US Economy - Chart Porn

US Economy Archive:

25 Oct 2010

October’s update of the Economic Indicators Dashboard:

and while we’re at it, here is the AP’s Economic Stress Map, which shows unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies from 2007-today, by county.

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American Poverty

In: Employment Maps US Economy

22 Oct 2010

And keep in mind that the “poverty rate” for a single person is less than $11,000. In other words, the majority of us should be skipping happily to work in the morning instead of popping prozac and lamenting our “tough” lives. Thanks to Kelly Brooks for the link.

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Why it Doesn’t Feel Like a Recovery

In: Employment Source: Washington Post US Economy

16 Oct 2010

A nice animated/annotated series of charts explaining the output gap and its effects on unemployment.

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Update: Wall Street Compensation

In: Employment Finance Interactive Source: WSJ Stock Market US Economy

12 Oct 2010

Explore what percentage of revenue at Wall Street firms goes to compensation. Updated with 2010 data.

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Rolling up TARP

In: Bailout Finance Source: NYT Source: Ritholtz US Economy

4 Oct 2010

A summary of the infamous Troubled Asset Relief Program. (via)

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State Debt

In: Finance Politics US Economy

30 Sep 2010

Interesting presentation of multiple debt related indicators. The alien invasion look is a bit strong, but they did refrain from including red circles and having them all look like ladybugs – just sayin.

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Fly Me! Airlines 1975-2010

In: History Source: NYT US Economy

30 Sep 2010

A typically cool graphic from the NYT showing the births, deaths, assimilations, and growth of airlines since the 1970s.

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Update: Economic Indicators Dashboard

In: Employment Finance Housing Interactive Updated regularly US Economy

24 Sep 2010

One of my favorite summaries of economic indicators. Click on any of the “historical details” to see what each indicator means and why it’s important. Updated 9/22/10.

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American Stress

In: Culture Interactive Maps US Economy

23 Sep 2010

Interactive map of stress based on unemployment, change in income, poverty, sunshine, ozone, crime, and cost of living.

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We’re All Stupid

In: Culture Politics US Economy

23 Sep 2010

Actual wealth distribution versus what people think it is. (via)

This reminded me of a survey the Washington Post did a while ago which compared the ethnic distribution of the USA to what different ethnic groups thought it was – everyone got that horribly wrong too. Quick test: what percent of the population is White, Black, and Asian? Highlight the next line for the answer:

White: 75% Black: 12% Asian: 3.6% (2000 Census)

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How Americans Pay for College

In: Employment US Economy

15 Sep 2010

Interesting variations by income level. (via)

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Bankruptcies Back on the Rise

In: Finance Source: Economist US Economy

19 Aug 2010

Despite the 2005 reforms that made it tougher, bankruptcies are rising steadily.

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Bush’s Tax Cuts by the Numbers

In: Interactive Politics Source: Washington Post US Economy

18 Aug 2010

A very well done interactive of how people will be affected by the expiration of the 2001/03 tax breaks, as well as a what Obama is proposing.

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History of GDP (1-2008)

In: Global Economy History Source: Economist US Economy

17 Aug 2010

Data compiled by Angus Maddison, an economist who died earlier this year, suggest that China and India were the biggest economies in the world for almost all of the past 2000 years. Why they fell so far behind may be more of a mystery than why they are currently flourishing.

(ps – the comments at the Economist are worth the read)

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The History of Social Security

In: Graphic Design (bad) History Politics US Economy

16 Aug 2010

Roll over the timeline to see how funding, eligibility, and benefits have changed over the last 75 years. However, I think AP got the beneficiaries numbers completely wrong – the 2009 total is more like 52 million (source).