News in Numbers
The amount of growth in Dawson County, Ga., between July 2023 and July 2024, making it the nation’s fastest growing county. The 10 fastest-growing counties were all in the Sunbelt, including four in Texas. Metropolitan counties are growing faster than the nation as a whole, driven by international migration.
The increase in energy prices in February. Gasoline prices were down but electricity and natural gas both increased. Inflation, which ticked down to 2.8 percent last month, was driven largely by higher prices for shelter, which accounted for half the overall increase.
The risk of a recession in the coming year, according to Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. Zandi is a prominent forecaster who has consulted with politicians from both parties. “The economy will likely suffer a downturn if the Trump administration follows through on the tariff increases it has announced and maintains those tariffs for more than a few months,” Zandi says.
The share of Indiana counties that are expected to lose population over the next 30 years. Many smaller counties in the state are actively seeking grants for programs to reverse this trend, largely by improving local quality of life.
Number of historic photos and online posts marked for purging from the Department of Defense as part of its effort to remove materials related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Many of the images feature women and minorities. “In some cases, photos seemed to be flagged for removal simply because their file included the word ‘gay,’” according to the Associated Press, “including service members with that last name and an image of the B-29 aircraft Enola Gay, which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.”
The salary and bonuses earned by Salvador Cavazos, superintendent of Valere Public Schools, a small network of charter campuses in Texas. The network serves fewer than 1,000 students. That’s more than double the compensation for Melissa Aviles-Ramos, chancellor of New York City schools, which serve nearly 1 million students.
The share of the vote taken by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones in Tuesday’s primary. Jones finished well behind Cara Spencer, a former alderwoman who was her opponent four years ago and took 68 percent on Tuesday. Jones and Spencer will proceed to a runoff next month.
The number of days per week that California state employees will have to work in their offices, beginning July 1. In issuing the order, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the return to in-person work will help restore trust with the public and also be more fair to employees who already have to work in person, including custodial staff.
The number of babies whose health was protected by James Harrison. The Australian railway clerk had rare antibodies in his blood that, when administered during pregnancy, help prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn, a condition that can cause stillbirth and neonatal death. Harrison, who died last month, donated blood every two weeks for more than 60 years. “There are so many people walking around with a little bit of James,” said a spokeswoman for American Red Cross Lifeblood.
The number of measles cases in Texas, as of Friday. One child has died and 20 more are hospitalized. The outbreak, the worst in the state in decades, has grown from two cases a month ago.
Approximate average annual wage for federal workers who live in Washington, D.C., according to Labor Department data for 2023. D.C., Maryland and Virginia have the highest federal wages per worker, with those in Maryland making about $126,000 and those in Virginia making about $111,000.
The percentage of “highly religious” Americans who strongly lean toward the Republican Party. Thirty-two percent of the same group identify as Democrats. The figure is higher among white Americans – 77 percent – because Black Americans are likely to identify as Democrats regardless of their level of religious engagement. Among White Americans with low levels of religious engagement, 68 percent lean toward the Democratic Party.
The amount states would lose in funding if Congress eliminates enhanced Medicaid funding for the expanded program population created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The House is considering a budget proposal that would shrink Medicaid spending in various ways. If the extra ACA money went away, states would have to come up with $44.3 billion to make up the loss. Otherwise, the uninsured population would increase by 10.8 million people.
The amount college tuition could go up for so-called Dreamers in Florida. Dreamers, who are undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children, have been able to pay in-state rates but the Legislature plans to repeal that policy. That would raise their annual tuition costs from $6,300 to $22,000.
The amount that rates of sepsis increased for Texas women hospitalized when they lost their pregnancies in the second trimester, according to a new investigation from ProPublica. The increase occurred after Texas banned abortion in 2021.null
The number of people who have tested positive in West Texas for the measles. Four patients who contracted measles said they were vaccinated against the disease. Thirteen patients have been hospitalized. The outbreak is the state’s largest in more than 30 years.
The approximate number of people with autism who have jobs that align with their skill level and offer competitive salaries, according to Amy Wetherby, director of the Florida State University Autism Institute. On Tuesday, the Florida Senate Committee on Education PreK-12 unanimously backed a bill designed to create more work opportunities for individuals with autism during its first committee hearing.
Number of people being held in Wisconsin's state correctional facilities, which have an official capacity of 17,638. Gov. Tony Evers wants to dedicate over $325 million toward a plan that would update the state’s aging correctional facilities, close the Green Bay Correctional Institution in 2029, and spend more than $40 million to help "stabilize" the prison population through programs aimed at reducing recidivism, including workforce training and substance abuse treatment.
The estimated amount a judge has ordered Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to seek from the federal government in unemployment benefits. Like other Republican governors, DeWine opted out of a federal pandemic program that provided enhanced unemployment payments before it ended in 2021. A judge has ordered DeWine to obtain those funds, which would be distributed to about 300,000 people. The state intends to appeal the ruling.
The amount the U.S. House GOP raised the U.S. debt limit in their budget resolution, released Wednesday. The resolution, if adopted, would extend Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and boost border security spending.
Across Florida, and the nation, the high cost of child care — on average more than $12,600 a year for an infant in the Sunshine State.
Percentage of public-sector employees who say student loan debt affects their decisions when considering job offers, with about a third of public-sector employees with student debt saying they perceive it as a barrier to their career advancement and 23 percent reporting negative work morale.
The number of Venezuelans who stand to lose their Temporary Protected Status under Donald Trump, who announced late last month that he would cancel an extension of the TPS program for Venezuelans in the U.S. In the Miami suburb of Doral, Venezuelans have been some of the president’s biggest supporters. Their feelings about these latest policies remain varied and complex – but some have grown to fear they may have to leave the country. (Washington Post — Feb. 9, 2025)
The average rate increase State Farm, California’s largest insurer, is asking the state to approve for policy holders. The insurer says the recent L.A. fires have imperiled its finances, and it wants these rate increases as an “emergency” cash infusion as it attempts to pay out claims.
The number of Oregon state employees who make more money than Gov. Tina Kotek. The governor earns $98,600 a year, which is less than all the governors save those in Maine, Colorado and Arizona. Her relatively modest salary means that one in every five state employees in Oregon make more money than the governor. (The Oregonian)
The amount it would cost annually to clean up the dead zone off the coast of Louisiana. A vast dead zone is caused seasonally by nutrient runoff from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers that cause algae blooms and cut off oxygen. The Environmental Protection Agency has set a goal of reducing runoff by 45 percent, which would cost $7 billion per year, according to a new study. (Louisiana Illuminator)
The projected cost of a new school voucher plan in Tennessee over the next three years. Last week, legislators passed a bill making Tennessee the latest state to offer vouchers to all families, regardless of location or income. Critics said the cost will grow much higher. The bill was a top priority for GOP Gov. Bill Lee.
