USA Facts

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Is the US economy strong?

How does the government measure the economy? By tracking GDP, unemployment numbers, and the prices people pay for goods and services.

https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/economy/?

What is the US federal budget?

Steve talks about the federal budget, including how the government makes money (namely, income taxes) and how revenue collection and spending decisions impact the US federal deficit and debt, military spending, and American daily life.

https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/budget/

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How does America get its energy?

Wind, fossil fuel, solar: Get the facts on how America keeps its lights on. Plus, some good environmental news.

https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/energy/?

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Are groceries more expensive than last year?

Grocery store food prices increased 1.3% from September 2023 to September 2024, and increased 11% from 2021 to 2022 – the largest annual increase in 40 years.

https://usafacts.org/articles/are-groceries-more-expensive-than-last-year/?

What is the federal government’s budget deficit?

About $1.7 trillion deficit in fiscal year (FY) 2023. A budget deficit occurs when the federal government spends more money than it brings in through taxes, customs duties, the sale of assets, and other revenues. When the government has a deficit, it borrows money by selling bonds and other securities in order to pay for it, adding to the national debt. A budget surplus, on the other hand, occurs when the government brings in more money than it spends.

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-federal-governments-budget-deficit-or-surplus/country/united-states/?

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What are the fastest-growing professions in America?

Renewable energy production will drive much of American job growth over the next decade: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), wind turbine service technicians, solar photovoltaic installers, and nurse practitioner roles are expected to have the highest rate of growth by 2033.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-the-fastest-growing-professions-in-america/?

ps:Well ain't that interesting!!!!!

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What does the Department of Education do?

The Department of Education (DOE) is a relatively new federal agency – it was founded on May 4, 1980 when legislation split the old Department of Health, Education, and Welfare into two new departments: Education, and Health and Human Services.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-does-the-department-of-education-do/?

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What role do small businesses play in the economy?

Small business development in the US declined in the four decades before the pandemic — but since 2020, this chunk of the private sector has been driving the bulk of job growth.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-role-do-small-businesses-play-in-the-economy/?

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How much does the US federal government spend?

About $6.2 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2023. This averages about $18,400 per person in the US. The amount the government can spend depends on the amount of revenue it collects (e.g., through taxes, customs duties, and other sources). If it has to spend more revenue than it brings in, it borrows the funds, creating debt.

https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-does-the-us-federal-government-spend/country/united-states/?

Which government programs does the Government Accountability Office consider inefficient?

The Government Accountability Office has identified 37 federal programs that are highly vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement.

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-government-programs-are-considered-wasteful-or-inefficient/?

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Is flying safer than driving?

It’s safer to travel the US by air than on highways, according to US Transportation Department data. From 2002 to 2022, fewer people were hurt or killed each year while flying than riding in passenger cars and trucks. Flying is also safer than riding subways, trains, buses, or motorcycles.

https://usafacts.org/articles/is-flying-safer-than-driving/?

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In 2024, USAFacts readers sought information about safety and homelessness across the US, immigration, the presidential election, and government spending. Here are the 10 most-read articles from USAFacts this year:

10. How many voters have a party affiliation?

This election year, readers wanted to understand political affiliations. As of late September, Wyoming had the highest percentage of registered Republican voters (81%), and Washington, DC, had the highest percentage of registered Democrats (76%). State-wise, Maryland had the highest percentage of registered Democrats (52%).

9. Which cities have the highest murder rates?

Homicide rates were highest in counties home to large cities, where the average homicide rate is 10.5 per 100,000 people. The national average homicide rate is 7.5 per 100,000. Click here to see the cities with the highest murder rates.

8. How many Americans voted in 2020?

In 2020, the voting rate hit a 30-year high, with over two-thirds of eligible Americans voting in the presidential election. Youth voter turnout rose 10 percentage points compared to the presidential election, the largest gain among any age group.

7. Which states rely the most on federal aid?

Montana had the highest proportion of federal funding, with 31.8% of its budget coming from federal sources. It was followed by New Mexico (30.7%), Kentucky (30.1%), Louisiana (29.8%), and Alaska (29.0%). Vermont relied the least on federal funding (12.8%).

6. How much money has the US given Ukraine since Russia’s invasion?

As of March 2024, the United States has sent Ukraine over $60 billion in funding and equipment through military, economic, and humanitarian aid. Some of these funds will require repayment with interest after the Russia-Ukraine war.

5. Which cities have the nation’s largest homeless populations?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that 653,104 Americans were experiencing homelessness in January 2023. The largest homeless populations were in regions containing the nation’s two most populated cities: New York (88,025) and Los Angeles (71,320).

4. Which states have the highest murder rates?

Between 2020 and 2022, US homicide rates reached their highest levels in the 21st century. In 2022, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama had the highest homicide rates per 100,00 people. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Utah had the lowest rates.

3. Data on unauthorized US immigration and border crossings

Between October 2019 and June 2024, US Customs and Border Protection reported just under 11 million border encounters — roughly equivalent to North Carolina’s population. There isn’t definitive data on unauthorized immigrant numbers, but border encounters provide an estimate.

2. Which countries own the most US debt?

The US owes trillions of dollars in debt to foreign entities. As of April, foreign countries owned approximately $7.9 trillion, or 22.9%, of total US debt. Japan and China have owned more Treasury bonds over the past 20 years than any other foreign nation. This article is a fan-favorite: it was the most-read article of 2023.

1. What are the current swing states, and how have they changed?

Swing states are characterized by having small vote margins and different political parties that win over time. In 2020, seven states were won by a margin of three percentage points or less. Do you know what they were?

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How many Americans volunteer?

People volunteer both formally and informally – formal volunteering happens via official organizations, while informal volunteering often means neighbors helping neighbors. Formal volunteers support food banks and public health efforts, tutor students, among other efforts. Informal volunteering includes favors like providing free childcare or running errands. 

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-volunteer-the-most/?

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How much land do wildfires burn in the US?

Wildfires burn over 7 million acres of land in the US annually, with fire suppression costing an average of $3.0 billion according to estimates from the National Interagency Fire Center. 

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-damage-do-wildfires-do-in-the-us/?

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How much wealth does the American middle class have?

Around $12.5 trillion, or around 8% of all household wealth in the US in Q2 2024. Wealth, also referred to as net worth, is the total value of what people own minus debt like credit card balances and mortgages. If this wealth was divided equally among all middle-class households, each would have roughly $472,000 in wealth.

https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-wealth-does-the-american-middle-class-have/country/united-states/?

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What is the unemployment rate in the US right now?

About 4.1% in December 2024. That's a 0.3 percentage point increase from a year before. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but not currently employed. It's a common way to measure the health of the job market and economy.

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-unemployment-rate/country/united-states/?

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How many people are deported from the US each year?

1.1M in 2023. The Department of Homeland Security defines deportation as the removal or return of a noncitizen from the United States. However, a broader term can be used, “repatriation”, which also includes COVID-19 related expulsions from the US.

https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-were-deported-from-the-us/country/united-states/?

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What are tariffs and how do they work?

Tariffs, sometimes called duties or customs duties, are taxes on goods that are traded between nations. When goods cross the US border, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects tariffs based on the type of goods, their quantity, and which country they’re coming from.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-tariffs-and-how-do-they-work/?

What countries receive the most foreign aid from the US?

In fiscal year (FY) 2023 — the most recent fully-reported year — Ukraine received $16.6 billion, the most of any country. This amount reflects disbursements, a measure of foreign aid that captures when money is actually transferred out of US government accounts. Foreign aid is reported by more than 20 agencies within the federal government that fund foreign assistance activities.

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-countries-receive-the-most-foreign-aid-from-the-us/country/united-states/?

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What is the current inflation rate in the US?

About 3.0%, as of January 2025. Inflation refers to the rise in prices of goods and services over time, which reduces the purchasing power of the dollar. The inflation rate is the percentage that describes how quickly these prices are rising. While several government datasets track price changes, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) represents about 90% of the US population. The CPI measures inflation by tracking the price fluctuations of a “basket of goods and services” over time, providing a clear picture of how inflation affects everyday living expenses.

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-current-inflation-rate/country/united-states/?

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Governme­nt spending­

Get data-driven insights into how governmental revenue and spending affect American lives and programs. Get insight into Congressional and judicial decisions, programs like Medicare, Social Security, foreign aid, and more.

https://usafacts.org/government-spending/?

What percentage of public school funding comes from the federal government?

About 13.7% or one in every seven dollars of public school funding during the 2021–22 school year. Local and state governments typically provide most school district funding, with the federal government providing the rest. Federal sources provide as little as 0% and as much as 75% of funding, depending on the district. Federal funding depends on factors such as poverty levels and other student demographics, availability of state and local revenues, and whether a district is urban, suburban, or rural. During 2021–22, which is the latest year of data available, public schools received $124.9 billion, or $2,536 in federal funds per student.

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-percentage-of-public-school-funding-comes-from-the-federal-government/country/united-states/?

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Which industries employ the most immigrant workers?

In 2023, close to a fifth of the workforce was foreign-born: out of the 160.2 million people in the US workforce, about 29.7 million were immigrants. That’s an increase from 2010, when immigrants made up 15.6% of the workforce.

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-industries-employ-the-most-immigrant-workers/?

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Which US cities have the largest homeless populations?

About 771,480 people were experiencing homelessness in the US in January 2024, according to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data.

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-cities-in-the-us-have-the-most-homelessness/?

How do national parks affect the economy?

In 2023, the 325 million visitors to national parks spent an estimated $26.4 billion dollars. Visitors spent this money in what the National Park Service (NPS) calls a “local gateway region,” or local economies near a national park. A local gateway region includes nearby towns and counties where park visitors usually stop to shop or stay overnight. For most parks, it’s defined as all counties within 60 miles of the park’s boundary.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-do-national-parks-affect-the-economy/?

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How many states use private prisons?

As of 2022, 28 states used privately run prisons along with (or instead of) local jails and state-run facilities. That same year, 7.4% of prisoners were in a private facility.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-states-use-private-prisons/?

How many kids are vaccinated?

Children born during the COVID-19 pandemic are getting fewer vaccines compared to children born in the 2010s.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-kids-are-vaccinated/?

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How many troops are in the US military?

About 2.1 million in June 2024. This includes 1.3 million active duty troops and 762,000 reserve troops. This includes active duty troops or full-time training duty in the reserves. Reserve troops are withheld from initial action to be deployed at a later time and are subject to call to active duty.

https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-troops-are-in-the-us-military/country/united-states/?

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What is ICE and what does it do?

Since 2003, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been responsible for enforcing federal laws governing customs, trade, and immigration.

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-is-ice-and-what-does-it-do/?

Drug prices have outpaced inflation since the 1980s

Drug prices were 5.5 times higher in 2024 than in 1985, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, and their increases are outpacing general cost-of-living increases: The cost of medication has gone up three times as fast as the overall rate of inflation, with drugs targeting heart disease rising the fastest.

https://usafacts.org/articles/drug-prices-outpaced-inflation-since-the-1990s/?

What does the Department of Education do?

The Department of Education (Education Department, ED) is a cabinet-level executive branch agency responsible for overseeing education policy and administering funding for programs and individuals. The department's functions include supporting state and local education systems, promoting educational equity for all students, and providing grants and loans to higher education institutions and students. It was established in 1980 after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was reorganized into separate entities.

https://usafacts.org/explainers/what-does-the-us-government-do/agency/us-department-of-education/?

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How does the immigration system work?

Immigration has been the main driver of US population growth for three years in a row. In this episode, Steve covers the green cards the US has issued recently, how the government defines “unauthorized immigrants,” how many people overstay visas, and more.

https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/immigration/?

How does the government support veterans?

Over 93% of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual spending funds pensions, compensation, medical care, and education programs for veterans.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-does-the-government-support-veterans/?

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Which states have the highest and lowest income tax?

Forty-one states and Washington, DC, collect income taxes every year—and nine states collect no income tax at all.

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-highest-and-lowest-income-tax/?

Is there a shortage of air traffic controllers?

Although hiring has increased and reforms are underway, the FAA is working to close staffing gaps nationwide.

https://usafacts.org/articles/is-there-a-shortage-of-air-traffic-controllers/?

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Are wages keeping up with inflation?

Yes. From February 2024 to February 2025, wages grew 0.6 percentage points faster than inflation. Nominal wages — the literal dollars earned regardless of cost of living — increased by 3.4% while inflation stood at 2.8%. When wage growth outpaces inflation, it indicates that workers are experiencing an increase in purchasing power from the previous year.

https://usafacts.org/answers/are-wages-keeping-up-with-inflation/country/united-states/?