Estonia 9.5 47.9 42.5
🇪🇸 Spain 34.7 23.0 42.3
🇱🇻 Latvia 10.7 48.9 40.5
🇵🇱 Poland 5.2 55.4 39.5
🇦🇹 Austria 13.1 49.2 37.7
🇬🇷 Greece 18.1 46.7 35.3
🇸🇮 Slovenia 11.0 54.4 34.6
🇩🇪 Germany 15.9 49.9 34.3
🇧🇬 Bulgaria 13.1 53.1 33.8
🇨🇱 Chile 25.0 42.1 32.9
🇵🇹 Portugal 38.5 30.1 31.4
🇭🇺 Hungary 11.9 57.0 31.1
🇨🇴 Colombia 32.7 36.8 30.6
🇭🇷 Croatia 9.7 59.9 30.4
🇸🇰 Slovak Republic 6.3 64.7 29.0
🇨🇷 Costa Rica 51.7 20.5 27.8
🇨🇿 Czechia 5.7 66.8 27.5
🇹🇷 Türkiye 49.9 23.1 26.9
🇦🇷 Argentina 32.2 43.6 23.7
🇮🇹 Italy 33.3 44.4 22.3
🇲🇽 Mexico 54.4 23.7 21.9
🇧🇷 Brazil 39.9 38.6 21.5
🇷🇴 Romania 24.6 56.2 19.2
🇮🇳 India 75.2 10.5 14.2
🇮🇩 Indonesia 57.3 29.7 13.1
🇿🇦 South Africa 49.3 41.7 9.0

Leaders in Higher Education

Canada tops the list with nearly 65% of adults holding a college or university degree, followed closely by Ireland and South Korea.

These nations have invested heavily in expanding access to higher education, driven by knowledge-based economies that reward advanced qualifications.

According to other OECD data, higher levels of education bring significant earnings advantages.

For instance, across OECD nations, tertiary graduates typically earn double the income of individuals who have not completed secondary education (high school).

Balanced Education Models in Europe

Countries like Austria and Germany demonstrate a more balanced split between tertiary and vocational education (education related to a specific job or trade).

For example, Germany ranks 19th in the world in terms of GDP per capita, despite only 34% of its adults having a university degree.

The country has a strong apprenticeship system where students combine hands-on training with theoretical learning, resulting in a high rate of employment upon graduation.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Universities Producing the Most Billionaires on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Ranked: Countries With the Most Years in Poor Health

2025-10-20 02:08:35

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

This graphic ranks countries by the most years in poor health, defined as he gap between their average life expectancy and their health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE).

Use This Visualization

Ranked: Countries With the Most Years in Poor Health

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

  • When measuring the gap between average life expectancy and health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE), wealthy Gulf states dominate the worst performers.
  • On average, residents in Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE all spend 16–17 years in poor health.
  • Another rich country, the U.S., ranks eighth by this metric, with Americans spending nearly 16 of their 80 expected years in poor health.

Many people are living longer—but not necessarily healthier—lives.

This visualization ranks countries by the number of years their citizens can expect to live in poor health, calculated as the gap between average life expectancy and health-adjusted life expectancy.

Skip to the second-last section for a full explanation of what health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) is, and why it matters.

HALE data (for the year 2021) is sourced from the World Bank, via Our World in Data. Average life expectancy is from 2025 estimates UN World Population Prospects.

Together they reveal how disease, disability, and chronic conditions shape the quality—not just the quantity—of our lives.

ℹ Important information:
1. Poor health is defined as having a disabling illness or injury.
2. Life expectancy figures are for both sexes, measured at birth.
3. HALE data only updates every five years and 2021 is the most recent release.
4. While the comparison isn’t perfect, shows broader regional patterns in healthcare.
5. Due to missing data some countries may not be present in this ranking.

The Difference Between Living Longer and Living Healthier

Oil wealth appears genuinely toxic to health outcomes.

Nearly every Middle Eastern petrostate (Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait) appears in this worst-performers list.

Bahrain (17.4 years), Oman (17.3), Qatar (16.5), and the UAE (15.9) all post sizable gaps despite having robust health-care budgets.

Rank Country Region Years in Poor Health HALE, 2021 Average Life Expectancy, 2025
1 🇧🇭 Bahrain Asia 17.4 64.2 81.6
2 🇴🇲 Oman Asia 17.3 63.2 80.5
3 🇸🇿 Eswatini Africa 16.9 47.5 64.4
4 🇶🇦 Qatar Asia 16.5 66.2 82.7
5 🇧🇼 Botswana Africa 16.3 53.1 69.4
6 🇦🇫 Afghanistan Asia 16.1 50.4 66.5
7 🇦🇪 UAE Asia 15.9 67.3 83.2
8 🇺🇸 U.S. Northern America 15.7 63.9 79.6
9 🇵🇪 Peru Southern America 15.1 63.0 78.1
10 🇱🇧 Lebanon Asia 14.9 63.2 78.1
11 🇳🇦 Namibia Africa 14.9 52.8 67.7
12 🇲🇻 Maldives Asia 14.8 66.7 81.5
13 🇧🇷 Brazil Southern America 14.4 61.8 76.2
14 🇮🇳 India Asia 14.4 58.1 72.5
15 🇲🇿 Mozambique Africa 14.3 49.7 64.0
16 🇮🇷 Iran Asia 14.1 64.0 78.1
17 🇲🇰 North Macedonia Europe 14.0 63.7 77.7
18 🇲🇽 Mexico Americas 14.0 61.4 75.4
19 🇫🇲 Micronesia Oceania 13.9 57.9 71.8
20 🇨🇱 Chile Southern America 13.8 67.7 81.5
21 🇨🇺 Cuba Americas 13.8 64.6 78.4
22 🇪🇷 Eritrea Africa 13.8 55.4 69.2
23 🇸🇰 Slovakia Europe 13.8 64.9 78.7
24 🇿🇦 South Africa Africa 13.7 52.8 66.5
25 🇿🇲 Zambia Africa 13.7 53.0 66.7
26 🇬🇷 Greece Europe 13.6 68.6 82.2
27 🇬🇹 Guatemala Americas 13.6 59.3 72.9
28 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Europe 13.6 62.4 76.0
29 🇸🇷 Suriname Southern America 13.6 60.3 73.9
30 🇦🇺 Australia Oceania 13.6 70.6 84.2
31 🇬🇾 Guyana Southern America 13.6 56.8 70.4
32 🇱🇸 Lesotho Africa 13.6 44.6 58.2
33 🇨🇷 Costa Rica Americas 13.6 67.6 81.2
34 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Asia 13.6 65.6 79.2
35 🇫🇷 France Europe 13.5 70.1 83.6
36 🇺🇾 Uruguay Southern America 13.5 65.0 78.5
37 🇵🇱 Poland Europe 13.5 65.5 79.0
38 🇪🇨 Ecuador Southern America 13.5 64.3 77.8
39 🇨🇿 Czechia Europe 13.4 66.7 80.1
40 🇮🇹 Italy Europe 13.4 70.6 84.0
41 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands Oceania 13.4 57.4 70.8
42 🇧🇸 Bahamas Americas 13.4 61.5 74.9
43 🇲🇦 Morocco Africa 13.4 62.3 75.7
44 🇺🇦 Ukraine Europe 13.3 61.6 74.9
45 🇹🇳 Tunisia Africa 13.3 63.6 76.9
46 🇦🇱 Albania Europe 13.3 66.7 80.0
47 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico Americas 13.3 68.8 82.1
48 🇵🇦 Panama Americas 13.3 66.7 80.0
49 🇷🇸 Serbia Europe 13.2 63.9 77.1
50 🇵🇾 Paraguay Southern America 13.2 60.9 74.1
51 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Europe 13.2 65.0 78.2
52 🇵🇹 Portugal Europe 13.2 69.5 82.7
53 🇭🇳 Honduras Americas 13.2 60.0 73.2
54 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan Asia 13.1 61.6 74.7
55 🇾🇪 Yemen Asia 13.1 56.5 69.6
56 🇻🇺 Vanuatu Oceania 13.1 58.7 71.8
57 🇨🇦 Canada Northern America 13.1 69.8 82.9
58 🇨🇴 Colombia Southern America 13.1 65.0 78.1
59 🇲🇾 Malaysia Asia 13.1 63.9 77.0
60 🇨🇭 Switzerland Europe 13.1 71.1 84.2
61 🇰🇮 Kiribati Oceania 13.1 53.6 66.7
62 🇯🇴 Jordan Asia 13.0 65.1 78.1
63 🇲🇼 Malawi Africa 13.0 54.7 67.7
64 🇰🇼 Kuwait Asia 13.0 67.8 80.8
65 🇬🇧 UK Europe 13.0 68.6 81.6

The lifestyle changes that come with sudden wealth, like sedentary living, processed foods, air conditioning replacing physical activity, seem to create a specific pattern of prolonged morbidity.

The U.S. makes the top 10 as well, the only G7 economy to do. Americans are projected to spend 15.7 of 79.6 expected years in poor health.

Also worth noting is the average life expectancy at birth for all of these aforementioned countries is fairly high. Which means these countries are good at keeping people alive with advanced medical technology.

But they may be failing at keeping them healthy, as if they’ve optimized for extending life rather than living well.

ℹ Related: Qatar and the U.S. also make the list of countries with the highest obesity rates.

Life Expectancies in Low-Income Countries

Several sub-Saharan African nations, including Eswatini, Botswana, and Namibia, also record gaps above 14 years.

Unlike the richer Gulf countries, they face this burden alongside much shorter life expectancies, meaning fewer total healthy years.

Latin American countries such as Peru and Brazil post similar gaps, reflecting both higher infant mortalities and higher disease burdens.

These patterns highlight a central challenge for global health: boosting not only how long people live, but how long they live well.

What is HALE (Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy)?

HALE measures how many years a person can expect to live in good health, defined as free from disabling illness or injury.

HALE matters because it fundamentally reframes what we mean by a “successful” life and healthcare system.

Traditional life expectancy tells us how long people live, but HALE tells us how long they live well.

Those “unhealthy years” are extraordinarily expensive. The U.S. healthcare system’s poor HALE performance means they’re essentially running a massive, costly life-support operation for millions of people.

Countries with better HALE ratios spend less on healthcare while achieving better outcomes because they’re preventing problems rather than managing chronic decline.

ℹ The U.S. has the highest per capita health spending amongst similar high-income countries, with the lowest average life expectancy.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Highest and Lowest Life Expectancy Around the World on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Mapped: Greenest Cities in America in 2025

2025-10-19 22:41:24

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

Map showing the greenest cities in the United States.

Use This Visualization

Mapped: Greenest Cities in America in 2025

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

  • WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 28 key “green” indicators, including air quality, commuting habits, renewable energy use, and green job opportunities.
  • San Jose, CA ranks #1 overall with a total score of 69.44, narrowly edging out Washington, DC (69.26).
  • With strong environmental policies, California leads with eight of the 20 greenest cities.
  • Minneapolis leads in sustainable transportation, supported by bike-friendly streets and walkable neighborhoods.

America’s greenest cities are becoming cleaner, more sustainable, and increasingly urbanized.

This map ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities by their environmental performance across four key categories: environment, transportation, energy sources, and lifestyle and policy. The data for this visualization comes from WalletHub.

California’s Dominance in Urban Sustainability

California continues to lead the way in green urban planning.

Eight of the top 20 cities in the 2025 ranking are in California, including San Jose (#1), Oakland (#3), Irvine (#4), and San Francisco (#5). These cities have implemented ambitious emissions goals, renewable energy programs, and infrastructure investments to reduce reliance on cars.

Ranked (1-100) City Environment Transportation Energy Sources Lifestyle & Policy
1 San Jose, CA 8 18 9 25
2 Washington, DC 14 7 13 8
3 Oakland, CA 15 25 8 6
4 Irvine, CA 4 41 1 11
5 San Francisco, CA 27 5 21 3
6 Honolulu, HI 2 10 32 17
7 San Diego, CA 9 84 10 12
8 Minneapolis, MN 25 1 31 4
9 Portland, OR 51 13 20 2
10 Seattle, WA 54 8 22 5
11 Fremont, CA 1 64 1 46
12 St. Paul, MN 12 12 28 38
13 Denver, CO 80 9 23 1
14 Sacramento, CA 49 35 18 13
15 Boston, MA 11 2 49 34
16 Madison, WI 6 4 56 31
17 Chula Vista, CA 35 94 11 24
18 Anaheim, CA 32 73 1 28
19 Buffalo, NY 47 3 50 16
20 Bakersfield, CA 72 29 1 27

Statewide, California is pushing toward carbon neutrality by 2045, aiming to cut emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. It also plans for 100% zero-emission new car sales by 2035 and 100% clean electricity by 2045, with 60% renewable power by 2030.

Transportation Leaders in the Midwest

Minneapolis (#8) and St. Paul (#12) stand out for their transportation infrastructure. Minneapolis ranks first in the transportation category, supported by extensive bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly design, and efficient public transit options.

Washington, DC performs particularly well in lifestyle and policy measures, ranking 8th in that category. Honolulu (#6) and Portland (#9) also make the top 10.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: Where the Air Quality is Best in Each U.S. State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.