Public Dataset Analyses

Reproducible analyses built from official public datasets. Each page includes the Python code that produced the findings and charts.

10% of U.S. counties account for the deadliest heart disease hotspots

The heart disease belt is real, but it's sharper than most maps suggest. CDC data reveals the worst mortality is packed into a small cluster of Southern and Appalachian counties.

85% of countries recovered their pre-pandemic life expectancy by 2023

The pandemic knocked years off life expectancy worldwide. By 2023, most countries had bounced back — but 32 still hadn't, including the U.S. and Germany.

Inflation surged in 87 countries after 2020 — real borrowing costs barely budged

In three out of four countries, inflation rose while real interest rates fell. The few exceptions tell an interesting story.

Rents rose 33% in 4 years — incomes didn't keep up in most counties

HUD fair market rents jumped faster than median incomes in 84% of U.S. counties from FY 2022 to FY 2026. Montana, New Jersey, and Florida saw the biggest shifts.

The least affordable U.S. counties aren't the ones you'd guess

HUD data shows Santa Cruz, Miami-Dade, and rural pockets ask more of median incomes than most people realize. The usual suspects aren't always on top.

Where America Is Aging Fastest — and the Surprising Places Getting Younger

Most U.S. counties got older between 2020 and 2024, but the reasons vary wildly. Retiree magnets, shrinking towns, and booming exurbs are all reshaping the age map in different ways.

Which states are growing the fastest in the U.S.?

Idaho led U.S. state population growth from 2020 to 2025, with Florida, South Carolina, and Texas also growing quickly as migration reshaped the map.