Pic of the Week - RegionTrack

The Energy States – 1982 vs. 2013 (12/08/2014)

Just how big is the current oil boom relative to 1982? In short, not far behind for most of the energy states. Our last pic-of-the-week showed the share of total state earnings derived directly from the oil and gas sector. Requests quickly came in for a comparison of current conditions to those of 1982. This week’s pic answers that question. For each of the energy states,

Pic-of-the-Week: The Energy States are Flying High – Almost Like 1982? (11/24/2014)

The Energy States are Flying High – Almost Like 1982? The ongoing resurgence in the oil and gas industry is once again driving overall activity in the key energy-producing states. Our pic-of-the-week details the share of total state earnings derived from the oil and gas industry. Oklahoma currently leads the way with 12.7% of total state earnings derived from the sector. Remarkably, the massive state of Texas

Pic-of-the-Week: Which States Pay the Highest Taxes? (11/10/2014)

Taxes are Lowest in TN, Twice as High in CT. Yes, your overall tax bill is still sensitive to where you live. The average share of personal income paid in current Federal, state, and local taxes ranges from a low of 7.8% in state-tax-free Tennessee to a high of 16.3% in Connecticut.

Pic-of-the-Week: 2 out of 3 New Jobs in Recovery Filled by Workers 55+ (10/27/2014)

Workers 55 and Over Comprise the Most Vibrant Sector of the U.S. Workforce. Been wondering who has filled the more than 8 million new jobs created since the job recovery began in January 2010? Well, as shown in our pic-of-the-week, two out of three have gone to workers 55 and over. Since the national job recovery began in January 2010, these workers have filled 5.2 million of the 8.15 million net new jobs added in the period.

Pic-of-the-Week: Weak Gasoline Sales Aid Consumers (10/20/2014)

Weak Gasoline Sales Weighing on Retail Activity but Aiding Consumers. Retail sales at gasoline stations have remained stuck in a holding pattern since early 2011 at about $45 billion per month. Strong domestic crude production coupled with only a modest rebound in vehicle miles driven continue to put steady downward pressure on gasoline prices, and, subsequently, total purchases. Measured as a share of all retail sales, gasoline station sales have declined steadily from just below 12% in early 2011 to only about a 10% share currently.