Vacancy rates by state across the US In 2024

Vacancy rates by state across the US In 2024

*Checks Zillow*

In 2024, Maine, Vermont, and Alaska had the highest gross vacancy rates — 1 in 5 homes was vacant in Maine. The national rate dropped to 10.3% that same year (a 25-year low).

Since 2009 (post ‘08 housing crisis), gross vacancy rates were lower in every state in 2024. Where it dropped most:

Florida: -8.8 net change

Arizona: -7.8

Alaska: -7.4

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More from USA Facts - https://www.instagram.com/usafacts

USA Facts: Which states contribute more than they receive?

USA Facts: Which states contribute more than they receive?

"In FY 2024, the federal government collected around $5.07 trillion from states and their residents. With 38% coming from the nation’s 4 most populous states: California (15.9%), Texas (8.2%), New York (7.6%), and Florida (6.4%).

19 states sent more money than they received — California has the largest difference of $276B between what they sent and what they got back.

About $4.87 trillion was redistributed back to states and residents through programs like Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, and education grants.

The states that received the most funds compared to what they paid were:

📍 Virginia (+$89B)
📍 Alabama (+$45B)
📍 South Carolina (+$39B)

Where does your state fall?"

* Mass is in the Top 19 in sending more than receiving back

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See more at USA Facts -> https://usafacts.org/

USA Facts on core inflation

Via USA Facts:

"Core inflation (excluding food and energy) dropped to 2.6%, the lowest since early 2021. Headline inflation fell to 2.7%.

The government shutdown disrupted data collection, so figures blend September and November with carried-forward October estimates."

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USA Facts video series - well worth binging !! (video)

The 6 part series by Steve Ballmer and USAFacts is worth binging. Each episode is between 6 and 10 minutes.

• What is Poverty? Ep 1 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsUeoe2GJdk
• What is Medicaid and How Many Americans Use It? Ep 2 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd93Z-resrE
• What is Subsidized Housing? | Episode 3 of Just the Facts: Do you Qualify? ->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfhwCPLCkpw
• How Do SNAP Benefits Impact Food Insecurity? | Episode 4 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snHiT4f_wa4
• How Does the Government Help Low-Income Students? | Episode 5 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify?  -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti6Motk5Dhc
• What Cash Assistance does the Government provide? | Episode 6 of Just the Facts: Do You Qualify? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYmUfktljQE

USA Facts video series - well worth binging !!

It is recommended to start with episode 1

You can also go directly to the USAFacts page and try their interactive version which is still in beta test.  https://usafacts.org/just-the-facts/

Why share these? The terminology and principles also apply here in Franklin.

Affordable being a key term. In the discussions I have at the Senior Center (and elsewhere), I always qualify "affordable" as Capital A - that defined by the Federal and State process, or little "a" - the affordable that can be covered by what is in our wallet or income reach.

Early voting is increasing per USA Facts

Per email from Franklin's Town Clerk Nancy Danello, the ballots for the Nov 4 biennial election were received on Monday, Oct 6 and turned around to be mailed to the 400+ voters who requested mail ballots.  Early voting begins in the Town Clerk's office on Friday, October 17.

To see this come across the news feed was timely and share worthy.

via USA Facts:

Early voting is increasing per USA Facts

Do early and mail-in ballots really make a difference? 

Well, in 2024, early and mail-in ballots accounted for nearly 60% of all votes — that’s up from about 50% in 2022. 

• 29% voted by mail 
• 30.7% voted early in person 
• Only 39.6% voted at the polls on Election Day 

Let’s dig deeper:️ 

• Mail-in voting is most popular in the West 
• Early in-person voting dominates in the South 

And who’s most likely to vote early or by mail? 

• Voters 65+: 36.8% voted by mail 
• Asian voters had the highest mail-in rate 
• Black voters led in early in-person turnout 
• Naturalized citizens were nearly 8 points more likely to vote by mail than native-born citizens

Shared from -> https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-voters-cast-ballots-early-and-by-mail/

Charts shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRSEJ5FdMG/

USA Facts lays out what programs immigrants are eligible for (chart)

Are immigrants eligible for government assistance? It depends on their immigration status.

Recent laws (including the One Big Beautiful Bill) have limited some immigrants’ access to government programs — but which ones, and for whom?

We broke it down in a new table to help make sense of this complicated system.

USA Facts lays out what programs immigrants are eligible for (chart)

The USA Facts page has an interactive chart, scroll over it to get additional info ->

https://usafacts.org/articles/immigrant-program-eligibility/

Watch "US Department of Education Budget and Impact of Spending Cuts" on YouTube (video)

Steve Ballmer, USA Facts with another brief video on US Education funding

Video link -> https://youtu.be/Bl1HRu18X0Y

Just the Facts About US Trade & Tariffs (video)

Steve Ballmer talks through US trading partners, imports & exports and how tariffs factor in In 2024, the US imported $4.1 trillion and exported $3.2 trillion in goods and services. Higher tariffs can raise prices and the US jobs impact is complex (lower tariffs can cause job losses in some sections and job gains in others).

Video link -> https://youtu.be/JXKLoDXmZNo

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

https://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-value-of-us-trade/country/united-states/

https://usafacts.org/articles/who-are-the-uss-top-trade-partners/

https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-the-top-us-exports-to-china/

USAFacts: How many people seek asylum in the US?

Asylum is a form of protection for people fleeing persecution in their home countries. Some request it after arriving in the US (affirmative asylum); others apply while facing deportation from the US (defensive asylum). How many people seek asylum here, and where do they come from? Here's the latest data from the Department of Homeland Security. 

• 

  USAFacts: How many people seek asylum in the US?

  Between 1990 and 2021, the US admitted 767,950 asylum seekers. In 2021, asylee admissions dropped to 17,692, the fewest since 1994. 
• Chinese nationals were the largest group of asylum seekers from 2012 to 2021, comprising approximately 63,000 people. That was more than one-fifth of the asylees entering the US. 
• Between 2013 and 2022, the government granted 27,868 Chinese nationals with affirmative asylum. Venezuelans (20,688), were the second-largest group of affirmative asylees, followed by Egyptians (14,909).  

Continue reading the article online ->   https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-people-seek-asylum-in-the-us/

Watch "US Federal Income Taxes: How the US Federal Government is Funded & How Your Share is Calculated" on YouTube

Via USA Facts: 

"The US federal government collected $4.9 trillion in revenue in 2024 -- 99% of it from taxes. 49% came from federal income tax and 35% came from payroll taxes (for social security and medicare). The US has a progressive tax system, which means that you pay more taxes on each income tier (in 2024 for single filers, 10% on your first $11,600, 12% on $11,604 to $47,150 and so on). And you can deduct some expenses (like mortgage interest) from your taxable income amount. More Americans are in the 12% tax bracket than any other. Learn more about how personal federal income taxes work, as well as corporate taxes, state and local taxes, and tax changes over time. "

Video link ->  https://youtu.be/3B0EWgrr8ZI?

For more info:

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

https://usafacts.org/articles/who-pays-the-most-income-tax/

Fderal Government spending in one handy chart via USA Facts

At USAFacts, we believe that American taxpayers — the shareholders responsible for providing most government funding — are entitled to information on how the federal government and its budget operate. Every year, the federal government brings in and spends trillions of dollars.  

 

We've spent weeks combing through spreadsheets to help you track where that money goes. 

This new, searchable visualization displays government revenue from taxes and other sources, totaling $4.9 trillion for fiscal year 2024 and the $6.8 trillion the government spent.  

 

This chart even allows you to see spending data on specific federal agencies and programs. For example, type "Department of Labor" into the search bar at the top right of the visualization, and you'll see the department spent $66.2 billion in FY 2024. 

This new, searchable visualization displays government revenue from taxes and other sources

Shared from -> https://usafacts.org/government-spending/

Why do prices feel high if inflation is down?

Inflation is down, but three in four Americans are still concerned about coming price increases.

Published January 28, 2025 by the USAFacts team

Inflation has eased since a 2022 peak, but an estimated three-quarters of American adults are still concerned about coming price increases. While the inflation rate has dropped to 2.9% as of December 2024, Americans are feeling the lasting impact of a historic spike.

How is inflation trending?

After rising to a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, the inflation rate trended down for much of 2023 and 2024, falling to a low of 2.4% in September 2024 before ticking up over the next few months.

The declining inflation rate means prices have been rising at a more gradual pace, and this can in turn mean less stress on consumers.

Why do prices feel high if inflation is down?

Continue reading the full article online -> 

https://usafacts.org/articles/why-might-prices-feel-high-if-inflation-is-slowing

USAFacts: What are tariffs and how do they work?

• The US collected $77 billion in tariffs in 2024, making up 1.6% of federal revenue. Tariffs haven’t comprised more than 2.0% of total annual revenue since the 1960s. 
• Congress holds constitutional authority over tariffs but has delegated much of it to the president through legislation. Customs and Border Protection enforces tariff collections based on the type of goods, quantity, and country they come from. 

• 

  USAFacts: What are tariffs and how do they work?

  As of October 2024, the average tariff rate for bringing goods into the US is 3.4%. However, it varies based on the product, cost, quantity, and relationship with the exporting country. 
• The US follows World Trade Organization rules that standardize tariffs across member nations, but 14 free trade agreements and special exceptions allow for lower rates with specific partners. 
• When the US raises tariffs, US companies importing international goods pay those tariffs. This can indirectly raise prices for American consumers.

Continue reading more about tarrifs from USAFacts ->

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

Who is behind USAFacts? -> https://usafacts.org/about-usafacts/

USA Facts: How much money do people spend in December?

If you can’t tell it’s the winter holiday season from the festive commercials and lights, you might be able to tell by your dwindling bank account balance. Unsurprisingly, retail spending amps up in this final month of the year. Here’s the data to put it into perspective.  

USA Facts:  How much money do people spend in December?

• Americans spent an estimated $586.98 billion on retail in December 2023, or about $1,750 per person. For comparison, people spent an estimated $532.85 billion in November that year.
• February is usually the lowest sales month of the year, with an average spending of $320 billion. Sales tend to increase incrementally towards the end of the year, rising 4.5% from September to October, 4.7% from October to November, and 18.9% from November to December.  
• December spending reached a recent peak in 2021 at $593.34 billion. That was up 9.0% compared to 2020 and 1.1% higher than in 2023.  

For more on this topic visit this page -> https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-money-do-americans-spend-on-holiday-shopping-2023/?

USA Facts:  USAFacts is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan civic initiative making government data easy for all  https://usafacts.org/about-usafacts/

USA Facts: What does the Department of Education do?

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

The DOE has received 4.0% of all federal funding in 2024, totaling $268.35 billion. That makes it the sixth highest-funded federal agency.

The Education Department has received 4.0% of all federal funding in FY 2024. (see chart)

It’s also the smallest of any cabinet-level department, employing about 4,100 full-time employees in 2023. The next closest was Housing and Urban Development with around 8,100 full-time employees in 2023.

According to the Department of Education, education is primarily a local and state responsibility rather than a federal one. Elementary and secondary education are mostly funded by local governments, while state governments support higher education, per the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances. The Department of Education's budget makes up 21% of total education spending in the country. "

 

Continue reading "What does the Dept of Education do?" at USA Facts ->  https://usafacts.org/articles/what-does-the-department-of-education-do/?