Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
A new report details subpar investor returns in the mining industry over the last decade, particularly big cap diversified companies which have not adapted to new realities.
This interactive visualization shows how America’s middle class has changed since the turn of the millennium. The middle class, as defined by Pew Charitable Trust, means earners making 67% to 200% of a state’s median income.
In all 50 states, the middle class has shrunk since 2000. In the above visualization, hover over any state to see the details and data.
Even more concerning is two other data sets: median income and the percentage of income that goes toward housing are both trending in an alarming fashion. Median income has dropped in most states, adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, the percentage of income spent on housing has been increasing in most places substantially.
States in the Rust Belt have been particularly affected, with Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan have seen all numbers trend in the wrong direction. In Wisconsin, 54.6% of the earners were considered “middle class” in 2000. In 2013 it was only 48.9% and median income has dropped more than 10%. As a result, housing costs are now much more of a burden for people (from 24% to 31% of income).
Other states that are struggling include Nevada, New Mexico, Georgia, North Carolina, Vermont and Maine. The states that have been least affected include Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.
