Americans have long understood that their birthplace can significantly affect their futures, and academics have increasingly been able to connect tangible early life factors like where they live and the friendships they've cultivated with potential future income.
Among the most recent studies shedding light on what's known as economic mobility—a person's ability to move themselves and their families up the socioeconomic ladder over their lifetime—are a series of papers authored by Harvard University researchers leveraging vast troves of social networking data.
As part of a national analysis, Wealth Enhancement Group used data from Harvard University's Social Capital Atlas project to identify where in North Dakota children have the best (and worst) chances at upward economic mobility.
The research draws on a privacy-protected dataset representing 21 billion friendships from Facebook made public through its parent company Meta's Data for Good project. It also uses anonymous tax records, according to the authors. The scholars assigned a score to locales according to how economically connected low- and high-income people living in the area have historically been over at least a decade, per that data. The dataset does not include scores for about 180 of the 3,000 or so counties in the U.S.
The research attempts to fill in the gaps of previous efforts to study American economic mobility that did not consider a person's vast social networks nor their importance in creating better lives for themselves and their children.
It turns out the ability to cultivate friendships linking people of different socioeconomic backgrounds with one another is the strongest factor in determining whether a child can surpass the earning potential of their parents, Harvard researchers found. They call this economic connectedness.
Read on to find out where economic connectedness is strongest in your state.
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
1 / 48#48. Sioux County
- Economic connectedness: 0.45
- Median Income: $39,755
- Population: 3,993
--- 11.2% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 85.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
2 / 48#47. Benson County
- Economic connectedness: 0.53
- Median Income: $54,375
- Population: 6,090
--- 38.2% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
3 / 48#46. Rolette County
- Economic connectedness: 0.54
- Median Income: $49,434
- Population: 12,508
--- 16.6% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 79.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Kit Leong // Shutterstock
4 / 48#45. Mountrail County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $76,520
- Population: 9,717
--- 60% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 31.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Tanyarmorgan2436 // Shutterstock
5 / 48#44. McKenzie County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $78,442
- Population: 13,762
--- 80.2% white
--- 1.9% Black
--- 10.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Michael Coddington // Shutterstock
6 / 48#43. Ramsey County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $55,534
- Population: 11,638
--- 82% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 11% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.5% Asian
Zack Frank // Shutterstock
7 / 48#42. Eddy County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $44,958
- Population: 2,378
--- 90.5% white
--- 0% Black
--- 3.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#41. Williams County
- Economic connectedness: 0.93
- Median Income: $80,142
- Population: 38,460
--- 79.9% white
--- 4.8% Black
--- 2.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
9 / 48#40. Morton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.96
- Median Income: $75,177
- Population: 32,916
--- 89.6% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 3.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
Traveller70 // Shutterstock
10 / 48#39. Dunn County
- Economic connectedness: 0.97
- Median Income: $84,459
- Population: 4,054
--- 81.1% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 12.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#38. Walsh County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $59,368
- Population: 10,631
--- 91.2% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
12 / 48#37. Burleigh County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $76,043
- Population: 97,895
--- 87.7% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 4.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
Yosoyana // Shutterstock
13 / 48#36. Ward County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $72,227
- Population: 69,686
--- 84.2% white
--- 4.2% Black
--- 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.5% Asian
Cavan-Images // Shutterstock
14 / 48#35. Stark County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $70,364
- Population: 32,710
--- 88.7% white
--- 2.2% Black
--- 1.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
15 / 48#34. Stutsman County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $54,652
- Population: 21,678
--- 93.1% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
Guy William // Shutterstock
16 / 48#33. Cass County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $68,718
- Population: 182,992
--- 85.1% white
--- 6.1% Black
--- 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
17 / 48#32. Oliver County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $64,148
- Population: 1,850
--- 91.8% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#31. Richland County
- Economic connectedness: 1.06
- Median Income: $62,481
- Population: 16,546
--- 90.8% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
19 / 48#30. Grand Forks County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $57,213
- Population: 73,101
--- 84.4% white
--- 4.1% Black
--- 2.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.9% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
20 / 48#29. Towner County
- Economic connectedness: 1.09
- Median Income: $51,912
- Population: 2,190
--- 88.3% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 8.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
21 / 48#28. Bottineau County
- Economic connectedness: 1.1
- Median Income: $68,095
- Population: 6,442
--- 91.3% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 4.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
Roadwardbound // Shutterstock
22 / 48#27. Grant County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $57,200
- Population: 2,351
--- 94.8% white
--- 0% Black
--- 1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.7% Asian
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
23 / 48#26. Pembina County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $61,795
- Population: 6,912
--- 93.2% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Cammie Czuchnicki // Shutterstock
24 / 48#25. Emmons County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $56,713
- Population: 3,316
--- 97.5% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
25 / 48#24. Renville County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $71,218
- Population: 2,328
--- 98.3% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Logan Bush // Shutterstock
26 / 48#23. Bowman County
- Economic connectedness: 1.12
- Median Income: $76,447
- Population: 3,024
--- 94.4% white
--- 0% Black
--- 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
Dirk Wierenga // Shutterstock
27 / 48#22. Nelson County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $56,724
- Population: 3,035
--- 93.4% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
StompingGirl // Shutterstock
28 / 48#21. Sargent County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $67,467
- Population: 3,839
--- 92.9% white
--- 2.2% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#20. Barnes County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $64,016
- Population: 10,869
--- 91.1% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 1.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
30 / 48#19. Divide County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $83,438
- Population: 2,196
--- 90.7% white
--- 3.3% Black
--- 1.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
Smpalmero // Shutterstock
31 / 48#18. McLean County
- Economic connectedness: 1.14
- Median Income: $72,324
- Population: 9,788
--- 88% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 7.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
northlight // Shutterstock
32 / 48#17. Adams County
- Economic connectedness: 1.15
- Median Income: $52,896
- Population: 2,237
--- 93.9% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
33 / 48#15. Traill County
- Economic connectedness: 1.16
- Median Income: $73,113
- Population: 8,008
--- 93% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
northlight // Shutterstock
34 / 48#15. Mercer County
- Economic connectedness: 1.16
- Median Income: $78,547
- Population: 8,405
--- 92.1% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
northlight // Shutterstock
35 / 48#14. Hettinger County
- Economic connectedness: 1.16
- Median Income: $62,865
- Population: 2,502
--- 92.6% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
36 / 48#13. Wells County
- Economic connectedness: 1.17
- Median Income: $58,932
- Population: 4,031
--- 97.9% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
37 / 48#12. McIntosh County
- Economic connectedness: 1.17
- Median Income: $58,056
- Population: 2,568
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
38 / 48#11. Griggs County
- Economic connectedness: 1.18
- Median Income: $64,196
- Population: 2,242
--- 96.6% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
northlight // Shutterstock
39 / 48#10. Kidder County
- Economic connectedness: 1.18
- Median Income: $52,419
- Population: 2,397
--- 93.7% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 2.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
Dirk Wierenga // Shutterstock
40 / 48#9. McHenry County
- Economic connectedness: 1.18
- Median Income: $71,612
- Population: 5,420
--- 96.4% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#8. Pierce County
- Economic connectedness: 1.18
- Median Income: $59,803
- Population: 4,038
--- 92.4% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 4.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
42 / 48#7. Foster County
- Economic connectedness: 1.18
- Median Income: $71,250
- Population: 3,396
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
dedio // Shutterstock
43 / 48#6. Cavalier County
- Economic connectedness: 1.19
- Median Income: $60,284
- Population: 3,725
--- 93.6% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
44 / 48#5. Dickey County
- Economic connectedness: 1.19
- Median Income: $58,267
- Population: 5,013
--- 95.3% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 1.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
Scott Cummings // Shutterstock
45 / 48#4. Golden Valley County
- Economic connectedness: 1.19
- Median Income: $83,295
- Population: 1,812
--- 91.4% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 2.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
Danita Delimont // Shutterstock
46 / 48#3. Ransom County
- Economic connectedness: 1.19
- Median Income: $67,480
- Population: 5,679
--- 93.7% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
Charissa Enget // Shutterstock
47 / 48#2. Burke County
- Economic connectedness: 1.2
- Median Income: $97,802
- Population: 2,177
--- 93% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.7% Asian
SevenMaps // Shutterstock
48 / 48#1. LaMoure County
- Economic connectedness: 1.24
- Median Income: $63,594
- Population: 4,173
--- 95.7% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
