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 Ohio 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.
#50. Seneca County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $56,043
- Population: 55,166
--- 92% white
--- 3.2% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Franklin County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $65,999
- Population: 1,313,598
--- 63.5% white
--- 22.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 5.4% Asian
BLAZE Pro // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Tuscarawas County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $57,545
- Population: 93,025
--- 96% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
JNix // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Perry County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $58,616
- Population: 35,439
--- 96.5% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
JNix // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Clinton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $57,409
- Population: 42,046
--- 93.6% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#45. Hardin County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $52,112
- Population: 30,738
--- 94.7% white
--- 1.3% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
Aiwilliams // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Carroll County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $55,954
- Population: 26,866
--- 96.1% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Madison County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $72,811
- Population: 43,947
--- 88.9% white
--- 6.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
ADC Bradley // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Brown County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $59,766
- Population: 43,694
--- 97% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Noble County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $46,144
- Population: 14,166
--- 93.5% white
--- 4.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
JNix // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Belmont County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $54,191
- Population: 67,077
--- 92.7% white
--- 3.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Wendy van Overstreet // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Athens County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $47,061
- Population: 62,933
--- 90.9% white
--- 2.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.7% Asian
JNix // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Pickaway County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $63,629
- Population: 58,458
--- 92.7% white
--- 3.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#37. Washington County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $54,167
- Population: 59,942
--- 95.4% white
--- 1.4% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#36. Logan County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $64,196
- Population: 45,997
--- 93.9% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#35. Champaign County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $62,865
- Population: 38,678
--- 93.4% white
--- 1.9% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Williams County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $55,030
- Population: 37,026
--- 93.8% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#33. Shelby County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $66,536
- Population: 48,307
--- 93.4% white
--- 2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Licking County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $72,771
- Population: 177,454
--- 89.8% white
--- 4.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.1% Asian
#31. Miami County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $66,284
- Population: 107,899
--- 92.4% white
--- 2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.5% Asian
#30. Ashland County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $58,168
- Population: 52,658
--- 95.8% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Anne Kitzman // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Paulding County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $59,987
- Population: 18,858
--- 93.9% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#28. Holmes County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $69,454
- Population: 44,166
--- 98.2% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#27. Monroe County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $50,503
- Population: 13,514
--- 96.3% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#26. Wayne County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $64,594
- Population: 116,858
--- 94.3% white
--- 1.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Defiance County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $65,779
- Population: 38,329
--- 89.4% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#24. Wyandot County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $61,626
- Population: 21,933
--- 95.6% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
Nagel Photography // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Van Wert County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $59,210
- Population: 28,808
--- 95% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#22. Preble County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $60,527
- Population: 41,027
--- 96.2% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#21. Darke County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $57,440
- Population: 51,839
--- 96.7% white
--- 1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#20. Morrow County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $63,411
- Population: 34,892
--- 95.7% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Eric Glenn // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Fairfield County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $77,241
- Population: 157,622
--- 85% white
--- 8.2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2% Asian
Almal3xia // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Greene County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $75,901
- Population: 167,043
--- 84.1% white
--- 6.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3% Asian
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Knox County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $64,439
- Population: 62,399
--- 95.2% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
Joshua D'Ariano // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hancock County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $60,828
- Population: 75,139
--- 91.3% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.9% Asian
jul11h // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Portage County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $64,163
- Population: 161,897
--- 89.1% white
--- 4.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.8% Asian
#14. Ottawa County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $64,463
- Population: 40,479
--- 93.7% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
Mikhalis Makarov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Lake County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $70,168
- Population: 232,202
--- 89.1% white
--- 4.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Fulton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.93
- Median Income: $65,418
- Population: 42,709
--- 91.5% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#11. Henry County
- Economic connectedness: 0.93
- Median Income: $64,513
- Population: 27,618
--- 91.8% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#10. Clermont County
- Economic connectedness: 0.93
- Median Income: $73,013
- Population: 207,650
--- 93.9% white
--- 1.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
Rosamar // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Wood County
- Economic connectedness: 0.95
- Median Income: $66,337
- Population: 131,930
--- 89.9% white
--- 2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.8% Asian
#8. Auglaize County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $69,315
- Population: 46,282
--- 96.1% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
CourtneySimons // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Mercer County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $68,692
- Population: 42,154
--- 96.2% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#6. Union County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $96,634
- Population: 61,769
--- 89.1% white
--- 2.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.9% Asian
Kilmer Media // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Warren County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $95,709
- Population: 239,556
--- 86.3% white
--- 3.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 6.4% Asian
Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Medina County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $82,894
- Population: 181,448
--- 94.1% white
--- 1.3% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
dvgpro // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Delaware County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $116,284
- Population: 211,121
--- 84.5% white
--- 3.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 7.1% Asian
#2. Putnam County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $73,122
- Population: 34,395
--- 93.5% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
Susie Prentice // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Geauga County
- Economic connectedness: 1.08
- Median Income: $90,285
- Population: 95,408
--- 95% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
