{"issues":[],"legislators":[],"articles":[{"title":"Immigration","id":13,"slug":"13-immigration","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/13-immigration","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=13","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/13/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

What does H-1B visa status mean?

The H-1B visa program lets employers hire foreign workers for specific needs that cannot be met by American workers. The visa is tied to the employer who sponsors it — if the visa holder quits or loses their job, they must leave the country or petition for another temporary work visa. Employers are responsible for the costs of return transportation for employees fired before the end of their authorized stay. People with an H-1B visa can reside in the US for an initial period of three years and renew their authorization for up to six years.

H-1B visas are also dual intent visas, meaning they allow the visa holder to simultaneously apply for a green card, giving them permanent resident status with the ability to eventually become a citizen.

Most petitions for initial or continuing H-1B visas are for Indian workers

USCIS reports that around 2.18 million petitions filed between fiscal years 2007 and 2017, or 64% of all petitions, were for Indian-born workers, the most of any country. China had the second most at 9%, followed by the Philippines at 2.5%, South Korea at 2.3%, and Canada at 1.9%. Petitions from India and China grew over the decade, while the number for the other 20 largest H-1B countries dropped.

In the 2018 fiscal year, 74% of petitions were for Indian-born workers and 11% for Chinese-born workers. Around 74% were for men.

Petitions for workers over 45 declined from 15,250 in 2007 to 8,054 in 2017. Workers under 25 also became less sought-after, down to 17,665 petitions from 25,737 in 2007. Meanwhile, petitions increased for workers aged 25 to 45.

H-1B visa holders tend to work in professional, scientific, and technical services

The three largest fields of employment cited in H-1B petitions between fiscal years 2007 and 2017 were custom computer programming services, computer systems design services, and higher education. Petitions received for these roles made up 45% of all those received over the decade.

Those and other professional, scientific, and technical services also made up the largest portion of H-1B visas granted in the 2019 fiscal year, accounting for 35% of all approvals — or 211,508 visas. Metal and semiconductor manufacturing received 34,376 visas, making it the second-largest industry for H-1B workers. Another 29,504 visas went to the information sector and 27,198 to finance and insurance.

Amazon was the top employer for initial H-1B approvals in 2019, with at least 3,398. Google followed at 2,678, the Indian-based information technology and consulting company TCS at 1,733, and Microsoft at 1,701. Facebook, IBM, Apple, and Intel each accounted for over 1,000 initial approvals. Amazon had at least 4,976 continuing approvals.

Learn more about the H-1B program here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"What is the H-1B visa?","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/965982/immigration%20amazon%20fact.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/965982/immigration%20amazon%20fact.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/965982/immigration%20amazon%20fact.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/965982/immigration%20amazon%20fact.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/965982/immigration%20amazon%20fact.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

What does H-1B visa status mean?

Most petitions for initial or continuing H-1B visas are for Indian workers

In the 2018 fiscal year, 74% of petitions were for Indian-born workers and 11% for Chinese-born workers. Around 74% were for men.

H-1B visa holders tend to work in professional, scientific, and technical services

Learn more about the H-1B program here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T19:56:51.627Z","status":"published","snippet":"What does H-1B visa status mean? The H-1B visa program lets employers hire foreign workers for specific needs that cannot be met","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T22:55:42.912Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Immigration","id":14,"slug":"14-immigration","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/14-immigration","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=14","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/14/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The United States is home to over 643,000 Dreamers. A recent Supreme Court ruling struck down the Trump administration’s attempt to end the program.

Since President Barack Obama signed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order in 2012, nearly 826,000 people have been accepted into the program. The policy was meant to protect unauthorized immigrants who were brought to the US as minors – known as \"Dreamers\" – from deportation.

In April 2018, President Donald Trump tried to shutter the program. However, the dissolution of DACA was put on hold, pending legal disputes. On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California which held that the Trump administration’s effort to end DACA was “arbitrary and capricious” and blocked the policy change. The decision did not weigh in on the merits of DACA; rather, it found that the administration violated the Administrative Procedures Act by failing to sufficiently justify its decision to end DACA.

As a result, the unauthorized immigrants who came to the US as children and received work authorization and protection from deportation will continue to participate in DACA for the foreseeable future. DACA does not provide recipients with a path to citizenship, but participants can apply for lawful entry by marrying a US citizen or re-entering the country legally.

How many DACA recipients are there in the United States? How has that changed since the start of the program?

Approximately 643,560 unauthorized immigrants are currently benefiting from the program, according to March 2020 data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. (USCIS)

Between 2012 and March 2020, 825,998 people were approved to participate in the DACA program for at least two years. More than half of the cases, 472,287, were approved in the first two years of the program. In contrast, in 2018 and 2019, only 26,173 new DACA applicants were approved.

DACA status lasts for two years, after which recipients can apply for renewal. Since the program began, USCIS has received around 2 million renewal requests. Between 2012 and March 2020, USCIS rejected 7% — or 148,304 — of these requests.

To learn more about the DACA program, about where dreamers originate from? who are they? where do DACA recipients live? Click here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"How many DACA recipients are there in the United States?","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/7bead6/daca.JPG","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/7bead6/daca.JPG","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/7bead6/daca.JPG","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/7bead6/daca.JPG","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/7bead6/daca.JPG"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

The United States is home to over 643,000 Dreamers. A recent Supreme Court ruling struck down the Trump administration’s attempt to end the program.

How many DACA recipients are there in the United States? How has that changed since the start of the program?

Approximately 643,560 unauthorized immigrants are currently benefiting from the program, according to March 2020 data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. (USCIS)

To learn more about the DACA program, about where dreamers originate from? who are they? where do DACA recipients live? Click here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:06:16.488Z","status":"published","snippet":"The United States is home to over 643,000 Dreamers. A recent Supreme Court ruling struck down the Trump administration’s attempt","share_count":2,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T22:55:52.298Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Race in America","id":15,"slug":"15-race-america","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/15-race-america","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=15","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/15/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

Health disparities are about more than just differing mortality rates. These disparities begin in and are usually most pronounced in childhood. For example, 10.7% of Black Americans overall experience asthma, which is over 2 percentage points higher than rates for white and Hispanic Americans, and over twice that of the rate for Asian Americans. However, 14% of Black children have asthma — twice that of white children and over three times that of Asian children.

Obesity rates reveal similar trends. While overall obesity rates are higher among adults—as high as 47% for Black and Hispanic Americans—the disparities among childhood obesity rates are much starker. For example, 26% of Hispanic children aged 2-19 are obese, whereas only 14% of white children are. Black children are also more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD—approximately 10.7% of Black children are diagnosed with ADHD, while only 8% of white children and 6.5% of Hispanic children are.

Several factors may contribute to these trends. One such example could include racial disparities in access to nutritious food. According to data from the Department of Agriculture, 19.1% of Black households and 15.6% of Hispanic households reported experiencing food insecurity in 2019, compared to 7.9% of white households. Other factors may relate to the differing environmental exposures of different racial groups. Additional data, including a study from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Center for Environmental Assessment, find that Black populations as well as those below the poverty level are more likely to live closer to sources of toxic emissions than the average household, which may have a number of deleterious health effects. The CDC also advises that children of some racial and ethnic groups, such as non-Hispanic African-Americans, are also at higher risk for lead exposure, which has been demonstrated to have negative effects on lifetime health.

Access to healthcare may also play a contributing role in these disparities. Hispanic Americans are significantly less likely to be insured than white Americans, as are Black Americans to a lesser extent. Additional data from the CDC also shows that Black and Hispanic people are less likely than their white peers to have received vaccinations for tetanus and human papillomavirus (HPV); for example, two-thirds of white people surveyed had received vaccination for tetanus, whereas just over half of Black and Hispanic people did. Black and Hispanic Americans under the age of 19 were also less likely to receive an annual flu shot compared to white and Asian Americans.

These data snapshots reinforce the importance of disaggregating data by race and considering measures of health beyond just mortality rates, as many disparities in death rates may be rooted in causes that begin at a young age. For more data on the demographics of wealth, education, policing, and more, visit the Race in America page.

Learn more about race in America here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"COVID-19 deaths are just the beginning of discrepancies in health outcomes by race.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c80802/Asthma_rates_by_race_Twitter.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c80802/Asthma_rates_by_race_Twitter.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c80802/Asthma_rates_by_race_Twitter.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c80802/Asthma_rates_by_race_Twitter.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c80802/Asthma_rates_by_race_Twitter.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

Learn more about race in America here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:13:12.542Z","status":"published","snippet":"Health disparities are about more than just differing mortality rates. These disparities begin in and are usually most","share_count":2,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:16:44.700Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Race in America","id":16,"slug":"16-race-america","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/16-race-america","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=16","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/16/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

As of 2019, white Americans made up 60% of the population but owned 86% of the wealth in the country.

The adult incarceration rate in jails and prisons has declined every year since 2008, when it peaked at 1 in 100 adults incarcerated, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The rate was 1 in 120 adults in 2018, the lowest on record since 1996.

In 2019, Black Americans made up 32.8% of the total prison population while accounting for 12.5% of the US population. But while the overall prison population declined by 11.1% between 2009 and 2019, the number of Black prisoners declined by 22.6%.

Drug-related arrests accounted for 15.5% of all arrests in 2019. In 2017, 85.4% of all drug arrests were for drug possession, rather than sale or manufacture.

Learn more about race in America here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"Data shines a spotlight on where there are inequities in American life. ","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d41338/race%20in%20america%20fact%20about%20prison%20population.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d41338/race%20in%20america%20fact%20about%20prison%20population.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d41338/race%20in%20america%20fact%20about%20prison%20population.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d41338/race%20in%20america%20fact%20about%20prison%20population.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d41338/race%20in%20america%20fact%20about%20prison%20population.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":1,"html_content":"

As of 2019, white Americans made up 60% of the population but owned 86% of the wealth in the country.

Drug-related arrests accounted for 15.5% of all arrests in 2019. In 2017, 85.4% of all drug arrests were for drug possession, rather than sale or manufacture.

Learn more about race in America here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:13:56.549Z","status":"published","snippet":"As of 2019, white Americans made up 60% of the population but owned 86% of the wealth in the country. The adult incarceration","share_count":1,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:16:53.226Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Wealth in America","id":17,"slug":"17-wealth-america","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/17-wealth-america","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=17","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/17/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

Who owns wealth in the United States?

According to data from the Federal Reserve, in 1990, white households owned 90.7% of household wealth in the United States, whereas Black households owned 3.8% and Hispanic households owned 2.1%. These numbers have changed little over the past 30 years, with white households now owning 85.5% of wealth in 2019, and Black households owning 4.2% and Hispanic households owning 3.1%. Most of the white wealth decline is due to other racial groups attaining a share of wealth.

Another way to look at this is the net worth, or assets (such as stocks and real estate) minus liabilities (such as loans and mortgages left to pay), by race. The average net worth per capita among white Americans is roughly $437,000 per person, whereas this value is $105,000 among Black people and $53,000 among Hispanic people.

Wealth is generally held by older Americans, who are more likely to be white

Age is also critical to understand who owns wealth in the United States. Older people, having had more time to accumulate income, are more likely to have higher wealth than younger people, even if they may have lower levels of wage income. Americans 55 and older collectively own 72% of wealth in the United States, with Americans 70 and older owning 28% alone.

Differences in wealth ownership by age and generational group help explain part, but not all, of the disparities in wealth by race group. According to data from the Census Bureau, 35% of white Americans are 55 and older, whereas only 24% of Black Americans are and only 16% of Hispanic Americans are. Hence, a part of the reason why wealth ownership is much lower among Black and Hispanic Americans may be due to the fact that they are relatively younger on average than white Americans. Black and Hispanic populations may be younger for a variety of reasons, including differences in life expectancy—Black Americans’ life expectancy is 3.5 years less than that of white Americans—as well as immigration trends.

The home is typically Americans’ largest asset, but not for Black Americans

While the assets of white households are equally split between real estate, equity and mutual fund shares, pensions, and other assets, the assets of other racial groups are less diversified. Almost two-thirds of Black wealth is composed of real estate and pensions, with 38% coming from pension assets alone. Similarly, 61% of Hispanic wealth and 56% of wealth from other races is composed of just these two asset types.

Wealth held in real estate plummeted across all racial groups during the 2008 Great Recession. However, while wealth held in real estate has just begun to reach pre-recession levels among Black and Hispanic individuals, as well as Americans of other races, that same wealth already reached pre-recession levels in 2016 for white Americans.

The gap in homeownership rates between white and Black Americans has also widened since the recession. In 2004, 49.3% of Black Americans and 75.5% of white Americans owned homes, with a gap of 26.2 percentage points. In the first quarter of 2020, 44.0% of Black Americans owned homes, while 73.7% of white Americans did, a gap of 29.7 percentage points.

Inequality has many forms, and wealth is a critical one to understand in the data

Racial financial inequality is often discussed in terms of income inequality. While income inequality is important, it is essential that it is complemented by an understanding of wealth inequality. Inequities in holdings of wealth are particularly central to perpetuating economic immobility across generations.

Learn more about wealth in the US here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"White people own 86% of wealth and make up 60% of the population.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/810074/wealth%20fact%20about%20the%20population.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/810074/wealth%20fact%20about%20the%20population.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/810074/wealth%20fact%20about%20the%20population.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/810074/wealth%20fact%20about%20the%20population.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/810074/wealth%20fact%20about%20the%20population.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":5,"html_content":"

Who owns wealth in the United States?

Wealth is generally held by older Americans, who are more likely to be white

The home is typically Americans’ largest asset, but not for Black Americans

Inequality has many forms, and wealth is a critical one to understand in the data

Learn more about wealth in the US here.

","comments_count":1,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:15:25.664Z","status":"published","snippet":"Who owns wealth in the United States? According to data from the Federal Reserve , in 1990, white households owned 90.7% of","share_count":4,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:17:31.477Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Federal Deficit","id":18,"slug":"18-federal-deficit","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/18-federal-deficit","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=18","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/18/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The federal government spent $3.1 trillion more than it brought in as revenue in fiscal year 2020, which began October 2019 and ended September 2020. During that time, the government spent a total of $6.5 trillion and brought in a total of $3.4 trillion. The most recent budget surplus was in 2001.

Total federal government public debt is now up to approximately $26 trillion. As of the end of the second quarter of 2020, the public debt was 136% of, or 36% larger than, the nation’s gross domestic product.

Increased government spending was driven by several programs responding to the pandemic-induced economic downturn. For example the Small Business Administration spent over $500 billion in June alone, an amount larger than the entire 2015 deficit. The government has also spent more than $500 billion on unemployment insurance this year, while the government had spent just over $30 billion on the same programs the previous year.

Meanwhile, federal government revenue was relatively similar to that of last year. The pandemic’s full impact on state tax revenue remains to be seen, though revenue for the second quarter of 2020 was significantly lower than revenue for the same quarter in 2019.

For more data on government spending, the federal reserve, and the economic recovery from coronavirus, visit the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"The 2020 US federal deficit is a record $3.1 trillion.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/77647c/Deficit_TW.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/77647c/Deficit_TW.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/77647c/Deficit_TW.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/77647c/Deficit_TW.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/77647c/Deficit_TW.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

For more data on government spending, the federal reserve, and the economic recovery from coronavirus, visit the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:17:14.318Z","status":"published","snippet":"The federal government spent $3.1 trillion more than it brought in as revenue in fiscal year 2020, which began October 2019 and","share_count":2,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:17:39.542Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Firearms","id":19,"slug":"19-firearms","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/19-firearms","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=19","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/19/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

With the many high-profile shootings in the past several years, and homicide rates up from last year, it is an important time to examine the state of firearms in the United States.

Although a few data points are consistently collected, there is a clear lack of data on firearms in the US. It is impossible, for instance, to know the total number of firearms owned in the United States, or how many guns were bought in the past year, or what the most commonly owned firearms are. Instead, Americans are left to draw limited conclusions from available data, such as the number of firearms processed by the National Firearm Administration (NFA), the number of background checks conducted for firearm purchase, and the number of firearms manufactured. However, none of these metrics provide a complete picture because state laws about background checks and gun registration differ widely.

Policy has made government agencies hesitant to collect firearms data. The Dickey Amendment, passed in 1996, stipulates that no funds allocated to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) may be used to advocate or promote gun control. According to the Congressional Research Service, the CDC subsequently limited its firearms-related research because “it learned further [budget] reductions were possible if the research continued.” The Firearms Owners Protection Act, passed in 1986, also specifically forbids the government from creating a national gun registry.

Still, a few trends emerge from the limited data.

2020 has already surpassed 2019 for background checks

The FBI reports that eight of the 10 busiest weeks for firearm background checks in the 22-year-old National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) System were between March and July of this year. The NICS System, which was enacted by the 1993 Brady Law, checks a buyer’s criminal record and eligibility to own a firearm. And while the number of background checks conducted has increased steadily for the past two decades, the number of background checks in 2020 through September has already surpassed the 2019 total.

Background checks, however, are not a 1:1 ratio with gun purchases. Only 13 states require universal background checks at the point of sale for all sales and transfers of firearms; federal law requires background checks only for guns sold through licensed dealers, which excludes private sales or sellers at gun shows. Different states participate in the NICS to varying degrees, with some 25 states issuing alternate permits that allow buyers to bypass the NICS background check.

Firearm-related deaths have risen steadily since 2000 and are primarily suicides

This graph's data comes from the CDC, which classifies firearm deaths into four primary categories: suicides, homicides, legal intervention (which includes shootings by police officers or other law enforcement agents), and firearm deaths with an undetermined intention. The vast majority of firearm deaths are classified as suicides or homicides.

After the 1993 Brady Law and the subsequent decrease in firearm licenses, deaths from firearms decreased for a few years. However, since 2000, the number of deaths has steadily risen, driven primarily by the increase in gun suicides.

These firearm deaths occur mostly among men aged between 20-39

Men die from firearms at nearly six times the rate of women; the recent increase in firearm deaths has occurred exclusively among men. Men between 20-39 accounted for around one-third of all 2018 gun deaths, according to the CDC.

The rise in gun deaths has largely followed the increase in firearm supply

Although no comprehensive data on the number of firearms sold exists, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) tracks the commerce of firearms in the US. According to the ATF, the US manufactures around twice as many guns as it imports, with both the import and manufactured firearm supply increasing for the past two decades. Net firearm supply, calculated as firearms manufactured and imported minus firearms exported, has also risen since 2000. The rise in supply is primarily in pistols and handguns.

The last major piece of federal gun control legislation was an assault weapons ban passed in 1994, which expired in 2004.

Learn more about firearms in the US right here

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"2020 has been a record-setting year for background checks, but other firearm data is incomplete.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/3d29eb/firearms%20fact.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/3d29eb/firearms%20fact.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/3d29eb/firearms%20fact.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/3d29eb/firearms%20fact.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/3d29eb/firearms%20fact.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

With the many high-profile shootings in the past several years, and homicide rates up from last year, it is an important time to examine the state of firearms in the United States.

Still, a few trends emerge from the limited data.

2020 has already surpassed 2019 for background checks

Firearm-related deaths have risen steadily since 2000 and are primarily suicides

These firearm deaths occur mostly among men aged between 20-39

The rise in gun deaths has largely followed the increase in firearm supply

The last major piece of federal gun control legislation was an assault weapons ban passed in 1994, which expired in 2004.

Learn more about firearms in the US right here

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:18:10.190Z","status":"published","snippet":"With the many high-profile shootings in the past several years, and homicide rates up from last year, it is an important time to","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:17:47.647Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Taxes","id":20,"slug":"20-taxes","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/20-taxes","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=20","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/20/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

One of the simplest ways to think about Americans’ economic standard of living is to consider how much people earn in income, pay in taxes, and receive from the government in the form of government transfers.

In 2018, the average American family in the middle 20% of income earners paid $15,748 in taxes to federal, state, and local governments. This includes direct taxes, such as income taxes, as well indirect taxes, like payroll taxes. In general, the average American family paid $2,392 in federal income tax in 2018.

Meanwhile, the same family in the middle 20% earned $51,666 on average from market sources, including from dividends and capital gains. To make it into the middle 20% of families in 2018, a family would have to earn between $35,989 and $69,486.

At the same time, the same family in the middle 20% received $19,031 in transfers from the government, including both cash transfers, such as supplemental security income, and non-cash transfers, such as Medicaid and Medicare.

For more data on the standard of living of Americans, check out the State of the Union in numbers, and for daily numbers of the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, check out the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"How much does the average American family pay in taxes?","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/ebf850/fact%20about%20middle%2020%20percent.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/ebf850/fact%20about%20middle%2020%20percent.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/ebf850/fact%20about%20middle%2020%20percent.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/ebf850/fact%20about%20middle%2020%20percent.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/ebf850/fact%20about%20middle%2020%20percent.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:18:56.245Z","status":"published","snippet":"One of the simplest ways to think about Americans’ economic standard of living is to consider how much people earn in income,","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:17:54.228Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Federal Deficit","id":21,"slug":"21-federal-deficit","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/21-federal-deficit","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=21","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/21/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

For more data on government spending, the federal reserve, and the economic recovery from coronavirus, visit the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"The 2020 US federal deficit is a record $3.1 trillion.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/f39b29/Deficit_TW.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/f39b29/Deficit_TW.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/f39b29/Deficit_TW.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/f39b29/Deficit_TW.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/f39b29/Deficit_TW.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":1,"html_content":"

For more data on government spending, the federal reserve, and the economic recovery from coronavirus, visit the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:20:38.532Z","status":"published","snippet":"The federal government spent $3.1 trillion more than it brought in as revenue in fiscal year 2020, which began October 2019 and","share_count":1,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:17:59.441Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Poverty","id":22,"slug":"22-poverty","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/22-poverty","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=22","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/22/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The median household income in the United States increased less than a percent from 2017 to 2018, while the median earnings of workers in the United States rose 3.4%.

The data, released by the Census Bureau Tuesday, also shows that the official poverty rate in the United States dropped to 11.8%, a 0.5 percentage point decrease from 2017.

The official poverty rate fell to 11.8% in 2018 from 12.3% in 2017. That’s the fourth consecutive year showing a decrease, with the Census Bureau also noting that “In 2018, for the first time in 11 years, the official poverty rate was significantly lower than 2007, the year before the most recent recession.”

The most significant drops in poverty rates came for families with children and an unmarried female head householder. Those families saw a poverty rate drop of 2.5 percentage points from 41.6% in 2017 to 39.1% in 2018. Families headed by unmarried women, regardless of children, have the highest poverty rate of household types at 26.8%.

The poverty rate for individual children fell 1.2 percentage points from 17.4% in 2017 to 16.2% in 2018. For those living in the principal cities in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the poverty rate also dropped 1.2 percentage points from 15.8% to 14.6%.

To learn more about poverty in the US, click here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"10% of Americans are now struggling to find food.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/a1ca2f/Debate_Twitter_Poverty.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/a1ca2f/Debate_Twitter_Poverty.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/a1ca2f/Debate_Twitter_Poverty.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/a1ca2f/Debate_Twitter_Poverty.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/a1ca2f/Debate_Twitter_Poverty.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":1,"html_content":"

The median household income in the United States increased less than a percent from 2017 to 2018, while the median earnings of workers in the United States rose 3.4%.

The data, released by the Census Bureau Tuesday, also shows that the official poverty rate in the United States dropped to 11.8%, a 0.5 percentage point decrease from 2017.

To learn more about poverty in the US, click here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:21:27.958Z","status":"published","snippet":"The median household income in the United States increased less than a percent from 2017 to 2018, while the median earnings of","share_count":1,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:04.991Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Climate","id":23,"slug":"23-climate","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/23-climate","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=23","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/23/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The US emitted 5.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2017, making up 14% of the world’s emissions that year. However, in 1980, the US emitted 25% of the world’s carbon-dioxide emissions and has produced 20% of the world’s total emissions since 1980.

Of total greenhouse gas emissions, the majority are due to CO2 emissions. CO2 was responsible for 82% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. Transportation accounted for 37% of total CO2 emissions. According to the report, the largest sources of transportation-related CO2 emissions were passenger cars (41%), medium- and heavy-duty trucks (24%), and light-duty trucks (17%). Commercial air travel accounted for a relatively small share, at 7% of transportation-related emissions.

An increase in travel was the reason transportation eclipsed electricity to be the largest source of CO2 emissions. The total number of miles driven by passenger cars and trucks increased 46% from 1990 to 2017.

Emissions from electricity have been declining, but electricity generation is still a significant source of CO2 emissions. According to the most recent EPA report, “Electricity generators used 32 percent of U.S. energy from fossil fuels and emitted 35 percent of the CO2 from fossil fun combustion in 2017.” This is influenced by the mix of energy sources used to generate electricity. While some electricity is generated from sustainable sources such as hydroelectric, solar, or nuclear energy, a majority still comes from fossil fuels.

The fossil fuels used to generate electricity are mainly coal and natural gas. Electricity generation from coal has been declining, from 54% in 1990 to 31% in 2017. In return, electricity generation from natural gas rose from 11% in 1990 to 31% in 2017.

Even with the decline in electricity generation from coal, the electric sector still used 93% of all coal consumed for energy in 2017.

To learn more about emissions and energy in the US, click here and here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"How do energy and emissions in the United States compare to the rest of the world?","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/40622a/Copy%20of%20Emissionspercapita.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/40622a/Copy%20of%20Emissionspercapita.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/40622a/Copy%20of%20Emissionspercapita.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/40622a/Copy%20of%20Emissionspercapita.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/40622a/Copy%20of%20Emissionspercapita.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

Even with the decline in electricity generation from coal, the electric sector still used 93% of all coal consumed for energy in 2017.

To learn more about emissions and energy in the US, click here and here.

","comments_count":1,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:26:05.448Z","status":"published","snippet":"The US emitted 5.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2017, making up 14% of the world’s emissions that year. However, in","share_count":1,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:09.486Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Jobs & Unemployment","id":24,"slug":"24-jobs-unemployment","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/24-jobs-unemployment","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=24","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/24/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The unemployment rate dropped in September, but fewer people are in the labor force.

The unemployment rate has dropped in every month since hitting a high of 14.7% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In September, the rate was 7.9%. While the falling economic indicator is a good sign for the economy, it only considers those people in the labor force who have jobs or are seeking jobs.

In April, the labor force participation rate, the percentage of people 16 or older looking for jobs or already employed, was 60.2%, the lowest level since 1971. It since increased to 61.7% in August and dropped to 61.4% in September. Whether this decrease is a one-time occurrence or a signal that the pandemic's economic recovery will not be swift remains to be seen, but the labor force statistics are well below where they were in February before the effects of the pandemic. Between February and September, the number of working-age people not in the labor force increased by 5.5 million. Additionally, the number of people in the labor force decreased by 4.4 million.

The economic situation is affecting the job status of women more than men. Women account for 2.6 million, or 60% of the drop in the number of people in the labor force. Women also account for 3.1 million or 58% of the group not in the labor force.

For more information on jobs and unemployment in the US, check out this report.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"Of the 4.4 million people who left the labor force between February and September, 60% were women.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/192f22/5things_Labor%20Force%20Tw.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/192f22/5things_Labor%20Force%20Tw.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/192f22/5things_Labor%20Force%20Tw.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/192f22/5things_Labor%20Force%20Tw.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/192f22/5things_Labor%20Force%20Tw.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

The unemployment rate dropped in September, but fewer people are in the labor force.

For more information on jobs and unemployment in the US, check out this report.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:29:40.167Z","status":"published","snippet":"The unemployment rate dropped in September, but fewer people are in the labor force. The unemployment rate has dropped in every","share_count":2,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:15.111Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Jobs & Unemployment","id":25,"slug":"25-jobs-unemployment","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/25-jobs-unemployment","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=25","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/25/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The unemployment rate was 6.9% in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The decline of one percentage point from the previous month is steeper than the half percentage point drop between August and September —but the unemployment rate was still double the 3.5% rate reported in February. Job growth was comparable to September, with another 638,000 jobs added to payrolls.

The unemployment rate for women seeking work dropped to 6.7%, falling below that of men for the first time since March, and an estimated 300,000 women also reentered the labor market between September and October. But women still make up 58.2% of those who have left the workforce since February and have not returned.

People who had been jobless for 27 weeks or more accounted for 32.5% of all unemployed Americans in October. For context, people experiencing long-term unemployment made up just 7.9% of the total unemployed in June and 21.5% of those unemployed this time last year.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, people who had lost their jobs permanently also made up a greater share of the total unemployed than those on temporary layoff — 40.9% compared to 29.1%. People looking for work after leaving their positions or entering or reentering the job market accounted for larger shares of the unemployed in October as well, though job loss was still responsible for 70% of unemployment. Job loss made up 45.9% of unemployment in October of last year.

Despite the jobs added over the past several months, employment remains down by 6.6% or 10.1 million jobs compared to February. The leisure and hospitality industry continued to lead in job recovery, hiring 271,000 more people in October, many in restaurants and bars, for a total of 4.8 million jobs added since April — accounting for 40% of total job growth in the past six months. But the industry was among the hardest hit by the pandemic and still employs 3.5 million fewer people than it did in February. Professional and business services added 208,000 jobs this past month, followed by retail at 103,700 jobs. Retail, which also faced significant job losses in March and April, has added a total of 1.9 million jobs since then but remains down by around 500,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Government employment also fell by 268,000 in October — largely due to a loss of 147,000 temporary federal Census workers. But employment in local and state education also dropped by 98,000 and 61,000 jobs.

See more data about the impact of the pandemic on health, the economy, and individual Americans at the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"In October, the unemployment rate was 6.9%, down from 7.9% in September.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/d1647f/Unemployment_Claims_11-07_Twitter.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/d1647f/Unemployment_Claims_11-07_Twitter.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/d1647f/Unemployment_Claims_11-07_Twitter.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/d1647f/Unemployment_Claims_11-07_Twitter.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/d1647f/Unemployment_Claims_11-07_Twitter.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

See more data about the impact of the pandemic on health, the economy, and individual Americans at the COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:30:09.779Z","status":"published","snippet":"The unemployment rate was 6.9% in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . The decline of one percentage point","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:19.953Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Healthcare","id":26,"slug":"26-healthcare","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/26-healthcare","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=26","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/26/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

Approximately 8% of the population—26.1 million—lacked health insurance in 2019

New data from the Census Bureau reveals that 92% of people in the US had health insurance coverage for all or part of 2019, leaving 8%, or 26.1 million, without any coverage throughout the year.

The data comes from the annual Census report on Health Insurance Coverage in the United States, a compilation of findings from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the American Community Survey (ACS).

According to data from the CPS—which asks respondents about their health insurance coverage during the entirety of the previous year—an estimated 68% of the population had private health insurance at some point during 2019, 34.1% had public insurance, and 8% had no form of insurance coverage at all. The most common form of coverage was employment-based insurance, which covered approximately 183 million Americans in 2019.

In contrast to the CPS, the ACS asks respondents to report their health insurance status at the time of interview. The Census uses the ACS results to estimate year over year changes in coverage. According to this data, the number of people without health insurance at the time of interview increased from 28.6 million in 2018 to 29.6 million in 2019.

Insurance coverage in 2019 varied by age, race, and other characteristics.

Health insurance coverage varies by age, with the elderly and children typically insured at higher rates than other age groups. In 2019, adults aged 19 to 64 years had the highest uninsured rate at 11.1%, followed by children under 19 at 5.2% and finally, adults 65 and older, at 1.1%.

Coverage also varies with race and ethnicity. In 2019, the Hispanic population had the highest uninsured rate, with 16.7% of the population uninsured for the entire year. Among the Black population, the uninsured rate was 9.6% in 2019, followed by the Asian and white populations at 6.2% and 5.2%, respectively.

The likelihood of being insured also relates to poverty, work experience, and marital status. In 2019, the uninsured rate among people in poverty, people without full-time work, and unmarried people was higher than the uninsured rate among the total US population.

The percentage of people without health insurance increased in 19 states between 2018 and 2019.

According to data from the ACS, the uninsured rate among states varied from a low of 3% in Massachusetts to a high of 18.4% in Texas. Between 2018 and 2019, the uninsured rate increased in 19 states, remained the same in 30 states, and decreased only in Virginia.

The uninsured rate varied between states that did or did not expand Medicaid eligibility. In total, 32 states plus Washington, DC expanded eligibility to people below a designated income-to-poverty ratio threshold before January 2019. Among adults aged 19 to 64 in states with Medicaid expansion, the uninsured rate was 9.8%, compared to 18.4% in states that did not expand eligibility.

The individual mandate penalty was eliminated in 2019, meaning people no longer face penalties for being uninsured.

The Affordable Care Act included an individual mandate from 2014 to 2018, requiring people to have health insurance or pay a penalty when filing federal taxes. Between 2014 and 2018, those without coverage had to pay the penalty for each month that they went uninsured during the previous year, unless they qualified for an exemption.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced the individual mandate penalty to $0, effectively eliminating the mandate starting in the 2019 tax year.

According to ACS data, approximately one million more people were uninsured at the time of interview in 2019 compared to 2018.

The most recent Census data shows how many people in the US had health insurance in 2019—before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The data reveals that private health insurance was more common than public health insurance in 2019, and specifically, that employment-based insurance covered 56.4% of the population. But amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused record unemployment, it’s likely that many have lost their employment-based health insurance.

The data on national health insurance coverage for 2020 will not be available until the fall of 2021.

Learn more healthcare in the US here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"In the year before the pandemic hit, 92% of people in the US had health insurance.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/dea187/fact%20about%20health%20insurance.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/dea187/fact%20about%20health%20insurance.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/dea187/fact%20about%20health%20insurance.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/dea187/fact%20about%20health%20insurance.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/dea187/fact%20about%20health%20insurance.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

Approximately 8% of the population—26.1 million—lacked health insurance in 2019

New data from the Census Bureau reveals that 92% of people in the US had health insurance coverage for all or part of 2019, leaving 8%, or 26.1 million, without any coverage throughout the year.

Insurance coverage in 2019 varied by age, race, and other characteristics.

The percentage of people without health insurance increased in 19 states between 2018 and 2019.

The individual mandate penalty was eliminated in 2019, meaning people no longer face penalties for being uninsured.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced the individual mandate penalty to $0, effectively eliminating the mandate starting in the 2019 tax year.

According to ACS data, approximately one million more people were uninsured at the time of interview in 2019 compared to 2018.

The most recent Census data shows how many people in the US had health insurance in 2019—before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The data on national health insurance coverage for 2020 will not be available until the fall of 2021.

Learn more healthcare in the US here.

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How much do America's biggest counties spend on police?

Governments in America’s largest counties tend to spend more money per capita on law enforcement than smaller counties, according to data compiled by the US Census Bureau.

Following the killing of George Floyd in May, police defunding — the idea of cutting law enforcement budgets and reallocating the funds to services like social services and education — has become a national issue. The Census Bureau’s 2017 financial data of more than 88,000 local governments, from cities to counties to school districts, shows how communities prioritize law enforcement compared to other relevant areas such as public health, child and social services, and aid to the disadvantaged. Local government takes different forms across the country, including many counties having both county sheriff operations as well as city police departments.

State and local governments spent $193 billion on law enforcement and corrections in 2017. Local governments were responsible for $129 billion, or two-thirds of that spending. Law enforcement spending ranks behind education ($684 billion) as the second-largest spending category for local government budgets.

Combined, all local governments across the country, on average, spent $340 per person on law enforcement. That changes in counties of varying sizes and demographics. That’s 9.2% of all local government spending or a fifth of what’s spent locally on education (48.6% of spending or $2,106 per person). It's also more than twice that of public health (4% or $174 per person).

In the 25 most populous counties—counting New York City’s five boroughs as a single county—local governments spent $573 per resident on law enforcement – which includes both police services and corrections. In the next 303 most populous counties, all with at least 200,000 residents, law enforcement spending stood at $388 per person.

Individually, how local governments spend their money and prioritize services could depend on a variety of factors, including demographics, politics, funding, the outcomes of any previous spending, and the array of services that state and federal governments provide.

Among the largest 25 counties, Broward County, Fla. spends the highest share of its local government budgets (18.2% or $723 per person) on law enforcement. The county spent less than average on education (37.4% of the total budget) but higher than average spending on child and social services (4.4%).

New York City, where the city government oversees all five of its boroughs, spends 7.3% of its budget on law enforcement. The city government spends 30.6% of its money on education and 12.4% on social services and aid to the disadvantaged combined.

New York City spent $898 per capita on law enforcement, highest among the 25 largest counties. Among all counties with more than 200,000 people, only two spent more on law enforcement per capita: Washington, DC ($1,136 per person), and nearby Nassau County, NY ($949).

While there is a correlation between law enforcement spending and population, there are also multiple examples of counties going against the trend. Governments in Bexar County, Texas, home to San Antonio and nearly 2 million residents, spent $298 per person on law enforcement and $3,906 per person in total. The city of St. Louis, which as an independent city functions as its own county, spent $795 per person on law enforcement and $6,764 per person in total. St. Louis has a population of just 308,000.

The differences in local government budgets show how different counties have different priorities. Not only does the per-person spending amounts matter to suggest how much a community is willing to spend on a service, but the share of spending on each service matters as well. Understanding the amount and portion of the spending that law enforcement makes up can help inform an understanding if that spending is too much, too little or just the right amount.

Learn more about police funding in the US here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"A closer look at budgets shows how policing priorities differ in counties with different demographics.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d1cd59/law%20enforcement%20spending%20fact%202.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d1cd59/law%20enforcement%20spending%20fact%202.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d1cd59/law%20enforcement%20spending%20fact%202.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d1cd59/law%20enforcement%20spending%20fact%202.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/d1cd59/law%20enforcement%20spending%20fact%202.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

How much do America's biggest counties spend on police?

Governments in America’s largest counties tend to spend more money per capita on law enforcement than smaller counties, according to data compiled by the US Census Bureau.

Learn more about police funding in the US here.

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How many Americans get flu shots?

During the 2018-2019 flu season, 49.2% of people ages six months and older got a flu vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That’s the highest level since the 2009-2010 flu season, but well below the 70% target that the Department of Health and Human Services set in 2010 for the entire population.

Historically, children have been more likely to be vaccinated than adults. During the 2018-2019 season, 62.6% of children between six months and 17 years got a flu shot. Among adults, 45.3% of people got vaccines.

The vaccination rate varied by race and ethnicity, with 51% of non-Hispanic white people getting the vaccine compared with 44.7% of the non-Hispanic Black population. Among Hispanic people, 46.4% got vaccinated.

States in the Northeast and the Great Plains tend to have higher vaccination rates. During the 2018-2019 season, 60.4% of Rhode Islanders received vaccines, the highest of any state. Nevada had the lowest vaccination rate at 37.8%.

According to the CDC, the flu vaccine prevented an estimated 4.4 million influenza illnesses during the 2018-19 season. Vaccinations also prevented an estimated 58,000 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths. The agency also says in years where the vaccine is effectively matched against the season's flu, it reduces the risk of illness between 40% to 60%.

It is too early to say if the COVID-19 pandemic will affect flu vaccination rates. For the coming flu season, the CDC recommends all people older than six months without a conflicting health condition should get a vaccine “to protect yourself and the people around you from flu, and to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The agency notes that while the flu shares some symptoms with COVID-19, they are different, and a flu vaccine won’t protect a person from coronavirus.

Learn more about vaccination in the US here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"The latest data shows that less than half of Americans get vaccinations.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/b3ad08/flu%20vaccination%20healthcare%20fact.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/b3ad08/flu%20vaccination%20healthcare%20fact.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/b3ad08/flu%20vaccination%20healthcare%20fact.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/b3ad08/flu%20vaccination%20healthcare%20fact.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/b3ad08/flu%20vaccination%20healthcare%20fact.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

How many Americans get flu shots?

During the 2018-2019 flu season, 49.2% of people ages six months and older got a flu vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That’s the highest level since the 2009-2010 flu season, but well below the 70% target that the Department of Health and Human Services set in 2010 for the entire population.

Learn more about vaccination in the US here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:32:22.516Z","status":"published","snippet":"How many Americans get flu shots? During the 2018-2019 flu season, 49.2% of people ages six months and older got a flu vaccine,","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:33.899Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Population","id":29,"slug":"29-population","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/29-population","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=29","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/29/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The population of the United States grew by 1.5 million between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 — the smallest annual growth since the 1940s.

There are a few methods for measuring these population changes. First, there’s natural population change, which is the number of deaths in a given year subtracted from births. There’s also change from migration, which counts the number of immigrants arriving in a given year. Plus, migration between states needs to be counted for state populations.

A drop in every facet of population change has led to slowing population growth. The graphic below breaks down population changes by state and region.

In recent years, Census data shows births decreasing and deaths increasing. But while those changes have been gradual, population change from immigration dropped significantly over the past four years. According to the Census Bureau, the United States had 1 million new immigrants between July 2015 and June 2016 — the highest level of the last decade. In the latest annual count, there were just 600,000 new immigrants, a 43% drop.

States in all of the Census’s major regions — Northeast, Midwest, South and West — have had slowing annual natural growth since 2010. States in the Northeast lost population for the second consecutive year. States in the Northeast and Midwest lost population this decade to domestic migration to other states. More people moved to southern and western states than moved out.

In addition to declining immigration, annual natural growth (subtracting deaths from births) dropped in all states except for South Dakota between 2011 and 2019.

California, the most populous state in the US, leads the nation in natural growth (more than 180,000) and is second (just behind Florida with 74,000) for immigration growth. It lost 200,000 people last year to moving to another state but still gained 50,000 in population overall.

The nationwide slowdown in population growth isn’t just about the number of people, in the country but about the issues that will affect the country in the future. Everything from the labor force to programs such as K-12 education, Social Security and Medicare in the future is impacted by not only how much population changes, but how.

Learn more about immigration in the US here .

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"Immigration is down and so are births: Why population growth slowed down","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/8440a2/Population%20by%20race_Twitter.jpg","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/8440a2/Population%20by%20race_Twitter.jpg","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/8440a2/Population%20by%20race_Twitter.jpg","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/8440a2/Population%20by%20race_Twitter.jpg","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/8440a2/Population%20by%20race_Twitter.jpg"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":2,"html_content":"

The population of the United States grew by 1.5 million between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 — the smallest annual growth since the 1940s.

A drop in every facet of population change has led to slowing population growth. The graphic below breaks down population changes by state and region.

In addition to declining immigration, annual natural growth (subtracting deaths from births) dropped in all states except for South Dakota between 2011 and 2019.

Learn more about immigration in the US here .

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:33:40.274Z","status":"published","snippet":"The population of the United States grew by 1.5 million between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 — the smallest annual growth","share_count":2,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:37.954Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"Wealth in America","id":30,"slug":"30-wealth-america","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/30-wealth-america","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=30","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/30/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

The median household income in the United States rose, from $62,626 in 2017 to $63,179 in 2018, to $68,703 in 2019 adjusted for inflation.

The Census Bureau provides estimates of Americans’ earnings. According to the most recent Census data released in September, the median household income rose from $62,626 in 2017 to $63,179 in 2018 adjusted for inflation, and the official poverty rate fell from 12.3% to 11.8%.

The BLS also reports annual median wages by occupation and sector. The median wage was $38,640 in 2019 and wage increases have varied greatly from occupation to occupation for nearly two decades. While median wages in occupations such as farming and management have increased over 10% since 2001, adjusting for inflation, median wages in education and in maintenance roles have decreased 3%. Overall, median wages have increased 0.7% since 2001, after adjusting for inflation.

While median wages may have stagnated in some professions, fewer workers are making the federal minimum wage or less as more states and municipalities implement minimum wage laws above the nationwide level of $7.25 per hour, a wage that has not changed since 2010. As we discussed in a piece on the minimum wage in America, there were 1.7 million workers (or 2% of all hourly workers) in 2018 who earned wages at or below the federal minimum.

The net worth of American households grew 58% from the recession low of $68 trillion ($577,000 per household) in the first quarter of 2009, to $107 trillion ($881,000 per household) in the second quarter of 2019, based on inflation-adjusted data from the Federal Reserve. However, as we described in a piece on the wealth distribution, data from the Federal Reserve shows that the top 1% holds 25.4% of all wealth (assets minus liabilities and debts owed). That’s the greatest proportion the top 1% has held since the dataset was created in 1989.

To learn more about wealth in America, click here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"Median income and earnings rise in 2018, while poverty rates drop, Census data shows","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c5ef45/Copy%20of%20Median%20income%20by%20race.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c5ef45/Copy%20of%20Median%20income%20by%20race.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c5ef45/Copy%20of%20Median%20income%20by%20race.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c5ef45/Copy%20of%20Median%20income%20by%20race.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/c5ef45/Copy%20of%20Median%20income%20by%20race.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":0,"html_content":"

\nThe median household income in the United States rose, from $62,626 in 2017 to $63,179 in 2018, to $68,703 in 2019 adjusted for inflation. \n

To learn more about wealth in America, click here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:34:14.200Z","status":"published","snippet":"The median household income in the United States rose, from $62,626 in 2017 to $63,179 in 2018, to $68,703 in 2019 adjusted for","share_count":0,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:42.104Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"COVID-19","id":31,"slug":"31-covid-19","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/31-covid-19","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=31","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/31/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

There were almost as many reported cases in October as in July. The difference was that October’s cases often occurred in less densely populated places.

In October, the US recorded 1.86 million new cases of COVID-19, 2.4% below the monthly high of 1.9 million in July.

In July, counties with higher population densities reported higher case rates; in October, less dense counties had the highest case rates. Counties with more than 1,000 residents per square mile — home to 35.1% of the population — had an average case rate of 610 cases per 100,000 people during July. The average monthly case rate in these areas in October was 445 cases per 100,000 people, down 27.1% from July.

In counties where the population density is less than 125 people per square mile — home to about 21.7% of the population — the case rate increased 47.7% from an average of 525 cases per 100,000 in July to 775 cases per 100,000 in October.

As a result, some of the least dense states continued to lead the nation in new cases reported. North Dakota and South Dakota, which led the nation in case rates in September, also led in October. The case rates in those states more than doubled. North Dakota’s cases increased from 1,316 per 100,000 in September to 2,896 per 100,000 in October. South Dakota’s increased from 1,004 to 2,668 per 100,000.

Only four states reported fewer new cases in October than in September: Hawaii, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina.

There were 23,090 coronavirus-related deaths in October, slightly higher than the 23,031 in September. Five states accounted for 32.7% of October deaths: Florida, Texas, California, Illinois, and Georgia. Wisconsin had the highest increase in monthly deaths, with 705 COVID-19 deaths in October compared with 205 in September.

Learn more about COVID-19 here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"A look at the increase in cases this fall.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/e0167a/covid%20fact%201.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/e0167a/covid%20fact%201.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/e0167a/covid%20fact%201.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/e0167a/covid%20fact%201.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/9zowXlYM/e0167a/covid%20fact%201.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":3,"html_content":"

There were almost as many reported cases in October as in July. The difference was that October’s cases often occurred in less densely populated places.

In October, the US recorded 1.86 million new cases of COVID-19, 2.4% below the monthly high of 1.9 million in July.

Only four states reported fewer new cases in October than in September: Hawaii, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Learn more about COVID-19 here.

","comments_count":0,"issue_slugs":[],"private":false,"created_at":"2020-11-12T20:34:44.988Z","status":"published","snippet":"There were almost as many reported cases in October as in July. The difference was that October’s cases often occurred in less","share_count":3,"reaction_config_id":null,"recipient_config":null,"show_newsletter_signup":false,"show_byline_follow_button":true,"show_suggested_profiles":false,"published_at":"2020-11-12T23:18:45.924Z","allow_advocacy":false,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"twitter_share_language":null,"email_share_subject":null,"email_share_body":null,"issue_ids":[],"legislator_ids":[]},{"title":"COVID-19","id":32,"slug":"32-covid-19","links":{"self":"https://thanksgiving.usafacts.org/articles/32-covid-19","article_comments":"/api/article_comments?article_id=32","signatures":"/api/v3/articles/32/signatures?include=user"},"content":"

Hospitalizations increased in October after a drop in September.

Coronavirus-related hospitalizations rates hit a pandemic low of 3.9 per 100,000 Americans during the week of September 19, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While October's hospitalization rates are preliminary, the rate ticked up at least 38% to 5.4 hospitalizations per 100,000 people by the week of October 17. The 65+ population had a 48.5% spike in hospitalization rate during this period from 10.1 hospitalizations per 100,000 to 15.

On July 29, 9.9% of all hospital beds were filled with COVID-19 patients, according to Department of Health and Human Services data. Since then, the share dropped to as low as 4.6% on Oct. 3, before increasing to 7.4% on November 2.

17 jobs remain lost for every 10 coronavirus cases.

The latest state-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 12.3 million fewer people were employed in September than in February. No state has fully regained the jobs lost during the pandemic.

With 7,174,631 known cases at the end of September, there were 1.7 fewer jobs for every known COVID-19 case in the US compared to February employment levels. States with lower case counts compared with other states tend to have the highest ratio of jobs lost. In Vermont, where there have been 1,752 known cases through September, there were also 23,800 fewer jobs. That’s 13.6 jobs lost per case. In Hawaii, which had a 12,410 cumulative case count at the end of September, it still had 131,000 fewer jobs than in February. That’s 10.6 jobs lost per case.

On the other end, Mississippi had 98,189 cases as of September 30. It also had 3,800 fewer jobs than in February. That’s one job lost for every 25 cases.

Small business owners remain pessimistic about the pandemic, although impacts vary across states.

Across the country, nearly three-fourths of all businesses report a large or moderate effect on their business due to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the US Census Bureau’s latest Small Business Pulse Survey. Businesses in Hawaii and Alaska report being most impacted by the virus, with over 40% of small businesses reporting a large negative impact from COVID-19 and over 80% of small business owners reporting a large or moderate impact on their business. In contrast, less than 20% of small businesses in Idaho and Delaware report a large negative effect from coronavirus.

Small businesses surveyed said they were setting expectations for a long and slow recovery. In the October 20 Small Business Pulse survey, 45% of businesses expected it to take over six months for business operations to return to their pre-pandemic level, and 7.3% reported never expecting their business operations to return to normal. Only 4.4% of small businesses expect their businesses to return to normal in three or fewer months. Some small businesses have escaped the pandemic without major harm, though, with 28.5% reporting a full recovery or no impact on their normal operations level. These figures have not changed from the September 26 survey.

Learn more about COVID-19 here.

","user_id":1901,"cta_prompt":"Data on hospitalizations, job loss, and small business sentiment.","cta_type":"share","cta_text":"Share","cta_url":null,"formatted_publish_date":"11.12.20","image_urls":{"thumb":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/48151b/covid.png","xsmall":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/48151b/covid.png","small":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/48151b/covid.png","medium":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/48151b/covid.png","large":"https://thanksgiving-ul.usafacts.org/ul/q_auto/Wv48bOXq/48151b/covid.png"},"profile_id":1,"action_count":1,"html_content":"

Hospitalizations increased in October after a drop in September.

17 jobs remain lost for every 10 coronavirus cases.

On the other end, Mississippi had 98,189 cases as of September 30. It also had 3,800 fewer jobs than in February. That’s one job lost for every 25 cases.

Small business owners remain pessimistic about the pandemic, although impacts vary across states.

Learn more about COVID-19 here.

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