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2026-01-28 02:44:07

Charted: Median Income by Household Size in the U.S.

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Household income in the United States varies widely depending on how many people live under one roof.

Larger households often have multiple earners, while smaller households rely on a single income, shaping large gaps in median household earnings. However, on a per-person basis, smaller households are relatively better off.

This infographic shows median household income by household size in the United States, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 1-Year Estimates.

How Income Changes With Household Size

Median household income generally rises as household size increases, reflecting the growing likelihood of multiple earners contributing to total income.

The table below shows median household income by household size in the U.S.:

Single-person households report a median income of $42,124, highlighting the financial constraints faced by individuals relying on a single paycheck. Two-person households more than double that figure, earning a median of $90,465.

Income continues to rise for three- and four-person households, reaching $124,990 for four-person households. This group often includes dual-income families with children, combining higher earnings with shared living costs.

Income Plateaus for Larger Households

Interestingly, median income levels off, and even dips slightly, for households with five or six people. Five-person households earn a median of $119,003, while six-person households earn $118,348.

These larger households may include more dependents relative to earners, such as children or extended family members, which can limit earning potential. Meanwhile, households with seven or more people show a slight rebound, reporting a median income of $126,072.

Per-Person Median Income by Household Size

Higher median incomes don’t always mean higher living standards. While larger households tend to earn more in absolute terms, their incomes per person are relatively lower.

For instance, two-person households make the most median income per person at over $45,000, and this figure continues declining as households get larger. In seven-person homes, the median household income of $126,072 translates to just over $18,000 per person.

Larger families also face higher housing, food, healthcare, and childcare costs, which can offset absolute income gains. With these financial constraints in mind, the average U.S. household has evolved significantly—as of 2023, around 58% of U.S. households consisted of married or single adults with no children.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you found this breakdown useful, explore more income and cost-of-living insights on Voronoi, including The Income a Family Needs to be Middle Class in Every State.

2026-01-27 23:27:24

How Global R&D Spending Growth Has Shifted Since 2000

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Over the past two decades, the world has become increasingly research-intensive, with global R&D spending reaching nearly $3 trillion in 2024, up from less than $1 trillion in the year 2000.

This visualization ranks the world’s fastest-growing R&D spenders based on the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of gross R&D expenditure between 2000 and 2024, using data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). All figures are in constant 2015 purchasing power parity (PPP)-adjusted U.S. dollars.

China Leads in Global R&D Spending

China tops the ranking, with R&D spending growing at a 13.1% annual rate since 2000. Over this period, China’s gross expenditure on R&D surged from just $40.8 billion in 2000 to nearly $786 billion in 2024, accounting for 27% of the global total.

The table below shows the top 20 economies with the fastest growth in R&D spending, along with their R&D outlays in 2000 and 2024:

Rank	Economy	CAGR (2000–2024)	R&D Spend 2000 (USD, PPP 2015 billions)	R&D Spend 2024 (USD, PPP 2015 billions)
1	China	13.1%	$40.8	$785.9
2	Saudi Arabia	13.0%	$0.6	$10.4
3	Egypt	11.8%	$1.1	$16.4
4	Indonesia	11.3%	$0.8	$10.6
5	Cambodia	10.4%	$0.0	$0.1
6	Thailand	10.1%	$1.5	$15.1
7	Türkiye	9.9%	$4.5	$43.2
8	Vietnam	9.3%	$0.6	$5.1
9	Philippines	8.6%	$0.5	$3.5
10	Malta	8.6%	$0.0	$0.2
11	Morocco	8.1%	$0.3	$2.2
12	Namibia	8.1%	$0.0	$0.2
13	Estonia	7.8%	$0.1	$0.9
14	Cyprus	7.8%	$0.1	$0.3
15	Malaysia	7.6%	$1.8	$10.2
16	Poland	7.5%	$3.9	$21.9
17	Republic of Korea	7.5%	$22.4	$126.4
18	Tajikistan	7.3%	$0.0	$0.0
19	Uruguay	7.2%	$0.1	$0.5
20	Burkina Faso	6.8%	$0.0	$0.1

China’s rapid R&D expansion has positioned it as a global innovation powerhouse. Since 2000, China has accounted for more than 36% of all patent applications worldwide, and it also leads in AI patent filings globally.

Saudi Arabia ranks second, with R&D spending growing at 13% annually since 2000, the fastest rate among all high-income countries. Egypt follows closely behind, with R&D expenditure rising at an annual rate of nearly 12% from 2000 to 2024.

Several emerging economies, such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, also rank among the fastest-growing R&D spenders, although their absolute spending remains relatively low.

Meanwhile, the U.S. (not on the list) is the world’s second-largest R&D spender in absolute terms, but American R&D expenditure has grown at just 3.3% annually from 2000 to 2024, placing it 69th worldwide.

Why R&D Growth Matters

Sustained investment in non-defense R&D positively correlates with higher total factor productivity over the long term, delivering spillover benefits in economic efficiency, manufacturing, and technological leadership.

Furthermore, countries that invest effectively in research are better positioned to develop advanced industries and attract skilled talent, especially as global competition revolves more around innovation than low-cost labor alone.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you found this infographic interesting, explore more innovation and technology insights on Voronoi, including Who’s Winning the AI Patent Race?.

2026-01-27 21:04:51

Which Countries Are Expected to Grow the Most in 2026?

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.

After several years of economic volatility, growth in 2026 is expected to remain uneven across the world.

While global growth is projected to hold steady overall, momentum varies sharply by country, shaped by factors such as energy production, trade exposure, fiscal conditions, and demographic trends. As a result, some economies are positioned for rapid expansion, while others face more modest outlooks.

This graphic shows forecasts for global GDP growth rates in 2026, based on data from the International Monetary Fund.

A Closer Look at GDP Growth Rates in 2026

Below, we show the GDP outlook for 190 countries worldwide:

Rank	Country	Real GDP Growth 2026 (%)
1	Guyana	23.0
2	South Sudan	22.4
3	Guinea	10.5
4	Sudan	9.5
5	Uganda	7.6
6	Rwanda	7.5
7	Bhutan	7.4
8	Ethiopia	7.1
9	Benin	6.7
10	Niger	6.7
11	Côte d'Ivoire	6.4
12	Zambia	6.4
13	Tanzania	6.3
14	India	6.2
15	Qatar	6.1
16	Djibouti	6.0
17	Uzbekistan	6.0
18	Philippines	5.7
19	Vietnam	5.6
20	Mongolia	5.5
21	Tajikistan	5.5
22	Togo	5.5
23	Liberia	5.4
24	Mali	5.4
25	Congo, Dem. Rep. of the	5.3
26	Georgia	5.3
27	Kyrgyz Republic	5.3
28	Nepal	5.2
29	Gambia, The	5.1
30	Guinea-Bissau	5.0
31	United Arab Emirates	5.0
32	Armenia	4.9
33	Bangladesh	4.9
34	Indonesia	4.9
35	Kenya	4.9
36	Sierra Leone	4.9
37	Burkina Faso	4.8
38	Cabo Verde	4.8
39	Ghana	4.8
40	Kazakhstan	4.8
41	São Tomé and Príncipe	4.7
42	Eswatini	4.6
43	Zimbabwe	4.6
44	Dominican Republic	4.5
45	Egypt	4.5
46	Maldives	4.5
47	Ukraine	4.5
48	Madagascar	4.3
49	Mauritania	4.3
50	China, People's Republic of	4.2
51	Libya	4.2
52	Morocco	4.2
53	Nigeria	4.2
54	Burundi	4.1
55	Cameroon	4.1
56	Marshall Islands	4.1
57	Argentina	4.0
58	Cambodia	4.0
59	Comoros	4.0
60	Kosovo	4.0
61	Malaysia	4.0
62	Oman	4.0
63	Panama	4.0
64	Saudi Arabia	4.0
65	Israel	3.9
66	Kuwait	3.9
67	Malta	3.9
68	Namibia	3.8
69	Paraguay	3.7
70	Suriname	3.7
71	Türkiye, Republic of	3.7
72	Albania	3.6
73	Chad	3.6
74	Guatemala	3.6
75	Iraq	3.6
76	Pakistan	3.6
77	Serbia	3.6
78	Honduras	3.5
79	Mozambique	3.5
80	Papua New Guinea	3.5
81	Grenada	3.4
82	Mauritius	3.4
83	Bahrain	3.3
84	Central African Republic	3.3
85	Costa Rica	3.3
86	Dominica	3.3
87	Palau	3.3
88	Somalia	3.3
89	Timor-Leste	3.3
90	Kiribati	3.2
91	Montenegro	3.2
92	North Macedonia	3.2
93	Samoa	3.2
94	Seychelles	3.2
95	Bulgaria	3.1
96	Fiji	3.1
97	Poland	3.1
98	Myanmar	3.0
99	Senegal	3.0
100	Algeria	2.9
101	Jordan	2.9
102	Lithuania	2.9
103	Nicaragua	2.9
104	Congo, Republic of	2.8
105	Cyprus	2.8
106	Macao SAR	2.8
107	Solomon Islands	2.8
108	Vanuatu	2.8
109	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2.7
110	Croatia	2.7
111	Malawi	2.7
112	Peru	2.7
113	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2.7
114	Gabon	2.6
115	Tuvalu	2.6
116	Antigua and Barbuda	2.5
117	Azerbaijan	2.5
118	El Salvador	2.5
119	Lao P.D.R.	2.5
120	Belize	2.4
121	Brunei Darussalam	2.4
122	Uruguay	2.4
123	Botswana	2.3
124	Colombia	2.3
125	Iceland	2.3
126	Slovenia	2.3
127	Tonga	2.3
128	Turkmenistan	2.3
129	Aruba	2.2
130	Denmark	2.2
131	Latvia	2.2
132	Moldova	2.2
133	New Zealand	2.2
134	Saint Kitts and Nevis	2.2
135	Angola	2.1
136	Australia	2.1
137	Bahamas, The	2.1
138	Barbados	2.1
139	Hong Kong SAR	2.1
140	Hungary	2.1
141	Luxembourg	2.1
142	Portugal	2.1
143	Saint Lucia	2.1
144	Taiwan Province of China	2.1
145	Tunisia	2.1
146	United States	2.1
147	Chile	2.0
148	Czech Republic	2.0
149	Ecuador	2.0
150	Greece	2.0
151	Spain	2.0
152	Brazil	1.9
153	Nauru	1.9
154	Sweden	1.9
155	Korea, Republic of	1.8
156	Singapore	1.8
157	Slovak Republic	1.7
158	Andorra	1.6
159	Norway	1.6
160	Thailand	1.6
161	Canada	1.5
162	Estonia	1.5
163	Jamaica	1.5
164	Liechtenstein	1.5
165	Mexico	1.5
166	Belarus	1.4
167	Micronesia, Fed. States of	1.4
168	Romania	1.4
169	Finland	1.3
170	Ireland	1.3
171	San Marino	1.3
172	Switzerland	1.3
173	United Kingdom	1.3
174	Netherlands	1.2
175	South Africa	1.2
176	Trinidad and Tobago	1.2
177	Iran	1.1
178	Lesotho	1.1
179	Belgium	1.0
180	Russian Federation	1.0
181	France	0.9
182	Germany	0.9
183	Austria	0.8
184	Italy	0.8
185	Japan	0.6
186	Equatorial Guinea	0.5
187	Yemen	0.0
188	Puerto Rico	-0.1
189	Haiti	-1.2
190	Venezuela	-3.0
--	World	3.1

Thanks to a massive oil discovery, Guyana is projected to see the strongest real GDP growth in 2026, at 23%.

As we can see, several African nations are forecast to see upwards of 6% growth, driven by growing economic stability. Meanwhile, India is expected to expand by 6.2%, the 14th-fastest rate globally.

In China, real GDP is projected to slow from 4.8% in 2025 to 4.2% in 2026. Strong export growth and fiscal support are anticipated to offset weak domestic demand and a sluggish property market.

When it comes to U.S. growth in 2026, a moderate increase from 2.0% in 2025 to 2.1% in 2026 is forecasted. Among the factors underscoring the economic picture are continued strength in the AI sector and gradually easing interest rates, although risks remain.

By comparison, European economies are projected to see dismal growth in 2026.

In particular, Italy and Austria are each forecast to see just 0.8% growth, among the lowest rates globally. Germany and France, meanwhile, are expected to growth marginally higher, at 0.9%, as weak productivity growth and aging populations weigh on output.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on each state’s share of U.S. GDP.

2026-01-27 02:48:46

Where Inflation Has Risen the Most in the U.S. (2019–2025)

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.

Inflation has reshaped household budgets across the United States since 2019, but price increases have not been evenly distributed. While the overall consumer price index (CPI) is up roughly 26% over the period, some everyday expenses have climbed far faster.

This graphic highlights where inflation has risen the most across major consumer categories between November 2019 and 2025. The data for this visualization comes from reporting by CNBC (via Gabriel Cortes), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and POLITICO.

Transportation Costs Lead the Inflation Surge

Motor vehicle insurance tops the ranking, with prices rising 56.1% since late 2019. Higher repair costs, more expensive vehicles, and increased claims severity have all pushed premiums upward.

Vehicle maintenance and repair costs are close behind, up nearly 49%, reflecting higher labor rates and parts prices.

Energy and Food Prices Continue to Pressure Households

Utility costs have also surged, with piped gas services rising 48.8% and electricity up more than 40%.

Food prices remain another major strain, particularly for items consumed outside the home. “Food away from home,” which includes restaurant meals, is up nearly 35%, while coffee, meats, and bread have all seen increases well above the overall inflation rate.

Housing and Everyday Essentials Outpace Headline Inflation

Housing-related costs continue to rise faster than the CPI average.

Rent for primary residences is up 30.8% since 2019, outpacing both “all items” inflation and the CPI excluding food and energy.

Other everyday categories—such as housekeeping supplies and personal care products—have also experienced steady increases, reinforcing the sense that inflation is most visible in daily spending rather than discretionary purchases.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What the Top 1% Richest Americans Pay in Taxes Across the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

2026-01-27 01:54:58

Published

1 day ago

on

January 26, 2026

By

Julia Wendling

Graphics & Design

• Athul Alexander

• Sabrina Lam

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Ranked: Top 10 ETF Themes That Crushed the S&P 500 in 2025

Rising geopolitical strain defined financial markets in 2025. Capital moved toward assets linked to security, energy, and strategic control. Investors favored themes that reflected real world power dynamics rather than broad market averages.

This analysis uses data from ETF Central, our data partner for this post. Their figures show how sharply thematic returns diverged from the broader market. The S&P 500 rose 17.9%, a solid gain in isolation. Yet it trailed far behind sectors aligned with global instability and state driven investment priorities.

Security and Strategic ETF Assets Took the Lead

Strategic metals delivered the strongest performance of any ETF theme. Returns reached 94.9% as nations rushed to secure materials critical for defense systems, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. Supply chain control became a top economic priority.

Rank	Investment Theme	2025 Return
1	Strategic Metals	94.9%
2	Europe Defense	75.1%
3	Global Defense	70.9%
4	Life Sciences	66.3%
5	Battery Value-Chain	64.1%
6	Nuclear Energy	61.7%
7	Space & Deep Sea	53.5%
8	Solar Energy	51.2%
9	Alternative Energy	47.1%
10	U.S. Defense	46.7%
	S&P 500	17.9%

Defense followed closely behind. Europe defense returned 75.1%, while global defense gained 70.9%. U.S. defense also performed well with a 46.7% return.

Higher military budgets and prolonged conflicts sustained long term demand. Life sciences added to the momentum, rising 66.3% as innovation continued despite market uncertainty.

Energy Transition Outperformed the Benchmark

Energy related themes dominated the middle of the rankings. The battery value chain returned 64.1% as electric vehicles and grid storage expanded worldwide. Nuclear energy gained 61.7% as governments reconsidered reliable baseload power.

Solar energy posted a 51.2% return, while alternative energy rose 47.1%. Energy security became just as important as emissions reduction. Investors rewarded technologies that offered resilience and scale. In 2025, focused exposure captured the defining trends that broad indexes could not.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on investment peaks by industry.

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2026-01-26 23:27:33

What’s Worrying Billionaires the Most in 2026?

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.

This infographic highlights the factors most likely to negatively impact the global market environment over the next 12 months, based on responses from billionaires across regions. The data for this visualization comes from the UBS Billionaire Survey 2025.

Trade and Geopolitics Dominate Concerns

Tariffs rank as the top concern overall, cited by 66% of respondents. Close behind, 63% of billionaires point to major geopolitical conflict as a key risk, underscoring fears around wars, regional instability, and great-power rivalry.

Policy uncertainty is the third-largest concern, flagged by 59% of respondents. Meanwhile, 44% of billionaires remain worried about higher inflation, indicating that price stability is still not taken for granted after years of elevated inflation across major economies.

Regional Differences Reveal Uneven Risk Exposure

While global results show common themes, regional differences stand out.

In Asia-Pacific, 75% of billionaires cite tariffs as their biggest concern, reflecting the region’s deep integration into global supply chains and export-driven growth models.

Meanwhile in the Americas, 70% of respondents are most worried about higher inflation or major geopolitical conflict.

Lower-Ranked but Persistent Threats

Concerns such as debt crises (34%), higher taxes (28%), and global recessions (27%) still rank meaningfully, though below headline geopolitical risks.

Interestingly, technological disruptions (15%) and climate change (14%) appear lower on the list, suggesting that billionaires may view these as longer-term or more manageable challenges compared to immediate political and economic shocks.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Balanced Is Economic Growth Within Countries? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.