2026-02-18 03:39:13
Rebuilding after disasters, from hurricanes and floods to wildfires and tornadoes, is becoming significantly more costly across America. Which inputs are driving this trend?
This visualization, created in partnership with Inigo, provides visual context to the rising cost of rebuilding, using data from FRED.
According to Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), prices for key construction inputs for new houses and buildings have climbed sharply since 2019. Fabricated metals are up 46.8%, cement 47.4%, and labor costs 31.5%.
| Input | Change since Jan 2019 (%) |
|---|---|
| Fabricated metals | 46.8 |
| Cement | 47.4 |
| Lumber | 26.5 |
| Labor | 31.5 |
While the pandemic initially triggered these increases through supply chain disruptions and shortages, prices have remained elevated due to sustained demand for skilled labor, climate-driven rebuilding, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
These higher costs are reshaping recovery timelines and insurance exposure. In many cases, federal requirements (such as rebuilding to current codes to qualify for FEMA funding) push costs even higher.
For property risk teams, the implication is clear: each insured dollar now rebuilds less than it did just a few years ago. That widening recovery gap amplifies the economic impact of every disaster, making accurate valuation, coverage limits, and risk pricing more critical than ever.
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From climate volatility to economic and technological shifts, a wide range of forces are reshaping property risk in the U.S.
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Weight loss drugs have surged in popularity in recent years, transforming the pharmaceutical landscape. Which brands are dominating this space?
The pharmaceutical industry has made enormous strides in treating—and even curing—a wide range of diseases and conditions. Which areas are seeing the most R&D in 2025?
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Some of the largest digital heists didn’t rely on brute-force hacking, they exploited the weakest link in security: human trust.
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From money laundering to fraud, financial crime acts as a drain on the economy, totaling an incredible $3.1 trillion.
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2026-02-18 02:46:38
Most breaches don’t start with a rare software exploit. Instead, attackers often gain access by taking over identity and using it like a master key.
This graphic, in partnership with Unit 42 by Palo Alto Networks, shows how cyberattackers gain access by exploiting identity paths, based on data from Unit 42 incident-response investigations.
Here is a table that summarizes the main identity-driven routes attackers use to gain access.
| Initial Access 1 | Initial Access 2 | Initial Access 3 | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Other | 35% |
| Identity-based techniques | Identity-based social engineering | Identify-based phishing | 22% |
| Identity-based techniques | Identity-based social engineering | Other social engineering | 11% |
| Identity-based techniques | Credential misuse and brute force | Credential misuse | 13% |
| Identity-based techniques | Credential misuse and brute force | Brute force | 8% |
| Identity-based techniques | Identity policy and insider risk | Insider threats | 8% |
| Identity-based techniques | Identity policy and insider risk | IAM misconfigurations | 3% |
In the past year, Unit 42 found identity weaknesses played a material role in 90% of investigations. As SaaS and cloud use grow, identity now acts as the perimeter.
Here, “identity-driven” specifically means abusing credentials, sessions, multi-factor workarounds, or permissions to look legitimate. Because that activity blends in, defenders often lose precious time.
Identity-based techniques drive 65% of initial access in Unit 42’s casework. However, many organizations still focus more on patching than authentication, and many still repeat common cybersecurity mistakes that attackers exploit.
Social engineering leads at 33%, including phishing designed to bypass MFA and hijack sessions. Meanwhile, credential misuse and brute-force attacks account for 21%, and policy or insider abuse accounts for 11%.
Once attackers log in, they can escalate privileges and move laterally with fewer alarms. In turn, Unit 42 found 99% of 680,000 cloud identities held excessive permissions.
Token theft and risky OAuth grants also let adversaries persist without repeated logins. Consequently, one over-privileged human or machine identity can expand the blast radius quickly.
Start with phishing-resistant MFA such as passkeys or FIDO2 keys for high-value roles. Next, rotate machine credentials, shorten sessions, and shift admins to just-in-time elevation.
You can also connect identity telemetry across cloud and SaaS to spot unusual access chains sooner.
Explore the most common passwords globally, and see why predictable choices make accounts vulnerable to hacking.
The world’s most surveilled cities contain hundreds of thousands of cameras. View this infographic to see the data in perspective.
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Mass surveillance is becoming the status quo. This map dives into the countries where facial recognition technology is in place, and how it’s used.
Buoyed by innovation and user-friendly experiences, biometric security measures will soon be a mainstream method of keeping your online accounts safe.
Freedom of speech on the internet has been on decline for eight consecutive years. We visualize the death spiral to show who limits speech the most.
2026-02-18 02:17:21
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.
In 2012, America’s public pension system reached a demographic tipping point: retirees began to outnumber the active workers funding them.
More than a decade later, that reversal remains in place. As Americans live longer and public workforce growth slows, pension systems are paying out more in benefits than they collect from contributors, increasing their reliance on investment returns to stay funded.
This visualization, using data from the Equable Institute, tracks the number of active public employees contributing to pension systems versus retirees receiving benefits from 2001 to 2024.
In 2001, there were 12.7 million active workers supporting 7.6 million retirees. However, by 2012, retirees (13.3 million) surpassed active workers (13.2 million).
Since then, the gap has widened. By 2023, there were 19.5 million retirees compared to 13.7 million active workers. Although 2024 shows a modest rebound in active workers to 14.5 million, retirees still significantly outnumber contributors.
| Year | Active Workers (Millions) | Retirees (Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 12.7 | 7.6 |
| 2002 | 12.9 | 8.0 |
| 2003 | 13.0 | 8.7 |
| 2004 | 12.9 | 9.3 |
| 2005 | 13.2 | 9.9 |
| 2006 | 13.2 | 10.6 |
| 2007 | 13.5 | 10.9 |
| 2008 | 13.7 | 11.3 |
| 2009 | 13.7 | 11.8 |
| 2010 | 13.7 | 12.3 |
| 2011 | 13.4 | 12.7 |
| 2012 | 13.2 | 13.3 |
| 2013 | 13.0 | 13.9 |
| 2014 | 13.1 | 14.3 |
| 2015 | 13.3 | 14.7 |
| 2016 | 13.3 | 15.3 |
| 2017 | 13.6 | 15.5 |
| 2018 | 13.5 | 16.3 |
| 2019 | 13.2 | 16.6 |
| 2020 | 13.5 | 16.6 |
| 2021 | 13.1 | 17.6 |
| 2022 | 13.4 | 18.8 |
| 2023 | 13.7 | 19.5 |
| 2024 | 14.5 | 18.8 |
Pension systems rely on three main funding sources: employee contributions, employer contributions, and investment income. When active workers decline relative to retirees, contribution inflows shrink while benefit payments rise.
This creates a funding gap: benefit payments exceed contributions from active workers. To cover the difference, pension funds must rely more heavily on investment returns, increasing exposure to market volatility.
Longer retirements mean benefits are paid out for more years per beneficiary. At the same time, slower public workforce growth limits the base of contributors supporting those payments. Even strong investment years may not fully offset this structural shift.
For policymakers, the challenge is balancing sustainability with benefit security. Options often include contribution adjustments, benefit reforms, or changes to investment strategies.
The growing retiree population reflects broader aging trends across the U.S., which are reshaping public finances at both the state and local level.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Which States Have The Highest Share of Retirement-Age Workers? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-02-17 23:22:22
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.
The AI boom isn’t just about chatbots and software. It’s also creating thousands of jobs tied to the physical infrastructure that powers large-scale computing.
As companies race to build data centers and expand AI capacity, employment tied to AI infrastructure has climbed to 482,716 jobs nationwide, according to 2025 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
This map ranks all 50 states by AI and data center employment, highlighting where this fast-growing segment of the tech economy has taken root—and which states have built the deepest talent bases.
California leads the nation with 81,577 AI and data center jobs, accounting for about 17% of the U.S. total.
While California dominates in total jobs, Washington ranks first on a per capita basis, with 289.8 roles per 100,000 residents. This is partially thanks to being home base to companies like Microsoft and Amazon.
| Rank | State | Data Center and AI Jobs (2025) |
Per capita (Jobs per 100k population) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 81,577 | 204.5 |
| 2 | Texas | 48,029 | 148.2 |
| 3 | Florida | 28,682 | 118.0 |
| 4 | New York | 27,849 | 138.4 |
| 5 | Georgia | 24,137 | 211.5 |
| 6 | Washington | 23,650 | 289.8 |
| 7 | Virginia | 20,434 | 228.0 |
| 8 | Illinois | 16,625 | 129.4 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 16,047 | 164.7 |
| 10 | Missouri | 14,520 | 229.7 |
| 11 | Colorado | 13,290 | 219.0 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 13,060 | 98.9 |
| 13 | Ohio | 13,016 | 108.5 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 12,439 | 109.3 |
| 15 | Arizona | 10,936 | 140.2 |
| 16 | Michigan | 10,214 | 99.6 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 10,128 | 139.2 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 8,377 | 139.1 |
| 19 | Utah | 8,276 | 228.3 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 7,918 | 107.2 |
| 21 | Oregon | 7,653 | 177.6 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 7,313 | 124.5 |
| 23 | Maryland | 5,491 | 86.4 |
| 24 | Connecticut | 4,408 | 117.9 |
| 25 | Arkansas | 4,048 | 129.5 |
| 26 | South Carolina | 4,010 | 70.8 |
| 27 | Indiana | 3,931 | 56.1 |
| 28 | Alabama | 3,791 | 72.4 |
| 29 | Kentucky | 3,684 | 79.0 |
| 30 | Iowa | 3,545 | 107.8 |
| 31 | Louisiana | 3,234 | 70.0 |
| 32 | Nevada | 3,045 | 90.3 |
| 33 | Kansas | 2,537 | 84.3 |
| 34 | Nebraska | 2,205 | 108.1 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | 2,128 | 149.6 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | 1,650 | 39.7 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 1,636 | 233.7 |
| 38 | Idaho | 1,271 | 61.6 |
| 39 | West Virginia | 1,195 | 67.6 |
| 40 | Mississippi | 1,132 | 38.5 |
| 41 | New Mexico | 998 | 46.5 |
| 42 | Maine | 809 | 57.1 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 696 | 61.6 |
| 44 | Hawaii | 534 | 36.7 |
| 45 | Delaware | 516 | 47.6 |
| 46 | Montana | 516 | 44.9 |
| 47 | Vermont | 484 | 74.7 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 404 | 43.1 |
| 49 | North Dakota | 313 | 38.6 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 216 | 36.4 |
| 51 | Alaska | 119 | 15.9 |
| -- |
 U.S. Totals |
482,716 | 139.2 |
More populous states like Texas (48,029), Florida (28,682), and New York (27,849) are all at the top of the leaderboard in absolute terms. That said, the latter two (Florida and New York) are actually below average in per capita terms.
When sorting the list in per capita terms, the states Utah, Missouri, and Virginia stand out—all making the top five.
Virginia has the world’s largest concentration of data centers (Northern Virginia’s “Data Center Alley”), driven by hyperscalers, federal demand, and dense fiber connectivity.
Utah is known in the tech industry as “Silicon Slopes”, with a budding startup ecosystem, strong SaaS presence, and tax-friendly policies for data center investment.
Finally, Missouri is an emerging Midwest tech hub with growing cloud, geospatial intelligence, and defense-tech activity, supported by low-cost power and central U.S. connectivity.
Learn more about data center electricity demand by region in this visualization on Voronoi.
2026-02-17 21:06:36
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.
What powers your state or province?
The answer depends heavily on where you live. While natural gas dominates much of the United States, Canada generates two-thirds of its electricity from renewables, largely thanks to hydro power.
This map shows the single largest source of electricity generation in every U.S. state and Canadian province and territory, as of September 2025. The data for this visualization comes from the Canadian Centre for Energy Information and Ember.
Overall, renewables account for 67% of the power mix in Canada, compared to 22% in the United States.
Natural gas is the leading source of electricity in over half of U.S. states. From Texas and Florida to Pennsylvania and Virginia, gas-fired power plants anchor local grids.
This shift reflects the shale boom of the past 15 years, which made gas abundant and relatively cheap. As coal plants retired, natural gas stepped in as a flexible replacement. While cleaner than coal, it remains a fossil fuel and a major source of emissions.
| U.S. State | Biggest Electricity Source |
|---|---|
|
Alabama |
Natural Gas |
|
Alaska |
Natural Gas |
|
Arizona |
Natural Gas |
|
Arkansas |
Natural Gas |
|
California |
Solar |
|
Colorado |
Natural Gas |
|
Connecticut |
Natural Gas |
|
Delaware |
Natural Gas |
|
Florida |
Natural Gas |
|
Georgia |
Natural Gas |
|
Hawaii |
Petroleum |
|
Idaho |
Hydro |
|
Illinois |
Nuclear |
|
Indiana |
Coal |
|
Iowa |
Wind |
|
Kansas |
Wind |
|
Kentucky |
Coal |
|
Louisiana |
Natural Gas |
|
Maine |
Natural Gas |
|
Maryland |
Nuclear |
|
Massachusetts |
Natural Gas |
|
Michigan |
Natural Gas |
|
Minnesota |
Natural Gas |
|
Mississippi |
Natural Gas |
|
Missouri |
Coal |
|
Montana |
Coal |
|
Nebraska |
Coal |
|
Nevada |
Natural Gas |
|
New Hampshire |
Nuclear |
|
New Jersey |
Natural Gas |
|
New Mexico |
Wind |
|
New York |
Natural Gas |
|
North Carolina |
Natural Gas |
|
North Dakota |
Coal |
|
Ohio |
Natural Gas |
|
Oklahoma |
Natural Gas |
|
Oregon |
Hydro |
|
Pennsylvania |
Natural Gas |
|
Rhode Island |
Natural Gas |
|
South Carolina |
Nuclear |
|
South Dakota |
Wind |
|
Tennessee |
Nuclear |
|
Texas |
Natural Gas |
|
Utah |
Coal |
|
Vermont |
Hydro |
|
Virginia |
Natural Gas |
|
Washington |
Hydro |
|
West Virginia |
Coal |
|
Wisconsin |
Natural Gas |
|
Wyoming |
Coal |
Coal still leads in several states, including West Virginia, Wyoming, and Kentucky—regions historically tied to coal mining and production.
In Canada, hydroelectricity dominates much of the map. Provinces such as British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland & Labrador generate most of their electricity from large-scale hydro projects.
| Canadian Province | Biggest Electricity Source |
|---|---|
 Alberta |
Natural Gas |
|
British Columbia |
Hydro |
|
Manitoba |
Hydro |
|
New Brunswick |
Nuclear |
|
Newfoundland & Labrador |
Hydro |
|
Northwest Territories |
Petroleum |
|
Nova Scotia |
Coal |
|
Nunavut |
Petroleum |
|
Ontario |
Nuclear |
|
Prince Edward Island |
Wind |
|
Quebec |
Hydro |
|
Saskatchewan |
Natural Gas |
|
Yukon |
Hydro |
Hydro’s strength comes from geography. Abundant rivers and elevation changes allow Canada to produce stable, low-carbon power at scale. As a result, Canada’s power mix is significantly lower in carbon intensity than that of the United States.
However, fossil fuels still play a role. Alberta and Saskatchewan rely primarily on natural gas, while Nova Scotia remains coal-dependent.
Nuclear power leads in several key regions. Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, Tennessee and South Carolina are the U.S. states where nuclear is the largest source of electricity, while Ontario and New Brunswick also rely heavily on nuclear generation in Canada.
Wind also stands out across the U.S. Midwest. States like Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and New Mexico generate more electricity from wind than any other source. Prince Edward Island is Canada’s lone wind-dominant province.
Meanwhile, solar leads in California, reflecting years of aggressive renewable energy policy and large-scale solar investment.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing $1.5T in Global Electricity Investment on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-02-17 02:12:13
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.
If you had to choose just three things that matter most in life, what would they be?
Across the U.S., UK, and Germany, family and health dominate. But after that, national differences emerge. Germans lean toward security and stability. Americans stand out for money, growth, and faith. In the UK, work-life balance comes into the fold as a top priority.
The data for this visualization comes from Statista Consumer Insights. Over 1,000 adults per country were surveyed in January 2026 and asked to select up to three personal values that matter most in their lives.
Family life ranks as the most important value in all three countries.
In the UK, 51% of respondents selected family as a top priority, the highest share among the three nations. Germany follows at 43%, while 42% of Americans say family matters most.
| Priority Category |
 United Kingdom (%) |
 Germany (%) |
United States (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family-life | 51 | 43 | 42 |
| Health | 44 | 49 | 40 |
| Making money | 25 | - | 26 |
| Work-life balance | 24 | - | - |
| Safety/security | 22 | 30 | - |
| Freedom/independence | - | 27 | - |
| Friendships | - | 26 | - |
| Personal growth | - | - | 24 |
| Faith/spirituality | - | - | 21 |
Because respondents could choose multiple answers, percentages do not sum to 100%.
Germans place a particularly strong emphasis on health, with 49% identifying it as a top value.
Safety and security (30%) and freedom/independence (27%) also rank highly in Germany. Friendships, at 26%, further suggest a focus on stability and social cohesion.
In the United States, making money ranks relatively high at 26%, slightly above the UK (25%).
Americans are also more likely to prioritize personal growth (24%) and faith or spirituality (21%), categories that did not rank among the top responses in the UK or Germany.
Work-life balance, cited by 24% in the UK, stands out as a distinctly British priority in this comparison.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Which Countries Are Diligent About Medical Check-Ups? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
