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2026-01-18 03:22:00

Mapped: Firearm Deaths by State

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.

Firearm-related deaths remain a major public health issue in the United States, but their prevalence differs sharply from state to state. Factors such as gun ownership rates, demographics, urbanization, and access to healthcare all play a role in shaping these outcomes.

This map highlights firearm death rates per 100,000 people. The data for this visualization comes from the CDC via USAFacts. Firearm deaths include homicides, suicides, and accidental shootings

Lowest Rates Concentrated in the Northeast and Hawaii

Hawaii reports the lowest firearm death rate in the country at 3.8 per 100,000 people. Several Northeastern states, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, also fall near the bottom of the ranking.

These states tend to have lower gun ownership rates and denser urban populations, factors often associated with fewer firearm-related deaths overall.

Higher Rates Across the South and Mountain West

At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi has the highest firearm death rate at 28.1 per 100,000 people. Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico, Alaska, and Wyoming also rank near the top.

Many of these states have higher rates of gun ownership and larger rural populations, where firearm-related suicides account for a significant share of deaths.

Washington, D.C. Stands Out

Washington, D.C. records a firearm death rate of 20.4 per 100,000—higher than most states. As a dense urban area, its rate reflects different dynamics than rural states, including concentrated violent crime rather than firearm suicides.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: The Highest Homicide Rates in the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-01-18 00:26:00

Published

12 hours ago

on

January 17, 2026

By

Julia Wendling

Graphics & Design

• Athul Alexander

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The following content is sponsored by OANDA

How the Gold Rally Is Playing Out Around the World

Key Takeaways

• Gold has surged worldwide, not just in U.S. dollar terms where the metal has gained 64.5%.
• Even stronger currencies like the Swiss franc (+44.1%) and euro (+45.5%) still saw substantial gains in gold.
• Currency moves and global rate cut expectations will be key drivers of gold’s next phase.

Gold’s breakout in 2025 has been striking in U.S. dollar terms, but the rally looks even more compelling when viewed across global currencies.

In partnership with OANDA, this visualization compares gold’s rally across different currencies. Which ones are rising the fastest? 

The Gold Rally Through a Global Lens

This chart indexes gold prices in major currencies, revealing how broadly the metal’s surge has played out worldwide. Even in regions with relatively resilient currencies (such as the euro and Swiss franc) gold has posted solid double-digit gains, underscoring the strength of the underlying move.

Currency	Gold Prices December 2025	Gold Price Performance 2025 (% change)
USD	4,315.09	64.5
EUR	3,686.22	45.5
GBP	3,216.17	53.4
JPY	677,956.00	64.4
CHF	3,430.90	44.1
CNY	30,274.60	58.1

The rally has been even more dramatic in countries where currencies have faced greater pressure. In the U.S., for example, gold prices rose more dramatically than in other countries. This divergence highlights how local currency performance can amplify or dampen gold’s returns, even when the underlying global price is moving in tandem.

The Role of Currency and Monetary Policy

These differences point to a key dynamic for investors: gold’s performance is tightly linked to foreign exchange. When a currency weakens, the local price of gold tends to rise more quickly, effectively delivering an FX-driven boost to returns. Conversely, in markets with stronger currencies, gold can still perform well, but gains are typically more muted.

Looking ahead, expectations for global rate cuts could play a pivotal role in shaping gold’s next phase. Easing monetary policy often weighs on currencies while improving gold’s relative appeal as a store of value. As central banks move at different speeds, shifts in currency strength may become just as important as movements in the U.S. dollar gold price itself.

What This Means Going Forward

As 2026 starts, gold’s global performance will likely hinge on the interplay between currency moves and monetary policy, not just the metal’s price in dollar terms.

Note: Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Related Topics: #USD #oanda #chf #cny #jpy #currencies #xau #u.s. dollar #fx #currency #gold

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2026-01-17 23:21:24

Mapped: Countries that Earn the Most from Foreign Visitors

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.

Each year, the global tourism economy generates trillions in revenue as travelers explore new destinations and revisit old favorites. According to UN Tourism data, international tourist receipts reached a total of $1.74 trillion in 2024, which is up 14% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Visual creator Iswardi Ishak mapped the countries that benefit most from this spending, revealing which economies gain the most from foreign visitors.

Here’s a closer look at the data:

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. leads by a wide margin, earning $215 billion from international visitors. Europe dominates the top ranks, with Spain ($106.5 billion), the UK ($82.5 billion), France ($77 billion), and Italy ($58.7 billion) all drawing in major tourism income. Japan ($54.7 billion), China ($39.7 billion), and Thailand ($42.7 billion) round out Asia’s biggest earners.

Why Some Countries Earn More Than Others

Tourism receipts depend on several factors: not just the number of visitors, but how much each tourist spends. The U.S., for example, combines high visitor volumes with high average spending. Meanwhile, countries like Maldives or Jamaica may have smaller absolute totals but are far more dependent on tourism as a share of GDP.

In Europe, cultural heritage, high-speed transportation, and proximity to major markets help countries rack up significant tourist spending. Spain, which now outpaces even France, offers an unusually wide range of tourism experiences, from world‑class beaches and island archipelagos to historic cities, gastronomy, and cultural heritage. This diversity helps attract visitors year‑round and from multiple source markets. As a result, the country became the most-visited nation in the EU in 2024.

Tourism in Conflict Zones: The Ukraine Example

One of the more surprising figures in the dataset is Ukraine’s $1B in international tourism receipts. Despite the ongoing war, some regions of the country, particularly in the west, have remained relatively stable and open to humanitarian, business, and diaspora-related travel. Ukrainians returning to visit family and international volunteers have contributed to tourism-like spending, even under extraordinary conditions.

2026-01-17 21:01:52

Mapped: Each State’s Average Grocery Bill as a Share of Income

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.

Groceries eat up a significant part of your paycheck, but the impact is felt differently across states.

Despite having among the highest grocery prices in the country, Californians spend only 6.8% of income on grocery bills versus the 8.1% U.S. average. In many Southern states, meanwhile, lower median household incomes push grocery spending to a larger share of earnings.

This graphic shows the average grocery bill by state as a share of income, based on analysis from GOBankingRates.

The Average Grocery Bill Hits Hardest in Mississippi

Below, we show average grocery spending relative to median household income by state. Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey as of July 8, 2025.

With $54,915 in median household income and $5,805 in average annual grocery costs, Mississippi residents spend 10.6% of income at the supermarket.

Compared to July 2024, grocery costs have increased 5.7% across the state. Making matters worse, the state has high levels of poverty, with nearly one in five households facing food insecurity.

As we can see, eight of the top 10 states with the highest grocery spending relative income are in the South, including West Virginia, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Montana (#9) stands out as an exception. While its median household income is higher at $69,922, residents still spend $6,325 annually on groceries. Between July 2024 and July 2025, grocery spending in the state jumped 9.5%, one of the fastest increases nationwide.

By contrast, Massachusetts has the lowest grocery burden overall, largely due to its high median household income of $101,341. As a result, grocery spending accounts for just 6.1% of income.

Overall, states with the lowest grocery cost burden tend to have median household incomes above $90,000 and are primarily concentrated in the West and Northeast.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the global cities with the most expensive groceries.

2026-01-17 01:55:41

Visualized: The Cost of Everyday Things in China vs. the U.S.

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.

From broadband to Big Macs, the price of everyday essentials can vary dramatically depending on where you live.

This visual, by Julie Peasley, compares the cost of 20+ common items in China and the United States using data from Numbeo, the world’s largest crowdsourced cost-of-living database.

The chart offers a direct side-by-side view of consumer prices in U.S. dollars, giving insight into which country is more affordable across key spending categories. While the U.S. boasts higher average salaries, China’s everyday living expenses are very low.

Here’s a detailed look at the dataset used in the visualization:

The biggest shock? Broadband internet in the U.S. costs over $72/month, compared to just $11 in China. Yet for some essentials, the tables turn: milk and gasoline are both more expensive in China, despite its typical cost structure.

Housing, Utilities, and Connectivity: Cheap in China

When it comes to fixed monthly costs, China is significantly cheaper. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in a city center costs $559 in China versus $1,747 in the U.S., a nearly 70% discount.

Likewise, basic utilities like electricity, heating, and garbage removal for an 85 m² apartment are just $52 per month in China, while Americans shell out over $210 on average. This massive difference is partly due to government subsidies and lower energy costs in China’s urban centers.

Food and Dining: Affordable Meals, but Not Always Cheaper Groceries

In China, an inexpensive restaurant meal costs just $2.84, versus $20 in the U.S., while a McDonald’s combo meal is less than half the price.

However, grocery items tell a more nuanced story. A gallon of milk in China costs $6.77, which is well above the U.S. average of $4. Meanwhile, a dozen eggs are $1.57 in China compared to $4.41 in the United States. Pricing discrepancies like this often stem from differing production models and import dependencies.

Salaries vs. Spending Power

The U.S. may be more expensive, but it also pays more: the average monthly salary after tax in the U.S. is $4,276, compared to just $1,007 in China. While this gap is significant, lower prices in China offset much of the income disparity, offering residents stronger local purchasing power for basic needs.

Still, U.S. consumers benefit from better affordability in certain categories like cigarettes, gasoline, and even gym memberships, which suggests the cost balance isn’t universally tilted.

For a wider global context, see our earlier piece: Mapped: The Global Cost of Living Index (2025).

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Explore even more global cost-of-living data in this post: Ranked: U.S. Cities With the Highest Cost of Living.

2026-01-16 23:17:06

Mapped: Paid Vacation Days Across Europe

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.

Europe is widely known for its generous work-life balance policies, and paid time off is a major part of that reputation. Across the continent, employees are legally entitled to a combination of paid vacation days and public holidays, with totals varying widely by country.

This map shows the minimum total number of paid leave days in Europe in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from World Population Review.

Europe’s Most Generous Leave Policies

Several countries stand out for offering more than 40 days of paid leave annually. Andorra tops the ranking with 45 days, including 31 paid vacation days and 14 paid public holidays.

Countries such as France, Luxembourg, Malta, and Russia also provide more than 40 days of total paid leave.

Country	Minimum Paid Leave
Andorra	45
Russia	42.5
France	42
Luxembourg	42
Malta	41
Albania	40
Georgia	39
Estonia	39
Austria	38
Iceland	38
Denmark	37.5
Ukraine	37
Romania	37
Spain	36
Poland	36
Finland	36
Armenia	36
Norway	35
Bosnia and Herzegovina	35
Sweden	34
Slovakia	34
Lithuania	34
Cyprus	34
Czechia	33
Hungary	33
Belarus	33
Croatia	33
Slovenia	33
Italy	32
Bulgaria	32
Latvia	32
North Macedonia	32
Portugal	31
Serbia	31
Germany	30
Belgium	30
Ireland	30
UK	29
Greece	29
Netherlands	28
Switzerland	27
Turkey	26.5
Montenegro	21
Moldova	20
Jersey	19
San Marino	10

The regional average sits at 33 days, and many countries fall close to this level. Nations such as Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, and Belarus offer between 32 and 34 days of paid leave per year.

Lower Leave Totals at Europe’s Edges

At the lower end of the spectrum, San Marino offers the fewest paid leave days at just 10, followed by Jersey, Moldova, and Montenegro, all of which fall well below the European average.

Meanwhile, countries like Germany, Belgium, and Ireland sit near the middle, offering around 30 days of total paid leave—still higher than many non-European economies.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Rise of Senior Populations by Region on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.