Stories
The Most Rent-Burdened Cities in America
In the most stretched U.S. cities, more than two-thirds of renters spend over 30 percent of their income on rent. Eight of the top twelve are in Florida, where rents surged after 2020 but wages did not.
A draft rule would stop counting undocumented immigrants and drop race from the Census
Documents viewed by WIRED show a draft rule that would exclude undocumented immigrants from 2030 apportionment and eliminate race and sexual orientation questions. It matches the June proposed rule advocacy groups warned about, point for point.
Where Do the Most Ethiopian Americans Live?
About 386,500 Americans claim Ethiopian ancestry, and the Washington, D.C. metro alone holds more than a fifth of them. Maryland and Virginia lead the states.
Census officials confirm entire datasets will disappear under the new privacy rule
At a statistical conference in Boston, Census Bureau officials confirmed the noise infusion ban will pull historically published datasets, with small populations hit hardest. Officials denied political motives while the OECD's chief statistician questioned the process.
Prince William County ranks among the 10 most diverse counties in America
Prince William County, Virginia ranks 9th of 3,144 counties on the CensusEasy Diversity Score, with white, Hispanic, Black, and Asian residents split more evenly than almost anywhere. In 1990 it was 83.5 percent white.
Uninsured rates rose in 427 counties and fell in 65
New county health insurance estimates show deterioration outnumbering improvement six to one between 2023 and 2024, with children's coverage worsening in 185 counties against nine. The plateau after Obamacare's gains looks like it's tipping into a climb.
How to Find Age Demographics by ZIP Code
Median age swings from 74.9 to 18.2 between US ZIP codes. Here is where to look the figure up for any ZIP, why the under-18 and 65-plus shares tell you more, and what the extremes turn out to be.
US factory orders fell again in June, but the backlog reached nearly $1.6 trillion
Factory orders fell a second straight month in June and shipments dipped for the first time since December. The number that keeps climbing is unfilled orders, up in 23 of the last 24 months to nearly $1.6 trillion.
Palisades Park is 47% Korean, and the 11 most Korean cities are all in one county
Palisades Park, New Jersey is 46.7 percent Korean, the highest share of any US municipality. The eleven most Korean cities in America all sit in Bergen County, across the bridge from Manhattan, not in Los Angeles.
US construction spending is falling as the factory-building boom fades
June construction spending was flat against May but 3.2 percent below last year. The category tables show manufacturing construction down 21.4 percent, while office construction, which counts data centers, keeps climbing.
The Most Educated States in America
Every U.S. state ranked by the share of adults with a bachelor's degree. Massachusetts leads at 47.3 percent, West Virginia trails at 24.1 percent, and the map closely tracks state income.
Australia's census now asks sexual orientation. Should the US census do the same?
Australia's August 2026 census asks sexual orientation for the first time. The US Census Bureau began testing the same questions in 2024 and stopped after an executive order. Here is what each country counts and the case on both sides.
How Osceola County went from 90% White to become Majority Hispanic
Osceola County, Florida, anchored by Kissimmee, was nearly 90 percent white in 1990. Today it is 56 percent Hispanic.
Six federal statistical agencies have lost at least a third of their staff
All 13 principal federal statistical agencies have shed staff, two of them more than two thirds, according to the American Statistical Association. The Census Bureau is planning the 2030 count under acting leadership.
Where Do the Most Nigerian Americans Live?
About 720,879 people of Nigerian ancestry live in the United States. Texas leads the states, New York is the largest metro, and the DC-Maryland corridor and Atlanta follow close behind.
The US Homeownership Rate Held at 65%, With Rental Vacancy at 7.3%
Homeownership held at 65.0 percent in the second quarter and both vacancy rates were flat. Underneath that steady national figure, states run from 74.9 percent in West Virginia to 41.5 percent in DC, and Newark sits at 24.4 percent.
A New Commerce Order Bans the Privacy Method Behind Detailed Census Data
DAO 216-26 bans noise infusion across all Census Bureau and BEA data products, effective immediately with no public comment. Researchers say the result will be less privacy, less usable data, or both.
The Largest Metro Areas in the US by Population
New York's metro holds 20.1 million people, more than the next two combined. Here are the 25 largest US metro areas with their 2025 populations, including the six in the top 25 that have lost residents since 2020.
Where Do the Most Croatian Americans Live?
About 402,767 Americans report Croatian ancestry, and the map runs through steel country. Pittsburgh holds the third-largest Croatian population of any metro despite ranking 27th by size, and Pennsylvania and Ohio outrank Texas entirely.
Durable Goods Orders Rose 0.3% in June According to the Census Bureau
New orders for durable goods hit $334.8 billion in June, up just 0.3 percent. But transportation orders fell off a cliff in May and stayed down, and everything else has risen three months straight.
The Most Ethnically Diverse Neighborhoods in America
Jamaica Estates-Holliswood in Queens is 28% Asian, 23% Black, 22% White, and 17% Hispanic, the most even split of any neighborhood we map. Here are the 12 most diverse neighborhoods across 100 cities.