Economic Maps- California

    This map shows the households that have less than $10,000 according to the 2022 1 year ACS. There are no counties in California that have a large percentile, which makes sense since I know that typically it is more expensive to live in California. The areas that have the largest percentages are the ones that are bordering Nevada (but not the gray ones), while the ones with the least (other than the gray ones) are the ones that are on the outside border of the state. This would make sense, since it's typically more expensive to live at the beach, so you probably wouldn't have too many low-income families living there. 

This map shows the opposite end of the spectrum, at households with less than $200,000 according to the 1 year ACS. I makes sense that since it's the opposite end of the spectrum, it has the opposite results. There are no counties that have a low percentage of households with less than $200,000. It is the most amount of money that you can have on the ACS, which would make sense that a lot of people have less than it. The counties with the least amount of people that fall into this category are the ones that border the country, which again, the beach is usually the most expensive place to live, so this would make sense that the wealthiest families live here. 

    This map is directly in the middle, at households with less than $45,000. There is a much wider range of colors on this map. There is only one county on the map that would be on the lower percentage of that spectrum, and the majority of counties falls in the middle range of that spectrum. This would make sense because based on the rest of the data, we could assume that the people in the middle of this range are like the middle class families. It would make sense that the majority of families are middle class, and wealthier, knowing that California is typically a little more expensive to live in. 

Economic Data Maps - Illinois (By County)

 

The first map shows households that make less than $10,000 a year. The county with the highest number of households that make less than $10,000 in 2023 are Champaign County (11.7% - 89,155 households) and Peoria County (10.93% - 77,525 households). This factor is important to the upcoming election because the topic of taxes and lowering wages has been a big talking point on both sides of the debate. Households with a lower income will want to vote for the better candidate that will provide them with a lower and more understanding cost of living and the candidate that will create tax breaks for middle and lower class citizens. Over the years, wages for things have gone up due to things like COVID and it gets harder to sustain a household.

The second map shows an estimated amount of vacant houses within each county. Housing eligibility in the US is a big deal because it is getting harder for first time buyers to obtain their first home. Younger adults have to live paycheck to paycheck or live with their parents till they can fend for themselves. This can also be attributed to children helping their parents with bills or needing support after college. This will be something voters will look for in the candidates. Having a president that will not only make it easier for people to get their first house, they will also look for the candidate that will create programs that forgive student loans allowing young adults to become independent and find their own home.

The last map represents households with one or more people under 18yrs. Households with children under 18, they will be looking for the candidate that will help provide better more affordable healthcare. They will also look for candidates that want to raise the minimum wage which will effect these younger people when they soon find jobs and can help their parents. more importantly, they may look for candidates that will enforce policy's that protect children from gun violence which has been an issue in the past few years. They will be more focused on the candidate that will help them protect these minors financially and physically. 

Georgia Economic Data- Evelyn Reynolds

Graph 1: Households with an income <50K ^

This graph shows that there is a large population of Georgia that doesn't have that much money. Of course, 50K is more than enough for an individual or even a married couple. But this graph doesn't specify whether these households have one or many people in them. It is much harder to support a family with this kind of salary then it is to support oneself. With this being said, I think looking at the amount of people in a state that have a lower income can be important for determining what the election results will be. I believe that people under the poverty line would be more likely to vote Democrat because of their welfare policies and other programs to help the poor that Democrats would be more likely to support. Generally, Democrats support more government intervention, which means more aid to the poor. This is obviously something that sounds attractive to someone who is struggling to make ends meet. Conversely, I think Republican policies are beneficial for business owners and people belonging to the middle class, usually promising lower taxes. 

Graph 2: Houses valued under 150K ^

This graph is similar to the first one in what it accomplishes. We can see the houses that are valued under 150K, and therefore, people with less money will be more likely to be living in these houses. Of course, it would make a big difference whether it was just one person living in the house or a whole family. I also find it interesting that in Atlanta there really aren't that many houses that fall into this category because as a bigger city, the housing is mostly comprised of apartment complexes.

Graph 3: Households that make more than 100K^

This map makes me change my opinions about where the economic boundaries are in the state. I wish I could see a percentage instead of a total number but I forget how to do that. I think this graph shows that Georgia has a very diverse economic population, with a lot of people in poverty and a lot of rich people as well. Honestly the election in Georgia could swing either way, and I think it's very interesting that Georgia seems to have a pretty even mix in its population from both rural and urban areas. 

New Jersey's Economy

 

In Picture #1, we can see that the state of New Jersey is pretty equal across the entire land when it comes to household incomes. In this map of a one year estimate in 2022, I marked the data as Household Incomes less than $60,000. Most of the counties seem to be the same color. The upper part of New Jersey by Sussex, Morris, Warren, Somerset, and Hunterdon county tends to range around 18 - 28% of households with less than $60,000. Meanwhile in the lower part of New Jersey, there is a slight difference in the color. Around the counties of Cumberland, Atlantic, Salem, Ocean, Cape May, and Camden tend to range from 35 - 49% of households with less than $60,000. The counties in lower New Jersey tend to have more of an income issue, than the counties in upper New Jersey.

In Picture #2, we can see that the state of New Jersey varies when it comes to households making more than $150,000 per year. In this map of a one year estimate in 2022, the upper part of New Jersey tends to have higher percentages that range around 38 - 48% of households who make more than $150,00 per year. The counties of Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Bergen, and Union, are the ones higher in percentage, but also some of these counties seem to be more populated then some of the counties in lower New Jersey. In the lower part of New Jersey, there are still some densely populated counties, but they tend to have lower percentages ranging in about 13 - 24% of households making more than $150,000 per year. It just seems to be a decline in percent as your travel from upper New Jersey down to lower New Jersey. 

In this 2014 5-year estimate map, it shows that the wealthier people of New Jersey tend to group around the upper counties. New Jersey is a very economically diverse state as there are counties with an average yearly income of $50,603, and there are counties with an average yearly income of $106,519. From upper New Jersey to lower New Jersey, the average yearly income decreases as we get to the lower area of the state. Most residents who live under the poverty line would be located in the lower half of New Jersey. 

How does this effect this upcoming Presidential Election?

From an election standpoint, New Jersey is usually a democratic voting state. Since 1992, New Jersey has voted for the democratic presidential candidate, and since 1996 over 50% of New Jersey residents have voted for democrats. New Jersey residents are possibly going to consider looking for which candidate cares more about the economy in this upcoming 2024 presidential election. The Democratic campaign mentioned how they are planning to not raise tax rates, except for wealthier Americans. The Republican campaign mentioned how they want to extend an individual's income, and estate tax cuts. 

Works Cited:

Luhby, T. and Lobosco, K. (2024) Here’s what Harris and Trump are proposing for the economy, CNN. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/27/politics/economy-harris-trump-proposals-taxes/index.html

Nevada Economic Maps - Skye

Each of these maps are from Social Explorer and use the ACS 2022 5 year estimates. 

 This is a map of the Gini index for each county in Nevada. The Gini index measures the income inequality of an area, with higher numbers meaning more inequality. There seems to be a lot more inequality in the western and southern parts of the state than in the northern and southern parts, with the highest numbers belonging to the most populated counties of Clark and Washoe. This may be the case due to job diversity; the cities have more people and therefore more options for work, and the small populations of some counties may have a wider variety of roles to fulfill, and therefore a wider variety of income, than others. A higher inequality may not lead to a change in the result of the election, as the people on the lower end who want better conditions may be balanced out by the higher end who are satisfied with the current economic situation and by the money they may use to influence the election. It could however lead to more unrest at the outcome of the election due to the divide between sides.

This next map is of the median earnings by people aged 25+ who have a bachelor’s degree. The distribution looks rather random, which may once again be explained by job diversity. There may be some areas with more of a need for jobs requiring bachelor’s degrees and others with less of one, especially Mineral and Eureka counties which did not have sufficient data. The specific job someone has can impact who they vote for in the election; for example, someone may vote against environmental regulations if they would negatively impact their job.

The final map is of the median value of all owner-occupied housing units within each county. This value seems to correlate quite nicely with total county population, which can be explained by the higher demand in the more densely populated cities and lower demand in the sparse parts. Many people in areas with higher values may find the housing market difficult to work with and possibly unfair, and may vote for candidates that plan to address it and make the situation more affordable. People in the sparser areas may be content with the market and vote to keep it the way it is.

 

New York Economic Maps - Brie & Liv

In this first map, we observe that, with the 5-year ACS 2021 data presented, median household incomes are higher in more urban areas, namely those cities that have higher populations. More populated regions typically have more economic opportunities, a higher cost of living, and industries that attract higher-paying jobs, thus accounting for the higher income levels. This trend is more pronounced in major metropolitan areas, where a variety of job opportunities, combined with strong infrastructure, supports higher wages.

Upstate New York for most of its areas, especially mountainous and rural offers hundreds below in terms of median household income. Because such parts normally have lower population densities, access to high-income jobs might be restricted, economic resources are scattered, and big industries barely make a presence, fewer dollars and cents would be coming home. Thus, the map really captures the economic divide in this state, pitting prosperity within urban cities against economic adversity in rural areas, usually compartmentalized by geography and resource distribution.

However, we also see that despite the higher income, families in this area tend to reside under the poverty line. This is due to the higher cost of living in cities, as well as the need for job opportunities due to overpopulation. These poor economic conditions lead many families to be in the lower class, which statistically votes for democratic candidates who advocate for more educational and economic opportunities. Alternatively, candidates who live in more rural areas with better living standards tend to vote for candidates who want to provide tax breaks to those in the upper middle class, as this proves to be a benefit for their economic status.

As stated, previously, the unemployment population of those ages sixteen and above is conspicuously higher in the urban area like New York City and Buffalo. These cities, while offering an extensive sphere of job opportunities, also contain unique economic stresses and labor market dissimilarities that elevate unemployment rates. Larger labor pools mean intense competition, sometimes very frustrating, and because of this job searches have to be extended quite a while factor that is certainly not very encouraging for the young or those with limited work experience or specialized skills.

Economics of Nevada - Noely

Average Employee Wage in 2019: All Establishments

    Nevada's average employee wage in 2019 when compared to the population sizes of the countries show an inverse relationship. The more people in the county, the lesser the average employee wage. For example, Northeastern Nevada which houses the second least populated county, Eureka County, has the highest average employee wage of $94,357. Conversely, the regions with the highest population densities like Southern and Northern Sierra Nevada have relatively low average employee wages. Clark County in Southern Nevada houses 2.2 million individuals while having a $44,756 average employee wage. This inverse relationship is interesting at first because one would assume that the rural areas that are less industrialized would not result in higher wages. However, when looking at the industries that reign these high wage counties, it is not surprising. 

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction in 2016: All Establishments

    Nevada's least densely populated countries are being carried by the mining industry. The largest mine in Nevada is the Goldstrike mine in Eureka County, which coincidentally has the largest average employee wage (NASA). Additionally, Humboldt county, which is apart of Northeastern Nevada, has 13 establishments relating to mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction and also makes up 18.75% of the states Net Proceeds of Minerals (U.S. Department of the Interior). Mining is the backbone of Nevada's economy and it contributes to the wealth seen in the counties with higher average wages. There are some outliers to this since Clark County, a county with one of the lower average wages has the highest number of establishments with 43. Even though this specific county does not correlate to the point being made, it is evident that the counties that do benefit from the higher average wages are being uplifted by the mining corporations and establishments. 

Families: Income Below Poverty Level

    This is data for the percentage of families income that is below the poverty level using the ACS 2020 (5-year Estimates). Unsurprisingly, the Northeastern part of Nevada which had higher average wages than the rest of Nevada has lower percentages. Pershing County which has the second highest average wage ($64,685) had the second lowest family poverty percentage (5.29%) compared to the other counties. Similarly, the county with one of the relatively lower average wages, Clark County in Southern Nevada ($44,756) had the third highest family poverty percentage (9.79%).  

What This Means for the Election

    When looking at the average wages of counties and the impact of the mining industry on said counties it is important to note how these go hand in hand with the political ideologies of the Republican Party. One of the Republican Party's economic campaigns is the notion of tax cutting corporations. These tax cuts benefit the wealthy and profitable corporations. It is no surprise that the wealthy counties of Nevada in both wages and money gained for large corporations are heavily Republican. The tax cuts implemented by the Republicans benefit the ones gaining large wages and the companies that receive large profits. Although the poverty rates do not have a clear correlation to a political party in Nevada, people in poverty are more likely to vote for a candidate that promotes welfare programs than one that gives tax cuts to the wealthy. The high wages in counties means a good turnout for the Republicans while the high poverty in select counties rates lead to more Democratic votes that are overshadowed by the Republican majority. 

Works Cited

NASA. “Goldstrike Mine, Nevada | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).” Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 15 May 2017, https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia21665-goldstrike-mine-nevada/. Accessed 29 October 2024.

U.S. Department of the Interior. “Humboldt and Lander Counties, Nevada | Archive | Case Studies.” Natural Resources Revenue Data, https://archive.revenuedata.doi.gov/archive/case-studies/humboldt-and-lander/. Accessed 29 October 2024.

Texas Economic Maps Blog Post - Tristin Nyce

 

   My first economic map displays the percentage of families whose incomes are below poverty level at the county level in Texas. It can be seen that the percentages become higher as you stray from more developed city/suburban areas as the map is shaded in darker. This may be vague when observing from a political standpoint, however, the democrat party continues to cater to poorer families, thus when beliefs are put aside this could be an advantage to the democratic party as big city areas are already very likely to vote for the left. My second map is a contrast to my first as it shows the percentage of households worth more than 150,000 dollars in each county of Texas. As expected, the more developed and industrial city areas of Texas have higher household prices. The rest of Texas has quite a low rate of households over 150,000 dollars which can mean many things for the election. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have promises in terms of lowering household costs for citizens making this an interesting aspect to the upcoming election in terms of which citizens will vote for a particular party. My third map is similar; however, this map shows occupied housing units which also goes hand-in-hand with population density which is a major factor in the election. This could be major as the left-leaning city areas have much more density while the rest of Texas is less-dense. However, seeing as the denser areas in Texas only take up so much space, it will be curious to see what the majority of Texas ends up voting for as the less-dense areas make up for most of the space in Texas despite not having as many people per county.

Economic Rates - TEXAS - Asia Gonzalez

 

ECONOMIC STATS ON TEXAS:

This first map is showing how many occupied housing units there were from 2020. The most popular spots were around the main cities In Texas. Places like Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio have very large populations of people living there. Lots of houses. Yet places not as known, and not big cities have only a few hundred people living there. 

This map shows unemployment rates in Texas counties from August 2019-2020.  The rate of unemployment went up from the start of Covid, and it seems more people that were unemployed lived less in the bigger cities, and more on the west and south-west outskirts of Texas like, Presidio County, Ector County, and Maverick County. The big cities have average rates of unemployment, and the middle and north part or Texas have the least amount of unemployment.

        This last map shows families with income below poverty levels. Same with the unemployment rate map there are similar patterns of unemployment, and poverty levels. Where the poverty levels are really high in the south, and south-west part of Texas. As well as little bit in the east part of Texas. Bigger cities have less poverty, and the North also has less poverty levels.

In all, this data makes a lot of sense. Bigger cities are going to have less poverty, and less unemployment, while smaller cities and counties will have More. If the city is bigger it will need more housing and so bigger cities will have higher housing populations as well. The data I have collected all goes together. 

Washington economic blog post- Desmond

 To explain the economy of Washington various maps were compared. I first compared the occupation industry of agriculture, forestry and mining to the retail and trade industry, then I compared total employed population to the number of people that lives in poverty and finally I evaluated the average quality of life index per county.

Agriculture forestry and Mining industry                                   Retail industry

After comparing both maps, it was realized that the regions with the highest average number of people in the agriculture industry are not the same regions that have a high average number of people in the retail in industry this is because the economy of different regions are based on different industries. Regions like Grant County and Adam’s County that has a large agriculture-based economy tend to have a low retail trade industry because the goods that are produced are sent to regions that are more focused on manufactured products hence those regions have economies are based in the retail industry.

Number of employed people                 number of people who live in poverty

This is an important topic when explaining the economy of a region because as you can seen on the maps the regions with a high of employment population are the regions that have that highest numbers of poverty. To understand this phenomenon, you need to understand that these areas have a high population which means that although many people are employed there are still not enough jobs to for the entire population which left a huge population to do jobs that are not able to sustain themselves are worst unemployed.

.

Average quality of life index

Looking at the average quality of life index in the counties of was it can can be concluded the the counties located in the central region of the country has the highest quantity of life index, which includes financial stability, access to healthcare, education etc. which that although counties like kings County has a high employment rate it is among the region with the the highest quality of life index which reflects a better economy than region with a lower number poverty.

Pennsylvania Economic Maps - Hunsicker

    This first map details the eligible voting-age population that is in poverty. Explicitly speaking, regarding the whole number of people, the second map shows the same situation except in percentage terms. When one examines the first map, first they will be drawn to significant metropolitan areas such as Allegheny County, which encompasses Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia County, which are both extensive areas with raw numbers of impoverished people. This is caused by the fact that cities have a higher price of living than those areas in other counties. However, one must also note that in the second map reviewing percentages, areas such as Forest and Camden County still report a high number of those in poverty. This plays a role in the election cycle since many of those who are in poverty support the Democrats' economic plans, while those who are more affluent tend to vote more on the Republicans' side of the political aisle. However, a significant caution to note is that voting does have more to do than just the economics of a person since education and urban-rural split, among others, play a factor in who someone votes for.

    When reviewing the income of individuals from a specific area, it is essential to note that it is almost always better to look at the percentage of people rather than raw numbers. When reviewing what is considered high-income ($100,000 or more), it also concerns the urban-rural split that accompanies much of this. The urban-rural split splits the city-like areas with the more "country" counties that are out of the way. When looking at the urban-rural split that will be seen in a later map, it becomes apparent that even though some rural areas have a higher income, they tend to vote more on the Republican side because many in those areas prefer a small government that uses an invisible hand approach in the market. When looking at areas more closely in the city, such as Erie County, which has a higher income population of 21.44%, it still tends to vote more on the Democratic side, most likely due to a higher level of education, in which they have a 28.71% population of people 25 and over who have a Bachelors degree.

    This County Health Rankings and Roadmaps map comes from the University of Wisconsin. It examines the country's inequality in terms of income using a percentile-based approach. When it comes to this college, they examine the lowest and highest earners in each county of Pennsylvania, with the more income inequality areas darker blue and the least in more of lighter blue. This can affect multiple voting values and how people turn up for voting, as transportation can be a barrier to voting in certain areas. Additionally, areas with higher income inequality can cause voters to feel that their vote should go to candidates who preach economic reform, which is predominantly a more Democratic approach. Though essential to note, areas with a high-income majority are more likely to vote Republican, such as in Fayette, since they have a higher chance of losing that income due to high taxes.

    

    The above map shows the urban-rural split hinted towards in many areas of this post. This comes courtesy of Dr. Holoviak of the Philosophy and Government Department at Kutztown. Recently, she published a book this year titled Pennsylvania Government and Politics: Understanding Public Policy in the Keystone State, which has been a great help in my research process for pre-election screening. Looking at the split resulting from this, we understand that counties and other areas are influenced not just by primary values of education, income, age, and gender but also by the fact that some areas are rural. At the same time, others are urban in design which can also play a factor in who one vote as a since urban areas are more likely, but not always to vote left and rural vote for more right..