Trending News

Climate Stripes

Climate Stripes

A Visual History of Temperature and Precipitation

Climate Stripes is a graphical visualization of annual temperatures and precipitation averages. The project uses data from NOAA (National Centers for Environmental Information) and spans 125 years; 1895 through 2022. Visitors can click though barcode-style graphs showing the variation of yearly averages in relation to...
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Retirement Savings

Retirement Savings

Fewer Americans Are Prioritizing Saving for Retirement

Have you established a retirement plan yet? A USA Facts article elaborated and visualized a decline in the number of American households that have defined a benefit plan. The article includes various interactive graphs showing the amount of money different age groups hold as a percentage. How much savings should people...
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Google Trends

Google Trends

What does Google do with Everyone's Search Inquires?

Have you ever wondered what your neighbors are searching for online? Google Trends may offer insight into people’s googling habits. Google Trends tracks a term’s popularity over time and makes good use of volunteered, independent queries. More importantly, it has been helping journalists and the news industry explore...
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Trends in Action

Average Number of People per Household

Walla Wallans Live in Relatively Small Units

Is Walla Walla a lonely place? If we look solely at the number of people who live under one roof, then yes. That measure, seen in Trends indicator 0.3.1, Average Number of People per Household, was estimated at 2.5 in 2022. That puts the metro area of Walla Walla and Columbia Counties as having the smallest households among eastern Washington metros. (Actually a tie with...
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Total & Share of Households with Broadband Access

Walla Walla Residents Value their Roads

Over 90% of households in the Walla Walla metro area were estimated to have some internet connection in 2022. Yet, estimated broadband connectivity last year was much lower, at 76%. (The Walla Walla metro area, or MSA, consists of Columbia and Walla Walla Counties). According to Census, two sources – cellular and satellite...
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Median Household Income

Slower Growth in Median Household Incomes Could Provide Challenges

Throughout most of the last decade (2010-19), the Walla Walla Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which includes the counties of Walla Walla & Columbia, experienced strong growth in median household income - above both the state and national averages. So a few years of slower, below average, growth in the early 2020s might...
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Total & Share of Homeowners Paying 30% or More on Shelter Costs

Rising Home Prices Increase Cost Burden for Local Homeowners

Let’s start with the bad news: The steep increase in median home resale prices (up over $100,000 in the last three years) has put upward pressure on the share of Walla Walla homeowners who pay more than 30% of their income on shelter costs. Currently, about one of every five homeowners is what the...
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Welcome Our New Student Interns!

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Victoria Tyni

Hometown: Battle Ground, WA

Major: Accounting

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2024

Post-graduation plans: I plan to work as a financial accountant, with the hopes of eventually becoming a financial analyst.

After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: Seeing the impact of the economy and environmental factors on various aspects of different counties.

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Angelica Cortes

Hometown: Zillah, WA

Major: Data Analytics

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2024

Post-graduation plans:
I hope to find a job as a Data Analyst somewhere in the PNW.

After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far:
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: Handling the data and learning more about the counties that make up Washington State.