As the economy shifts, we can see changes in consumer spending habits, as reflected in this Qualtrics study, which reveals what Americans spend the most money on. These insights show us what Americans prioritize and how much flexible spending money they have available for non-essentials. Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the team created a chart breaking down spending by category and then a further breakdown of spending categories by income bracket.

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According to the data collected, Americans spend around $77,280 per year. This spending was divided into these categories, ranked by the amount spent on each.

1. Housing – $25,436 (32.9% of total annual expenses)
2. Transportation – $13,174 (17% of total annual expenses)
3. Food – $9,985 (12.9% of total annual expenses)
4. Personal insurance and pensions – $9,556 (12.4% of total annual expenses)
5. Healthcare – $6,159 (8% of total annual expenses)
6. Utilities, fuels, and public services – $4,625 (6% of total annual expenses)
7. Entertainment – $3,635 (4.7% of total annual expenses)
8. Household furnishings and equipment – $2,508 (3.2% of total annual expenses)
9. Apparel and services – $2,041 (2.6% of total annual expenses)
10. Personal care products and services – $950 (1.2% of total annual expenses)
11. Alcoholic beverages – $637 (0.8% of total annual expenses)
12. Tobacco products and smoking supplies – $370 (0.5% of total annual expenses)

Across income categories, Americans spent the most money on housing, which comes as no surprise. Housing costs and mortgage interest rates have been on the rise since 2020 in response to a shortage in housing stock. That means Americans must spend more if they dream of home ownership. The team’s data takes rent into account as well.

Many people also spent a lot on transportation. This is due to a combination of rising fuel costs leading to higher vehicle prices, as well as parts shortages that affected vehicle stock and prices. Another necessity takes number three on the list. According to the data, Americans are spending $1,174 a month on groceries. Grocery prices have dominated newsfeeds for the past few years. We all need food to survive, so seeing this item so far up the list is no surprise.

With so much uncertainty in the world, it seems Americans are investing heavily in insurance and pensions. The data shows that the more money someone makes, the more they spend on insurance, which makes sense as they need to protect expensive assets. Insurance can help offset unforeseen costs and protect investments. Unfortunately, this insurance spending is shared with high healthcare spending as well. Americans spend more than most citizens of other wealthy nations. As the cost of living has increased, so have health insurance premiums. Healthcare spending not only includes health insurance, but also co-pays, medical supplies, and surprise bills.

We live in an era full of strange relationships with money and wealth. Many Gen Z Americans state feeling “pressured” to show off wealth and luxury on social media, while 41% of Americans don’t feel they’re financially secure. Despite rising expenses, Americans still enjoy shopping, with many of them choosing to go shopping as a treat once a month. Gen Z cites boredom as their number one reason for spending money. Even so, 73% say they are willing to cut back on their daily spending to save for longer-term goals. It seems that although prices are rising, many Americans, particularly younger ones, are still willing to spend on a variety of areas.

A new study from Kremp examines an important aspect of motherhood. They created a scoring system to determine the best and worst locations for mothers to live in. Thanks to the multitude of details the team provided, we can see exactly how they came to their conclusions. The criteria for the scoring system examine diverse ways a community can support mothers and analyze the health and well-being of mothers and children living in each state. While something like a motherhood experience is subjective, these criteria give a fair way to compare motherhood in various locations.

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The methodology relied on these factors:

• Women’s Median Earnings
• Gender Wage Gap
• Child Care Costs
• Percentage of Mothers in Good or Excellent Health
• Percentage of Children in Good or Excellent Health
• Percentage of the Population Under 18
• State School System Scores
• Percentage of Parents Who “Definitely Agree” Their Child is Safe in School
• Weeks of Parental Leave Available
• Paid Family Leave Availability
• Job Protection

Based on these criteria, these ten states scored the highest:

• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Connecticut
• Kentucky
• Delaware
• South Dakota
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Florida

While these ten states received the lowest scores:

• Montana
• Arizona
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• South Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Nevada
• West Virginia
• New Mexico

The study and map are helpful precisely because motherhood is such a subjective experience. One mother may consider education of the utmost importance, while another may not be so concerned with this but focused on childcare costs and healthcare. While the study aimed to take all these factors together and score them as a whole, concerned moms can use this data to draw their own conclusions and judge the best location for their family’s needs.

The “best” state for moms often depends on the type of mother. A working mom might have vastly different priorities from a stay-at-home mom. A working mom would likely agree that Massachusetts is the best state for them because of a smaller wage gap and plenty of paid parental leave. In fact, Massachusetts offers the most parental leave compared to all other states. A mom of one child will have unique needs compared to a mom with four children. The age of the children also plays a role. Do the children need daycare, or are they all school-aged? A single Mom may consider Virginia the best state for their situation because of the low cost of living compared to average wages, though once again, Massachusetts has a lot to offer.

The map aspect of the study’s design gives us interesting insights, too. The color patterns show us that many of the best states for motherhood are in the Northeast, while many of the worst states are in the South. This map certainly gives parents something to think about if they are considering a move or planning a future family.

A fascinating new study from OxiFresh shows us that cities can be scored and analyzed on how clean they are. Cleanliness may seem subjective, but the team took a brilliant approach to quantifying and scoring cities with a method that issued cities a score out of 100 in seven categories.

They used these seven areas to form their scoring system:

• Population density: number of people per square mile
• Rodents: Percentage of homes with signs of mouse and rat infestations
• Cockroaches: Percentage of housing units with cockroach infestations
• Vandalism: Percentage of homes without vandalism and abandoned buildings in a half-block radius
• Litter: Percent of homes without litter surrounding the property within a half-block radius
• Air quality: Number of days in 2024 that scored “Good” or higher on the Air Quality Index
• Tap water quality: Average number of contaminants in the municipal drinking water

The strength of this graphic lies in the details. We can see exactly how each of the 25 cities analyzed scored so that we can consider them individually and as part of a whole.

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The team’s scoring system determined that these cities are the cleanest:

1. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon/Washington
2. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington
3. Rochester, New York
4. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan
5. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minnesota/Wisconsin
6. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7. Richmond, Virginia
8. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, Colorado
9. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
10. Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas

And at the bottom of the list, we find these ten cities:

1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York/New Jersey
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
3. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware/Maryland
4. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas
5. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Washington DC/Virginia/Maryland/West Virginia
6. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois/Indiana
7. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
8. Birmingham, Alabama
9. Cincinnati, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana
10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

We can see which factors the team considered the strongest indicator of whether or not a city is clean. For example, waste management obviously has a huge influence on a city’s cleanliness. The team included population density on the list because higher populations produce more garbage and may strain the local waste management system. However, even large cities can manage waste effectively with the right investments. The Portland metro area is the cleanest on the list, and it has made a strong investment in robust recycling and waste removal, which pays off. The city’s clean streets and parks lead to lower pollution levels and fewer rodents and insects, all adding to the city’s excellent cleanliness score.

The lowest scorer, the New York City metro area, has struggled with trash removal for decades. The city is full of back alleys that tend to collect rubbish, grime, and pests. These nests of trash and garbage lead to pollution, unpleasant smells, and the city’s famous rat infestation. As the biggest metro area in the country, though, the city has a lot of challenges to overcome to get cleaner.

The way this map and graphic present information lets us draw conclusions and ask new questions. How did your city score? Do you agree with the team’s methodology?