Another great interactive from Visual Capitalist here:

Note: This is a static chart; go directly to the website to be take advantage of interactive features. 

Question for students:

• What are the sources of household income? 
  • Work will be the obvious answer, capital (dividends, capital gains from investments) will be a less obvious one
  • Many students will also be familiar with the gig economy and know that there might be multiple income streams
• What do you think determines how much someone can earn?
  • Good opportunity to discuss human capital and how gaining skills can lead to higher incomes
• What is the median income in our county? How does your county compare with the rest of the state? 
  • To answer the question, use dropdown in the bottom right of the chart to filter the information by state; be sure to go to Visual Capitalist website
• What factors in your county do you think impact median household incomes? 
• Stepping back and looking at the map of the entire country, what are three observations that you can make about household income in the U.S.? 

________________

Like this chart? Here are three other Visual Capitalist charts that have appeared recently on our blog:

• Interactive: What Does $1,500 In Monthly Rent Buy You in Different Markets?

• Chart of the Week: What Is The Future Of Employment?

• Question: Can You Really Build Wealth Earning The Minimum Wage?

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.