Wildfire Area Burned by U.S. State in 2023

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12 seconds ago

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June 8, 2024 Graphics/Design:

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Charted: Wildfire Area Burned by U.S. State in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Wildfires have become a summer specter in North America, looming on the horizon as parts of the country warm and dry out.

We chart the total wildfire area burned in 2023 in the U.S., categorized by state, based on figures from the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Which U.S. States Saw the Most Area Burned by Wildfires?

Wildfires in California and Alaska together account for one-fourth of all land burned in the U.S. in 2023. Both states saw wildfire damage to more than 300,000 acres.

Zooming out, nearly half of the 2.7 million acres affected by wildfires in 2023 were concentrated in only five states.

RankStateAcres Burned (2023)% Of 2023
Acres Burned 1California332,72212% 2Alaska314,27612% 3New Mexico212,3788% 4Texas210,2648% 5Oregon202,0357% 6Arizona188,4837% 7Nebraska180,7337% 8Oklahoma162,4896% 9Washington151,3166% 10Montana123,1335% 11Florida99,6424% 12Idaho87,8013% 13North Carolina73,9533% 14Mississippi52,5082% 15West Virginia45,6792% 16Colorado41,9172% 17Louisiana22,1031% 18Alabama18,3351% 19Utah18,1091% 20New Jersey18,0331% 21Kansas17,9631% 22Tennessee15,3941% 23Virginia12,0850% 24Hawaii12,0590% 25Georgia10,3300% 26Pennsylvania9,6280% 27Missouri9,4990% 28Minnesota9,4160% 29Wyoming7,9340% 30Arkansas5,6590% 31Wisconsin4,8830% 32Maryland4,4860% 33Michigan4,2870% 34North Dakota4,1830% 35Ohio2,4690% 36Massachusetts1,4680% 37New York1,3830% 38Nevada1,3000% 39South Dakota9450% 40South Carolina5910% 41Rhode Island5820% 42Indiana5210% 43Maine3250% 44Connecticut2970% 45Illinois1110% 46Kentucky700% 47Vermont620% 48New Hampshire580% 49Iowa60% 50Delaware00% N/ATotal2,693,910N/A
Note: Figures rounded in the chart.

Due to hot, dry summers, Western states in particular see more wildfires. The New York Times notes that the American West has a Mediterranean climate where precipitation is concentrated around winter months. Thus the region’s hottest and driest months coincide.

As

Mapped: The Real GDP Growth of U.S. Regions in 2023

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14 seconds ago

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June 4, 2024 Graphics/Design:

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The Real GDP Growth of U.S. Regions in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Distinct variations in regional economic growth were evident throughout America in 2023, driven by differences in industry composition and population dynamics.

This graphic shows real GDP growth across U.S. regions in 2023, based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which Regions Grew the Fastest in 2023?

Below, we show the U.S. regions with the highest real GDP growth last year:

RankRegionReal GDP Growth 2023 YoYReal GDP 2023 1Southwest+5.1%$2.8T 2Southeast+3.1%$4.9T 3Rocky Mountain+2.9%$837B 4Plains+2.5%$1.4T 5Far West+2.5%$4.5T 6New England+1.8%$1.2T 7Mideast+1.3%$3.9T 8Great Lakes+1.2%$2.9T U.S.+2.5%$22.4T

Outpacing all other regions is the Southwest, fueled by rapid population growth and booming oil production across the state of Texas, one of the fastest growing state economies in 2023.

In addition, electric vehicle factories and battery plants are increasingly emerging across the Sun Belt. This includes a 10 million square foot Tesla facility in Texas and a $320 million battery manufacturing plant and assembly facility in Oklahoma. The combination of lower land, labor, and electricity costs are driving corporate investment in the region.

With the second-highest real GDP growth rate, the Southeast also surpasses the national average.

Just as Texas is attracting industrial production across clean energy technologies, Georgia and Tennessee are emerging as automotive hubs. In fact, Georgia leads the country in electric vehicle assembly and battery plant investment, at a staggering $14.5 billion.

By contrast, growth in the Mideast and New England regions fell below the national average, weighed down by states like Massachusetts and New York as construction, manufacturing, and finance and insurance sectors witnessed slower activity.

Lastly, the Great Lakes region, covering Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, experienced the lowest growth nationally, at just 1.2% in 2023. This sluggish performance was attributed to a shrinking labor force in Illinois and a contracting manufacturing sector in Ohio amid high interest rates. Moreover, three

Mapped: U.S. States By Number of Cities Over 250,000 Residents

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12 seconds ago

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May 13, 2024 Graphics/Design:

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Mapped: U.S. States By Number of Cities Over 250K Residents

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Over 80% of the American population lives in an “urban area” according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But where are all of the country’s largest cities, and what patterns can we see from their state locations?

This map shows U.S. states by their number of incorporated areas (i.e. cities or towns) that have more than 250,000 residents. Data for this map comes from 2024 estimates made by World Population Review, which were based on the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures.

ℹ️ An incorporated area is a legally recognized region with its own local government, empowered to enact and enforce laws within its boundaries, often including cities, towns, or villages. Ranked: U.S. States By Number of Cities Over 250K Residents

California and Texas—also the most populous U.S. states—each have more than 10 cities with at least a quarter of a million inhabitants.

StateCities With 250K
PeopleCity Names California15Los Angeles, San
Diego, San Jose,
San Fransisco,
Fresno, Sacramento,
Long Beach, Oakland,
Bakersfield, Anaheim,
Riverside, Stockton,
Irvine, Santa Ana,
Chula Visa Texas12Houston, San
Antonio, Dallas,
Fort Worth, Austin,
El Paso, Arlington,
Corpus Christi, Plano,
Lubbock, Laredo,
Irving Arizona6Phoenix, Tucson,
Mesa, Chandler,
Gilbert, Glendale Florida6Jacksonville, Miami,
Tampa, Orlando,
St. Petersburg,
Port St. Lucie North Carolina5Charlotte, Raleigh,
Greensboro, Durham,
Winston-Salem Ohio4Columbus, Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Toledo Nevada4Las Vegas, Henderson,
North Las Vegas,
Reno Colorado3Denver, Colorado
Springs, Aurora Tennessee2Nashville, Memphis New York2New York, Buffalo Pennsylvania2Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Indiana2Indianapolis,
Fort Wayne Oklahoma2Oklahoma City, Tulsa Kentucky2Louisville/Jefferson
County, Lexington Wisconsin2Milwaukee, Madison Missouri2Kansas City, St. Louis Nebraska2Omaha, Lincoln Virginia2Virginia Beach,
Chesapeake Minnesota2Minneapolis, St. Paul New Jersey2Newark, Jersey City Illinois1Chicago Washington1Seattle District of Columbia1Washington D.C. Massachusetts1Boston Oregon1Portland Michigan1Detroit New Mexico1Albuquerque Maryland1Baltimore Georgia1Atlanta Kansas1Wichita Louisiana1New Orleans Hawaii1Honolulu Alaska1Anchorage

Two other warm weather states, Arizona and Florida, also have a