Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
an household income of $71,100 (based on 2011-12 census data). Mississippi dwells at
the opposite end of the scale at $37,100. These amounts are the high/low not just for the
region, but for the nation, upholding the pattern in which households in the Northeast
earn the most, while those in the South earn the least. Wages also vary by ethnicity, with
African Americans and Latinos earning less than whites and Asians ($33,300 and
$39,000 respectively, versus $57,000 and $68,700).
Nearly 87% of Americans are high-school graduates, while some 30% go on to gradu-
ate from college with a four-year bachelor's degree. The university lifestyle (ie cafes,
bookshops and progressive mindsets) is especially prevalent in the Northeast, home to
the eight Ivy League schools as well as the 'Little Ivies' (a self-anointed collection of a
dozen elite liberal-arts colleges) and the 'Seven Sisters' (top-tier women's colleges, foun-
ded in the days when the Ivy League was still a boys-only club). More than 50 institu-
tions of higher learning range around Boston alone.
If you peeked in a house, you'd typically find a married couple with two kids occupy-
ing it. Both parents usually work, and 28% work more than 40 hours per week. Divorce
is common - 40% of first marriages break up - but both divorce and marriage rates have
declined over the last three decades. Single parents head 9% of households.
While many Americans hit the gym or walk, bike or jog regularly, over 50% don't ex-
ercise at all during their free time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention (CDC). Health researchers speculate that this lack of exercise and Americans'
fondness for sugary and fatty foods have led to rising obesity and diabetes rates. The
South fares the worst: Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana
lead the obesity rankings, with the condition affecting one-third of residents.
About 26% of Americans volunteer their time to help others or help a cause, especially
in the Midwest, followed by the West, South and Northeast, according to the Corporation
for National and Community Service. Eco-consciousness has entered the mainstream:
over 75% of Americans recycle at home, and most big chain grocery stores - including
Wal-Mart - now sell organic foods.
STATES & TRAITS
Regional US stereotypes now have solid data behind them, thanks to a study titled
'The Geography of Personality.' Researchers processed more than a half-million
personality assessments collected from individual US citizens, then looked at
where certain traits stacked up on the map. Turns out 'Minnesota nice' is for real -
the most 'agreeable' states cluster in the Midwest, Great Plains and South. These
places rank highest for friendliness and cooperation. The most neurotic states?
