The 2011 American Economy – Part Three

For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing with you a total of 50 startling facts about the 2011 U.S. economy. We’re up to number 21 on our list and it doesn’t stop there. This week we’re going over numbers 21 – 30.
Even though most American’s have become frustrated with this economy, I know that my students have the ability to not only survive but to thrive in these times. I’m sharing these numbers with you not to scare you, but to prove to you that while things seem bad for you, they could always be worse.
Hopefully many of you will use the list below as a tool to help you share the reality of the U.S. economic crisis with your family and friends. And if any of them need help, send ‘em my way.

21. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18 percent of all homes in the state of Florida are sitting vacant. That figure is 63 percent larger than it was just ten years ago.

22. New home construction in the United States is on pace to set a brand new all-time record low in 2011.

23. 19 percent of all American men between the ages of 25 and 34 are now living with their parents.

24. Electricity bills in the United States have risen faster than the overall rate of inflation for five years in a row.

25. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, health care costs accounted for just 9.5% of all personal consumption back in 1980. Today they account for approximately 16.3%.

26. One study found that approximately 41 percent of all working age Americans either have medical bill problems or are currently paying off medical debt.

27. One out of every seven Americans has at least 10 credit cards.

28. The United States spends about 4 dollars on goods and services from China for every one dollar that China spends on goods and services from the United States.

29. It is being projected that the U.S. trade deficit for 2011 will be 558.2 billion dollars.

30. The retirement crisis in the United States just continues to get worse. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 46 percent of all American workers have less than $10,000 saved for retirement, and 29 percent of all American workers have less than $1,000 saved for retirement.