What a yr 2022 was. There was so… a lot… information. We noticed report excessive inflation, the conflict in Ukraine, a landmark Supreme Court docket session, the continuing impression of the pandemic, the Winter Olympics, the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, the World Cup and naturally the Midterms. In typical FiveThirtyEight trend, we have been excited about 2022 in the best way we do greatest: by way of numbers. Right here, seven of our reporters share a few of the yr’s most vital stats, highlighting key coverage choices, voter sentiment and clues to what’s to return in 2023.
Poverty
In September, the US Census Bureau launched its annual supplemental poverty charge for the earlier yr. That is the poverty charge after accounting for the impression of main authorities packages concentrating on, amongst others, low-income households. For reporter and editor Santul Nerkar, this was the defining variety of the yr 7.8 p.c, the surplus poverty charge for 2021 and the bottom charge on report. It was the primary concrete measure of how COVID-19 stimulus funds impacted poverty in America.
The US poverty charge hit a report low – however do not anticipate it to remain that manner
abortion
In June, the Supreme Court docket issued its choice in Dobbs v. Jackson Girls’s Well being Group, Roe v. Wading because the legislation of the land. In a short while, many states enacted bans on abortion, together with outright bans with no exceptions for rape or incest. For lead creator Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, the defining variety of the yr was 10,000 – there have been so many fewer authorized abortions in simply the primary two months after Roe v. Wade was knocked over.
The determine capturing the impression of the Dobbs choice | Thirty-five
Ceaselessly Chemical compounds
Per- and polyfluorinated chemical substances, or PFAS, are utilized in every kind of family merchandise, from non-stick pans to dental floss. These ubiquitous chemical substances are harmful to human well being, and authorities and trade are lastly beginning to crack down on them. Which brings us to Senior Science Reporter Maggie Koerth’s numbers for the yr: 4the variety of PFAS for which the EPA issued new pointers, and 4,700the approximate variety of completely different PFAS chemical substances that exist.
The EPA is lastly addressing 4 harmful “endlessly chemical substances” – out of over 4,000
refusers
Denying the outcomes of the 2020 presidential election has been the cornerstone of many Republican campaigns this election cycle. Resisting voting is hardly new, however it reached unprecedented ranges within the 2022 Midterms. That is why 47 is the defining variety of the yr for political and expertise reporter Kaleigh Rogers. It’s the proportion of Republican candidates who ran for the Home of Representatives, Senate, governor, secretary of state and legal professional normal this yr and didn’t settle for the legitimacy of the 2020 election.
Variety of Republicans voting in poll outlined 2022 midterm elections | Thirty-five
inflation
Heading into the midterm elections, Individuals informed pollsters that one subject was their prime precedence: the financial system and inflation. For older creator Monica Potts, the 9.1 p.c inflation charge in June tops their listing of an important statistics of the yr. Right here she examines the methods, massive and small, that historic inflation charges have affected the lives of Individuals in 2022.
How the 41-12 months Excessive in Inflation Affected American Life | Thirty-five
The Republican margin in the home
The outcomes of the 2022 election had been worse than anticipated for Republicans because the president’s celebration sometimes loses floor within the midterms. The Republicans received a majority within the US Home of Representatives, however solely by a slender margin. They simply received 9 Seats, which is likely one of the most vital numbers of the yr for editor Maya Sweedler. What Republicans can and can’t obtain with this majority will decide American politics for not less than the subsequent two years.
The quantity that may form Republican politics in 2023 | Thirty-five
Democratic trifectas
With Congress cut up between Democrats and Republicans after the 2022 midterm elections, a few of the most vital coverage modifications of the subsequent few years may very well be on the horizon on the state degree. This new coverage may very well be liberal as a result of, for the primary time in 12 years, extra Individuals will dwell in states managed totally by Democrats than by Republicans. That is why senior election analyst Nathaniel Rakich made his selection 140 million as its defining statistic of the yr. It’s the variety of Individuals who will quickly be dwelling in a state the place the Democrats could have complete management of the state authorities.
140 million Individuals will dwell in states managed by Democrats | Thirty-five
Thanks for watching, studying and listening to FiveThirtyEight this yr. See you in 2023!
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