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4 Inputs Driving the Rising Cost of Rebuilding

2026-02-18 03:39:13

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4 Inputs Driving the Rising Cost of Rebuilding

   

Key Takeaways

  • The cost of disaster recovery have surged since 2019, driven by higher material and labor prices.
  •        
  • Construction inflation is structural, not temporary, with rebuilding now far more expensive even after supply chains normalized.
  •        
  • Higher costs widen the recovery gap, increasing insurance exposure and long-term economic loss after disasters.
  •        

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.

Why Rebuilding Is Getting More Expensive

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.

What This Means for Property Risk

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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Visualized: How Cyberattackers Gain Access

2026-02-18 02:46:38

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The following content is sponsored by Palo Alto

How Cyberattackers Gain Access

Key Takeaways

  • Identity weaknesses show up in 90% of Unit 42 investigations, so identity is a top control point.
  • Identity-driven techniques drive 65% of initial access, led by social engineering and credential misuse.
  • Excess permissions and token abuse help attackers move faster, so least privilege and session hardening matter.

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.

Identity Is the Practical Perimeter

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.

The Way In: Identity-Driven Initial Access

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%.

The Way Through: Identity Turns Access Into Impact

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.

Countermeasures That Disrupt Identity Attacks

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.

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Charted: U.S. Pension Retirees Now Outnumber Active Workers

2026-02-18 02:17:21

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

Chart showing the growing imbalance in U.S. public pensions.

Use This Visualization

U.S. Pension Retirees Now Outnumber Active Workers

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

  • U.S. public pension retirees have outnumbered active workers since 2012.
  • This shift means fewer contributors supporting a growing number of beneficiaries.
  • Pension systems are increasingly reliant on investment returns to close the gap.

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.

2012: A Historic Turning Point

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

Why the Worker-to-Retiree Ratio Matters

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 Lives, Greater Pressure

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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

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.

Ranked: U.S. States by AI and Data Center Jobs

2026-02-17 23:22:22

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Ranked: U.S. States by AI and Data Center Jobs

Use This Visualization

Ranked: U.S. States by AI and Data Center Jobs

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

  • There are nearly half a million jobs in the AI-infrastructure and data center categories in the United States.
  • California has the most jobs at 81,577, about 17% of the country total.
  • There are 11 states that have fewer than 1,000 jobs in this subsector. Alaska has the fewest of any state at just 119.

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.

The AI and Data Center Boom: Jobs by State

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.

Silicon Slopes and the Data Center Capital of the World

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 on the Voronoi App

Learn more about data center electricity demand by region in this visualization on Voronoi.

Mapped: What Powers Each U.S. State and Canadian Province?

2026-02-17 21:06:36

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Map showing the biggest sources of electricity across U.S. states and Canadian provinces as of 2025.

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Mapped: What Powers Each U.S. State and Canadian Province?

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

  • Renewables generate 67% of Canada’s electricity, compared to just 22% in the U.S.
  • Natural gas is the top power source in most U.S. states, while hydro dominates in Canada.
  • Coal, nuclear, wind, solar, and even petroleum still lead in select regions.

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 Dominates the U.S. Map

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.

Hydro Power Anchors Canada

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 and Wind Carve Out Regional Strongholds

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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing $1.5T in Global Electricity Investment on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Ranked: What People Value Most in the U.S., UK, and Germany

2026-02-17 02:12:13

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Ranked: What matters most in life in the U.S., UK, and Germany, based on 2026 survey data.

Use This Visualization

Ranked: What Matters Most in Life in the U.S., UK, and Germany

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

  • Family life ranks as the top priority in all three countries, especially in the UK.
  • Americans place more emphasis on personal growth and faith, while Germans prioritize health and security.

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 Comes First

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%.

Health and Security Stand Out in Germany

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.

Money, Growth, and Faith in the U.S.

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.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Which Countries Are Diligent About Medical Check-Ups? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.