Social Media Usage: 2005-2015

Nearly two-thirds of American adults (65%) use social networking sites, up from 7% when Pew Research Center began systematically tracking social media usage in 2005... A special analysis of 27 national surveys of Americans across the past decade documents this substantial spread of technology throughout the population, although the overall number of users of social networking sites has leveled off since 2013.1 At the same time, there continues to be growth in social media usage among some groups that were not among the earliest adopters, including older Americans. The figures reported here are for social media usage among all adults, not just among those Americans who are internet users. In many previous Pew Research reports, the share of social media users has been reported as the proportion of internet users who had adopted such sites, rather than the full adult population, which continues to include a relatively small share (currently 15%) who still remain offline. In this report, a broader picture of the American landscape is presented, and so the figures are based on the entire adult population. Read more at:Pew Research Center

Global Wealth Report 2015

Now in its sixth edition, the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report is the most comprehensive and up-to-date source of information on global household wealth. This year, the United States continued adding to global wealth at an impressive rate, with solid growth also evident in China. Elsewhere, local currency wealth gains were offset by depreciation against the US dollar, so that world wealth declined overall by USD 12.4 trillion. The share of financial assets rose again as a percentage of total wealth and may help explain why wealth inequality is edging upwards. The top 1% of wealth holders now own half of all household wealth. Read more at:Credit Suisse

Halloween: Oct. 31, 2015

Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has long been associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Today, Halloween has evolved into a celebration characterized by child-friendly activities, such as costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns.

Trick or Treat!

41.2 million

The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2014 — children age 5 to 14 — across the U.S. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 Population Estimates, PEPASR6H <http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2014/PEPASR6H?slice=year~est72014>

117.3 million

Number of occupied housing units across the nation in second quarter 2015 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 <http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html>

78.7%

Percentage of U.S. households that agreed that their neighbors could be trusted in 2013. Source: 2013 American Housing Survey <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-61.html>

Statistics of Income Tax Stats

This document contains the federal tax forms, schedules, and information documents that the Statistics of Income (SOI) Division of the IRS has selected for its Tax Year programs. It is organized in 3 parts:

Individual Statistics Branch studies include data related to the Form 1040 Individual income tax return series, as well as data on sales of capital assets and an extensive program that connects income tax returns with information documents filed by third parties.

The Corporation Statistics Branch studies focus on data collected from the Form 1120 series and SOI’s Partnership program.

Special Studies Branch programs include data collected for Estate and Gift Taxes, Tax-exempt Organizations, and Tax-Exempt Bonds, as well as information collected for international filers.

Each tax form included in the SOI program is represented in this volume. Due to resource constraints, data from certain forms and schedules are collected periodically, rather than annually. For this reason, the contents of this document will vary somewhat from year to year. The information collected for each SOI project is developed in close collaboration with data users both inside and outside of the government. Most SOI programs are based on stratified samples of returns for which data are collected prior to IRS audits; therefore the data represent information as originally reported by taxpayers.
Returns for the most recent Tax Year available are filed primarily during the prior calendar year, although returns for fiscal-year filers or filers for whom filing extensions have been granted may not be received by the IRS until the calendar year following. Consequently, data collected by SOI for a specific Tax Year will generally be made available to the public, in the form of tables and summary analyses, during the following two calendar years.

A 13,235-Mile Road Trip for 70-Degree Weather Every Day

Say you’re a delicate individual who, like a wilt-prone poinsettia, doesn’t do well with temperature extremes. In fact, 69 degrees and below makes you shiver like a soaked kitten, and 71 and above makes you sweat so much you leave a shiny trail of floor-moisture.

Where would you have to run to in the U.S. to avoid these disagreeable temperatures … all year round?

All over the dang place, it turns out. Meteorologist Brian Brettschneider mapped the route that’s likely to keep a body exposed to daily high temperatures of 70 degrees, and it meanders for 13,000-plus miles from the southern tip of Texas up to Alaska and down again to San Diego.

More from CityLab

The State of Broadband 2015

A large body of evidence has now been amassed that affordable and effective broadband connectivity is a vital enabler of economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. Although global mobile cellular subscriptions will exceed 7 billion in 2015 (with nearly half of these subscriptions for mobile broadband), growth in mobile cellular subscriptions has slowed markedly. The total number of unique mobile subscribers is between 3.7-5 billion people (according to different sources), with some observers interpreting this as an indication that the digital divide may soon be bridged.

However, the digital divide is proving stubbornly persistent in terms of access to broadband Internet, including the challenge of extending last-mile access to infrastructure to remote and rural communities. According to ITU’s latest data, 43% of the world’s population is now online with some form of regular access to the Internet. This leaves 57% or some 4.2 billion of the world’s people who still do not enjoy regular access to the Internet. In the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), only one out of every ten people is online. The gender digital divide is also proving incredibly difficult to overcome, reflecting broader social gender inequalities.

More from the Broadband Commission for Digital Development

World Statistics Day 2015: October 20

The U.S. Census Bureau will join statistical organizations throughout the world to celebrate the second World Statistics Day on Oct. 20, 2015.

This interactive infographic is a compilation of news graphics that highlights the wide range of ways the Census Bureau supports this year’s theme of “Better data. Better lives.”

The Census Bureau uses statistics to provide critical and timely information about the people, places and economy of the United States.

For more information on World Statistics Day 2015, please see the links provided below.

  Infographic: World Statistics Day 2015

  Facts for Features: *Special Edition* World Statistics Day: Oct. 20, 2015 | PDF Version

  Video: Statistics All Around Us

  Official United Nations World Statistics Day 2015 Website

The Census Bureau will also release several new blog posts and an additional video in honor of World Statistics Day on Oct. 20.

World University Rankings 2015-16

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-2016 list the best global universities and are the only international university performance tables to judge world class universities across all of their core missions - teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

The top universities rankings employ 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available, which are trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments.

Ranking

School Enrollment in the United States: 2014

These tables provide information by age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, family income, type of college, employment status, nativity, foreign-born parentage, attendance status (full or part time), type of school (public or private), and vocational course enrollment. 
They also delve into topics such as nursery school and kindergarten enrollment, the likelihood of being enrolled in a grade appropriate for their age and the percentage of young adults enrolled in college. Historical tables are also provided. 
Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/hhes/school/index.html>.

What Are The Demographics Of Heaven?

As you might expect, that total number of dead people has grown a lot over time. The U.S. Census Bureau has collected several of the sources for historical world population rates. The estimates differ for two major reasons — the demographers don’t all agree about which date to take as the starting point for human life, and they also estimate population growth differently...

Most of those people who have been born are no longer with us. What’s really fascinating, though, is how the dead-to-living ratio is expected to change in the future. By 2050, the world’s population is expected to grow to 9.7 billion. Which means that in 35 years’ time, the living would make up 8.6 percent of those who have ever been born. And the dead would outnumber the living 11 to 1.

More from FiveThirtyEight

The 13 Drunkest Counties In New York

Alcohol has been consumed by the masses pretty much since the dawn of time, which also means people have been making bad drunk decisions for equally as long. While there are benefits to alcohol, like most things it can be very harmful in excess. That’s why CountyHealthRankings surveyed residents of New York to find out where binge drinking is at its highest.

Here are the 13 counties with the most drunken results. Tie breakers were determined using bars per capita because bars have, you know, alcohol.

More from Only in Your State.

County Characteristics Explorer

During the FSCPE (Federal State Cooperative on Population Estimates) meeting a tool was presented to create charts to display trends in the characteristics of the county population. The Cornell Program on Applied Demographics took those ideas and made it in a web based tool. Take a look at your county of interest (state wide is not yet implemented).

Completion of 2012 Economic Census Geographic Area Series: Retail Trade

The 2012 Economic Census concludes the release of the Geographic Area Series for the retail trade sector. These statistics include data for furniture and home furnishings stores, food and beverage stores, and nonstore retailers. The files provide statistics on the number of establishments, sales, payroll, number of employees and other data items by industry. Geographic Area Series data are presented for the nation, states, combined statistical areas, metropolitan statistical areas, counties and economic places.

Latest Local Health Insurance Statistics

Between 2013 and 2014, the majority of metropolitan areas saw an increase in the percentage of people covered by health insurance, according to statistics released in September from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the nation’s most comprehensive information source on American households. The 2014 American Community Survey provides statistics on over 40 social, economic and housing topics for U.S. communities with populations of 65,000 or more.

Between 2013 and 2014, all 50 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in the percentage of people covered by health insurance.

“American Community Survey statistics inform us of how communities evolve and change, allowing us to see the effects of everything from natural disasters to new laws and policies,” Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson said. “Each new year of statistics provides fresh information for the public to use and compare with the year before

Lefty Presidents Are Better For Markets

Don’t you hate how right-handed Donald Trump is? Can’t we get an all-lefty general election again, like when lefties Barack Obama and John McCain squared off?

As we go full-throttle into the election year, people will have endless debates about how policies affect the economy. As a left-handed investor, I ask the question that really matters … are there any lefties running for president?

As you may be aware, we’ve had a left-handed president for 40 of the last 92 years, including four of the last five presidents. It’s hardly a coincidence — lefties are natural born leaders, charismatic, wise...

More from the American Institute for Economic Research.

Watch 35 Years of the World’s Economy Evolving as a Living Organism

A lot has happened to the global economy over the last 35 years. The forces of economic liberalization, globalization, and the rise of the multinational corporation have all left their mark. Many countries have benefited over this period, but some have suffered. Others have not really changed much in terms of their global economic position.

More from How Much.

Economic Census Geographic Area Releases: Mining is complete

Currently the economic census is releasing the Geographic Area Series, which provides detailed geographic data for all applicable sectors. Data are released on a flow basis by sector by state. The table below lists the states that have been released for each sector in the last month. A complete list of what has been released to date is available on business.census.gov.

Mining has been released for All 50 States and Offshore Areas.

Completion of 2012 Economic Census Geographic Area Series: Accommodation and Food Services

The 2012 Economic Census concludes the Geographic Area Series for accommodation and food services.  The accommodation and food services sector includes establishments primarily engaged in providing customers with lodging and/or preparing meals, snacks and beverages for immediate consumption. Geographic Area Series data are presented for the nation, states, combined statistical areas, metropolitan statistical areas, counties and economic places. The Geographic Area Series provides detailed statistics by subsectors and industries on the number of establishments, sales, payroll, and employment and other data items by industry. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-tps81.html>.

State and County Migration Data, 2013–2014

The State- and county-level migration data for 2013-2014 for the United States are now available on Tax Stats. These data show the migration between both States and counties in separate datasets. These datasets use the methodological improvements made to SOI’s United States population migration data and are not comparable with prior years. The data include migration flows at the State level, by size of adjusted gross income and age of the primary taxpayer.

Migration data are based on year-to-year address changes reported on individual income tax returns filed with the IRS. The data present migration patterns by State or county for the entire United States and are available for inflows (the number of new residents who moved to a State or county and where they migrated from) and outflows (the number of residents leaving a State or county and where they moved to).

Manufacturing Day: Oct. 2

In recognition of this fourth annual observance, the Census Bureau joins a group of public and private organizations in celebrating the importance of the manufacturing sector of the nation’s economy. The economic census, the Census Bureau’s most comprehensive source of information on American businesses and the economy, began collecting statistics on the manufacturing sector in 1810. In addition to the economic census, the Census Bureau releases manufacturing statistics from a multitude of surveys, including the Annual Survey of Manufactures, multiple economic indicators, and the Survey of Business Owners, to name a few. Today, our manufacturing statistics help paint a picture of the U.S. economy and the role this sector plays in it. Among some of the web pages that serve as a gateway to these data are:

·          Manufacturing Day home page — The homepage offers an array of previously released and new data products relevant to Manufacturing Day. Featured among these products is the Industry Snapshot for Manufacturing and the recently released Manufacturing and International Trade Report. New content is also available, including an infographic with a five-year comparison of the top 10 manufacturing subsectors of the economy using statistics from the Economic Census Manufacturing Summary Series as well as a link to today’s Director’s blog. A comprehensive infographic with the most recent year’s data from several key programs tracking the nation’s manufacturing industries will be added as it becomes available. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/topics/business/manufacturing/day.html>.

·          Profile America’s Stats for Stories: Manufacturing Day — Stats for Stories provides reporters and the public a one-stop shop for timely, relevant statistics and resources about observances not covered by the Facts for Features series. This edition includes links to manufacturing datasets from a variety of surveys, including but not limited to the Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders; the Annual Survey of Manufactures; County Business Patterns; the Capital Spending Report; and multiple series from the economic census, including the Economic Census of Island Areas. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/2015/october/manufacturing.html>.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it’s a great time to be #CyberAware. There are plenty of ways to participate.

• Are you tech savvy, but maybe your friends or family members aren’t? Check out the easy-to-share videos — and spread some good karma on social media with #CyberAware. Here’s a good one to share.
• Are you a parent or teacher? Check out the Net Cetera resources for tips on starting the conversation with kids about online safety.
• Does your company collect and use personal information? Learn how to protect it with the Start with Security resources for businesses.
• Have you been a victim of identity theft? Visit identitytheft.gov for step-by-step advice that can help you limit the damage, report identity theft, and fix your credit.

Order any of the free materials for your National Cyber Security Awareness Month events, and to share with your family, friends, co-workers, and community. Place your free order at ftc.gov/bulkorder.

However you choose to participate this October, raise awareness on how to be safe, secure, and responsible online.