2025-09-13 01:27:15
Data centers are pivotal to America’s digital infrastructure. These huge complexes, which form the backbone of U.S. telecommunication and access to the internet, already consume vast amounts of electricity. However, by 2030, this share of electricity is set to triple.
For this graphic, the third in the Electrification Series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to show how much of America’s electricity data centers will consume in the future.
The consulting firm McKinsey & Company projected in 2024 that power consumption from U.S. data centers will grow rapidly over the next few years.
Below is a table showing the percentage share of all U.S. energy that McKinsey & Company forecast data centers to consume between 2023 and 2030:
| Year | Electricity Demand (TWh) | Share of total U.S. Power Demand (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 147 | 3.7 |
| 2024P | 178 | 4.3 |
| 2025P | 224 | 5.2 |
| 2026P | 292 | 6.5 |
| 2027P | 371 | 8.0 |
| 2028P | 450 | 9.3 |
| 2029P | 513 | 10.3 |
| 2030P | 606 | 11.7 |
American data centers are incredibly power-hungry. In 2023, they demanded 3.7% of all the U.S. power demand.
However, as the demand for advanced AI grows and many more Americans come online, the demand will reach nearly 12% of all U.S. power use. Equating to 606 terawatt-hours of electricity.
In context, the UK consumed half this amount of electricity in 2023.
Data centers form the backbone of U.S. digital infrastructure, connecting America to the global internet, powering telecommunications, and facilitating the most advanced AIs.
U.S. data centers will triple their share of power use by 2030.
Do you want to learn more about electricity demand and electrification?
In the first part of the Electrification Series, we covered which areas of U.S. infrastructure require the most funding. In the second, we explored U.S. electricity demands by sector and projected them to 2050.
Learn more about the Global X Electrification ETF (ZAP).
The U.S. EIA believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge by nearly 50%.
Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, the funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025.
2025-09-13 01:21:20
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge from 3,900 billion kWh in 2024 to 5,800 billion kWh. This would be a 46% boost.
But just what is driving this incredible demand for electricity?
For this graphic, the second in the Electrification Series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to discover why the U.S. demand for electricity will grow by nearly 50% by 2050.
As the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure expands along with the increased electricity demand from data centers and artificial intelligence, the overall demand for electricity in the U.S. will grow dramatically.
Below is a table that uses data from the EIA to compare U.S. electricity demand in 2024 to that in 2050.
| Year | Residential (bil. kWh) |
Commercial (bil. kWh) |
Industrial (bil. kWh) |
Transportation (bil. kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1507.0 | 1397.5 | 1026.4 | 6.8 |
| 2025P | 1488.9 | 1421.4 | 1062.7 | 7.2 |
| 2026P | 1510.2 | 1413.8 | 1071.4 | 7.4 |
| 2027P | 1537.1 | 1432.8 | 1075.6 | 7.5 |
| 2028P | 1560.0 | 1450.0 | 1078.1 | 7.7 |
| 2029P | 1576.1 | 1478.6 | 1084.5 | 7.8 |
| 2030P | 1590.1 | 1502.9 | 1096.7 | 7.9 |
| 2031P | 1601.9 | 1529.6 | 1111.3 | 8.0 |
| 2032P | 1618.3 | 1564.1 | 1134.6 | 8.1 |
| 2033P | 1636.8 | 1598.7 | 1158.9 | 8.1 |
| 2034P | 1658.2 | 1636.7 | 1190.9 | 8.2 |
| 2035P | 1684.0 | 1677.0 | 1224.3 | 8.2 |
| 2036P | 1713.6 | 1719.8 | 1255.3 | 8.3 |
| 2037P | 1745.4 | 1762.4 | 1279.0 | 8.3 |
| 2038P | 1777.4 | 1805.2 | 1299.9 | 8.4 |
| 2039P | 1809.9 | 1848.7 | 1320.0 | 8.5 |
| 2040P | 1840.1 | 1889.8 | 1339.3 | 8.5 |
| 2041P | 1867.8 | 1929.4 | 1356.5 | 8.6 |
| 2042P | 1893.2 | 1966.7 | 1372.7 | 8.6 |
| 2043P | 1916.5 | 2002.4 | 1387.3 | 8.7 |
| 2044P | 1937.6 | 2037.2 | 1398.5 | 8.7 |
| 2045P | 1957.5 | 2072.0 | 1406.2 | 8.7 |
| 2046P | 1975.6 | 2105.6 | 1413.6 | 8.7 |
| 2047P | 1993.2 | 2140.5 | 1425.2 | 8.8 |
| 2048P | 2010.9 | 2176.4 | 1439.2 | 8.8 |
| 2049P | 2029.4 | 2214.1 | 1453.0 | 8.9 |
| 2050P | 2049.2 | 2254.0 | 1467.7 | 9.0 |
By 2050, America’s commercial sector will demand the most electricity of any industry—nearly 2,300 billion kWh. It is also expected to see the most growth in terms of its electricity demand.
The commercial sector will add over 850 billion kWh to its electricity demand by 2050.
America’s future is truly electric. Between 2024 and 2050, the overall demand for electricity in the U.S. will rise by nearly 50%. Increased energy use in the residential and commercial sectors will drive this trend.
Do you want to learn more about electricity demand and electrification?
The third and final part of the Electrification Series focuses on the U.S. data center market. See how much of the nation’s energy demand data centers will consume.
Learn more about the Global X Electrification ETF (ZAP).
As advanced AI adoption surges, U.S. data center demand is projected to reach nearly 12% of the nation’s power.
Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, the funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025.
2025-09-13 01:10:51
Despite many government efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, such as The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act, the U.S. infrastructure funding gap stood at a staggering $3.7 trillion in 2025.
In this graphic, the first in the Electrification Series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the state of U.S. structural funding and discover which areas of infrastructure require the most investment.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) evaluates U.S. infrastructure biennially. In 2025, the organization found that U.S. infrastructure was underfunded by an incredible $3.7 trillion. This contributed to the overall ‘C’ grade the ASCE awarded in the same year.
Here’s how this funding gap breaks down by sector:
| Rank | Sector | Funding Gap ($ billions) | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wastewater & Stormwater | 690 | D+/D |
| 2 | Roads | 684 | D+ |
| 3 | Energy | 578 | D+ |
| 4 | Schools | 429 | D+ |
| 5 | Bridges | 373 | C |
| 6 | Drinking Water | 309 | C- |
| 7 | Dams | 166 | D+ |
| 8 | Transit | 152 | D+ |
| 9 | Aviation | 113 | D+ |
| 10 | Levees | 91 | D+ |
| Other | 105 |
While the ASCE believes the U.S. needs nearly $700 billion to modernize its waste and stormwater sectors. This is the most of any industry. An area of significant concern is U.S. energy and utilities.
By 2040, the U.S. electricity demand is projected to skyrocket by 47%. This increase is due to the aggressive expansion of data centers nationwide, the adoption of EVs, and the ever-growing demand for advanced AI.
While much of the U.S. backbone needs funding to bring it into the 21st century, America’s incredible demand for energy has created tailwinds in the energy sector and opportunities for savvy investors.
Are you interested in learning more about the electricity demand and electrification?
In the second part of the Electrification Series, we explore the driving forces behind the surge in demand for U.S. power.
Learn more about the Global X Electrification ETF (ZAP).
As advanced AI adoption surges, U.S. data center demand is projected to reach nearly 12% of the nation’s power.
The U.S. EIA believes that by 2050, U.S. power demand will surge by nearly 50%.
2025-09-13 01:01:02
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.
Africa is urbanizing at an impressive pace, with cities growing rapidly in both population and geographical footprint. This expansion has reshaped economies, infrastructure, and regional dynamics.
To see what this change looks like, we’ve visualized the amount of built-up land across Africa at two points in time: 1975 and 2025 (projected).
The data for this visualization comes from the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL), a programme of the European Union. It tracks the spatial growth of urban settlements, showing how population centers have expanded since 1975 and projecting trends through 2025.
Please note that the GHSL dataset is not in a format that can be shown in a table. Instead, we’ve listed Africa’s top 20 cities (metro areas) by population below.
| City | Country | Population (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo |
 Egypt |
23,074,200 |
| Kinshasa |
 DR Congo |
17,778,500 |
| Lagos |
 Nigeria |
17,156,400 |
| Luanda |
 Angola |
10,027,900 |
| Dar es Salaam |
 Tanzania |
8,561,520 |
| Khartoum |
 Sudan |
6,754,180 |
| Johannesburg |
 South Africa |
6,444,580 |
| Abidjan |
 Ivory Coast |
6,056,880 |
| Addis Ababa |
 Ethiopia |
5,956,680 |
| Alexandria |
Egypt |
5,807,050 |
| Nairobi |
 Kenya |
5,766,990 |
| Cape Town |
South Africa |
5,063,580 |
| Yaounde |
 Cameroon |
4,854,260 |
| Kano |
Nigeria |
4,645,320 |
| Douala |
Cameroon |
4,346,420 |
| Kampala |
 Uganda |
4,265,160 |
| Antananarivo |
 Madagascar |
4,228,980 |
| Abuja |
Nigeria |
4,209,940 |
| Ibadan |
Nigeria |
4,144,130 |
| Kumasi |
 Ghana |
4,036,230 |
| Casablanca |
 Morocco |
4,012,310 |
| Port Harcourt |
Nigeria |
3,793,780 |
| Dakar |
 Senegal |
3,658,640 |
Cairo (Egypt), Kinshasa (DRC), and Lagos (Nigeria) dominate the continent’s urban hierarchy. Cairo leads with over 23 million people, while Kinshasa and Lagos each surpass 17 million.
These cities have grown into global-scale megacities, pulling in migration from rural areas and smaller towns.
Their growth also reflects broader trends of economic opportunity and population pressure. For example, Egypt and Nigeria are two of Africa’s top countries by GDP.
Urban sprawl in Africa is most pronounced in the southern part of the continent, contrasting sharply with sparsely populated regions such as the Sahara.
The Sahara, Sahel, and parts of the Congo Basin act as natural barriers to urban sprawl. Coastal hubs and river valleys attract concentrated populations, while deserts and arid zones remain largely empty.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Five Countries Responsible for Half of African GDP on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-09-12 22:22:24
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.
As countries develop, their electricity demands tend to rise sharply, especially in industrial and urban areas.
This visualization highlights how electricity consumption per person compares across the world’s major economies. It also shows how these patterns have evolved in recent decades, with some surprising shifts.
The data for this visualization comes from Ember’s Electricity Data Explorer. It shows 2024 per capita electricity consumption across major global economies, compared to 2000 figures.
Canada ranks first in electricity use per person, with consumption at 15,708 kWh in 2024. This high level is due to energy-intensive industries like mining and aluminum production, as well as heating needs during its long winters.
The United States follows at 12,741 kWh per person, reflecting the country’s sprawling infrastructure, high air-conditioning use, and heavy industry.
China’s per capita electricity use reached 7,097 kWh in 2024, compared to 1,061 kWh in 2000. This rise has been fueled by industrialization, urbanization, and rising living standards.
| Rank | Country | 2000 Demand per capita (kWh) |
2024 Demand per capita (kWh) |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Canada |
18,386 | 15,708 | -14.6% |
| 2 |
 US |
13,627 | 12,741 | -6.5% |
| 3 |
 South Korea |
6,211 | 12,092 | +94.7% |
| 4 |
 Australia |
11,333 | 10,543 | -7.0% |
| 5 |
 Russia |
5,887 | 8,237 | +39.9% |
| 6 |
 Japan |
8,657 | 8,213 | -5.1% |
| 7 |
 China |
1,061 | 7,097 | +568.9% |
| 8 |
 France |
7,785 | 7,028 | -9.7% |
| 9 |
 Germany |
6,993 | 5,984 | -14.4% |
| 10 |
 Spain |
5,494 | 5,639 | +2.6% |
| 11 |
 Italy |
5,488 | 5,316 | -3.1% |
| 12 |
 United Kingdom |
6,625 | 4,590 | -30.7% |
| 13 |
 Brazil |
2,252 | 3,589 | +59.4% |
| 14 |
 Mexico |
2,073 | 2,736 | +32.0% |
| 15 |
 India |
541 | 1,397 | +158.2% |
 World |
2,476 | 3,788 | +53.0% |
Notably, China now consumes more electricity per person than the UK, France, and even Germany.
Most European countries fall in the mid-range, with Germany at 5,984 kWh and the UK at just 4,590 kWh per capita.
Developing countries like India (1,397 kWh) and Mexico (2,736 kWh) remain far below the global average of 3,788 kWh per person. As these countries develop, their electricity consumption is expected to rise steadily.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What Powered the World in 2024? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-09-12 19:49:42
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.
America loves to tally its billionaires and track the S&P’s every tick, but the millions struggling to cover rent or stock the fridge rarely make the headline scroll.
Poverty is the country’s most persistent invisibility cloak, present in every zip code, yet ignored in a culture that equates success with worth.
In this chart we break down where the poor in America actually live, ranked by each state.
Data for this visualization is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.
It averages three years of Current Population Survey results (2021-2023) to estimate how many residents in each state live below the federal poverty line.
Read the last section for more information on their methodology.
Four populous states—California, Texas, Florida, and New York—account for 13.5 million low-income residents, or more than one-third of all Americans in poverty.
California alone has 4.5 million people struggling to make ends meet, roughly the population of metropolitan Phoenix.
| Rank | State | # in Poverty (Thousands, Sortable) |
# in Poverty (Readable) |
Share of All Americans in Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,521 | 4.5M | 12.0 |
| 2 | Texas | 3,910 | 3.9M | 10.4 |
| 3 | Florida | 2,782 | 2.8M | 7.4 |
| 4 | New York | 2,349 | 2.3M | 6.2 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 1,416 | 1.4M | 3.8 |
| 6 | Georgia | 1,400 | 1.4M | 3.7 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 1,351 | 1.4M | 3.6 |
| 8 | Ohio | 1,272 | 1.3M | 3.4 |
| 9 | Illinois | 1,245 | 1.2M | 3.3 |
| 10 | Michigan | 1,186 | 1.2M | 3.2 |
| 11 | Arizona | 903 | 903K | 2.4 |
| 12 | Louisiana | 853 | 853K | 2.3 |
| 13 | Virginia | 783 | 783K | 2.1 |
| 14 | New Jersey | 776 | 776K | 2.1 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 744 | 744K | 2.0 |
| 16 | Alabama | 727 | 727K | 1.9 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 699 | 699K | 1.9 |
| 18 | Missouri | 675 | 675K | 1.8 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 673 | 673K | 1.8 |
| 20 | Indiana | 659 | 659K | 1.8 |
| 21 | Washington | 658 | 658K | 1.7 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | 604 | 604K | 1.6 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 589 | 589K | 1.6 |
| 24 | Maryland | 524 | 524K | 1.4 |
| 25 | Mississippi | 501 | 501K | 1.3 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 490 | 490K | 1.3 |
| 27 | Arkansas | 473 | 473K | 1.3 |
| 28 | Colorado | 473 | 473K | 1.3 |
| 29 | Oregon | 415 | 415K | 1.1 |
| 30 | Minnesota | 409 | 409K | 1.1 |
| 31 | Nevada | 409 | 409K | 1.1 |
| 32 | New Mexico | 388 | 388K | 1.0 |
| 33 | Connecticut | 318 | 318K | 0.8 |
| 34 | Iowa | 287 | 287K | 0.8 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 268 | 268K | 0.7 |
| 36 | Kansas | 255 | 255K | 0.7 |
| 37 | Utah | 226 | 226K | 0.6 |
| 38 | Idaho | 172 | 172K | 0.5 |
| 39 | Nebraska | 165 | 165K | 0.4 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 133 | 133K | 0.4 |
| 41 | Maine | 120 | 120K | 0.3 |
| 42 | Montana | 109 | 109K | 0.3 |
| 43 | Delaware | 98 | 98K | 0.3 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 98 | 98K | 0.3 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 96 | 96K | 0.3 |
| 46 | District of Columbia | 88 | 88K | 0.2 |
| 47 | Alaska | 74 | 74K | 0.2 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 74 | 74K | 0.2 |
| 49 | North Dakota | 72 | 72K | 0.2 |
| 50 | Vermont | 49 | 49K | 0.1 |
| 51 | Wyoming | 49 | 49K | 0.1 |
| N/A |
U.S. |
37,610 | 37.6M | N/A |
While the Golden State’s higher cost of living may impact this figure, it also underscores how expensive housing can compound economic hardship, even in high-income states.
A fair criticism of this visualization is that it doesn’t account for population.
We previously mapped out poverty rates by state in the country to help cover this angle. The table below has the relevant figures.
| Rank | State | State Code | Share of Population in Poverty |
# in Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | LA | 18.9% | 853K |
| 2 | New Mexico | NM | 18.5% | 388K |
| 3 | Mississippi | MS | 17.3% | 501K |
| 4 | Arkansas | AR | 15.8% | 473K |
| 5 | Kentucky | KY | 15.7% | 699K |
| 6 | West Virginia | WV | 15.3% | 268K |
| 7 | Oklahoma | OK | 14.9% | 589K |
| 8 | Alabama | AL | 14.6% | 727K |
| 9 | District of Columbia | DC | 13.4% | 88K |
| 10 | North Carolina | NC | 13.2% | 1.4M |
| 11 | Texas | TX | 13.1% | 3.9M |
| 12 | Georgia | GA | 12.9% | 1.4M |
| 13 | Nevada | NV | 12.9% | 409K |
| 14 | South Carolina | SC | 12.7% | 673K |
| 15 | Florida | FL | 12.5% | 2.8M |
| 16 | Arizona | AZ | 12.4% | 903K |
| 17 | New York | NY | 12.1% | 2.3M |
| 18 | Michigan | MI | 11.9% | 1.2M |
| 19 | California | CA | 11.7% | 4.5M |
| 20 | Missouri | MO | 11.1% | 675K |
| 21 | Ohio | OH | 10.9% | 1.3M |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | PA | 10.7% | 1.4M |
| 23 | Tennessee | TN | 10.6% | 744K |
| 24 | Alaska | AK | 10.4% | 74K |
| 25 | Illinois | IL | 10% | 1.2M |
| 26 | Oregon | OR | 9.8% | 415K |
| 27 | Indiana | IN | 9.7% | 659K |
| 28 | Montana | MT | 9.7% | 109K |
| 29 | Delaware | DE | 9.6% | 98K |
| 30 | Hawaii | HI | 9.3% | 133K |
| 31 | North Dakota | ND | 9.3% | 72K |
| 32 | Virginia | VA | 9.2% | 783K |
| 33 | Iowa | IA | 9% | 287K |
| 34 | Idaho | ID | 8.9% | 172K |
| 35 | Kansas | KS | 8.9% | 255K |
| 36 | Rhode Island | RI | 8.9% | 96K |
| 37 | Connecticut | CT | 8.8% | 318K |
| 38 | Massachusetts | MA | 8.8% | 604K |
| 39 | Maine | ME | 8.7% | 120K |
| 40 | Wyoming | WY | 8.6% | 49K |
| 41 | Maryland | MD | 8.5% | 524K |
| 42 | Washington | WA | 8.5% | 658K |
| 43 | Nebraska | NE | 8.4% | 165K |
| 44 | New Jersey | NJ | 8.4% | 776K |
| 45 | Wisconsin | WI | 8.4% | 490K |
| 46 | South Dakota | SD | 8.3% | 74K |
| 47 | Colorado | CO | 8.2% | 473K |
| 48 | Vermont | VT | 7.7% | 49K |
| 49 | Minnesota | MN | 7.2% | 409K |
| 50 | New Hampshire | NH | 7.1% | 98K |
| 51 | Utah | UT | 6.7% | 226K |
| N/A | U.S. | US | 11.4% | 37.6M |
In fact, California’s poverty rate is 12%, solidly middle of the pack.
But its 4.6 million poor residents are larger than the entire state of Oklahoma.
By contrast, Mississippi’s headline-grabbing 17% rate represents about 500,000 people.
Thus, a national food-assistance program needs almost nine times the meal budget for California, even though Mississippi is poorer than California.
Even within similar rate bands, scale varies wildly: Louisiana (18.9%) has 853,000 million people in poverty, compared with 388,000 in New Mexico (18.5%).
Thus, absolute numbers are also necessary to flag where to park mobile clinics, expand SNAP distribution sites, and hire caseworkers.
The way the Census Bureau calculates this line is important and can impact the data.
They use pretax household income against a threshold at three times the cost of a minimum food diet from 1963, adjusted for family size and inflation.
For reference, this is a quick guide on how much a household needs to be earning to be considered below the poverty line in 2023.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What is Costs to Buy a Home in America on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
