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 Kansas 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. Franklin County
- Economic connectedness: 0.97
- Median Income: $63,996
- Population: 25,953
--- 92.2% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#49. Dickinson County
- Economic connectedness: 0.97
- Median Income: $59,400
- Population: 18,572
--- 92.7% white
--- 1% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
Brandy S Imlay // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Doniphan County
- Economic connectedness: 0.97
- Median Income: $54,792
- Population: 7,549
--- 91.6% white
--- 5.1% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#47. Leavenworth County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $80,853
- Population: 81,601
--- 81.3% white
--- 8.1% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
#46. Clay County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $52,716
- Population: 8,085
--- 95.9% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#45. Lincoln County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $48,457
- Population: 2,952
--- 95.5% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#44. Osborne County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $55,551
- Population: 3,512
--- 94.8% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Kingman County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $54,852
- Population: 7,495
--- 95.3% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#42. Chase County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $49,453
- Population: 2,583
--- 93.4% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Butler County
- Economic connectedness: 0.99
- Median Income: $71,651
- Population: 67,404
--- 90% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
#40. Rawlins County
- Economic connectedness: 0.99
- Median Income: $58,590
- Population: 2,531
--- 93.5% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#39. Cheyenne County
- Economic connectedness: 0.99
- Median Income: $45,039
- Population: 2,647
--- 91.9% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#38. Ness County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $63,241
- Population: 2,717
--- 86.5% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#37. Jackson County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $62,023
- Population: 13,287
--- 85.5% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 7.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
BeautifulEarth // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Logan County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $62,202
- Population: 2,777
--- 93.6% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#35. Thomas County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $69,844
- Population: 7,902
--- 92.7% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
WanderinNomadPhotography // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Marshall County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $58,750
- Population: 9,995
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Melisa A Skinner // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Barber County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $52,984
- Population: 4,178
--- 94.9% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
#32. Osage County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $61,702
- Population: 15,811
--- 94.9% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#31. Ottawa County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $57,455
- Population: 5,778
--- 95.1% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#30. Marion County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $54,679
- Population: 11,877
--- 94.5% white
--- 1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#29. Republic County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $50,268
- Population: 4,707
--- 96.5% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#28. Coffey County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $63,167
- Population: 8,361
--- 95.3% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#27. Graham County
- Economic connectedness: 1.01
- Median Income: $44,091
- Population: 2,444
--- 90.5% white
--- 4.4% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
mark reinstein // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Morris County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $50,242
- Population: 5,377
--- 95.6% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#25. Phillips County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $53,919
- Population: 5,022
--- 94.7% white
--- 1.9% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#24. Smith County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $48,051
- Population: 3,588
--- 95.7% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#23. Gray County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $70,321
- Population: 5,720
--- 94.8% white
--- 0% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#22. McPherson County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $63,816
- Population: 30,059
--- 94.8% white
--- 1.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#21. Rush County
- Economic connectedness: 1.04
- Median Income: $50,714
- Population: 2,883
--- 91.8% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#20. Rooks County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $55,000
- Population: 4,975
--- 95% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#19. Trego County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $78,529
- Population: 2,825
--- 96.7% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#18. Miami County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $79,211
- Population: 33,968
--- 93.4% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#17. Johnson County
- Economic connectedness: 1.06
- Median Income: $96,059
- Population: 605,154
--- 83.4% white
--- 4.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 5.3% Asian
#16. Mitchell County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $49,250
- Population: 5,884
--- 95.7% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Lost_in_the_Midwest // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Sheridan County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $68,952
- Population: 2,459
--- 94.3% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#14. Nemaha County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $65,177
- Population: 10,197
--- 96.1% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#13. Washington County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $53,491
- Population: 5,531
--- 96% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#12. Douglas County
- Economic connectedness: 1.09
- Median Income: $62,594
- Population: 118,690
--- 80.5% white
--- 4.2% Black
--- 2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 5.1% Asian
#11. Jefferson County
- Economic connectedness: 1.1
- Median Income: $72,270
- Population: 18,391
--- 94.7% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#10. Clark County
- Economic connectedness: 1.1
- Median Income: $55,556
- Population: 1,994
--- 89.5% white
--- 0% Black
--- 2.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.6% Asian
#9. Wabaunsee County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $66,589
- Population: 6,881
--- 94.4% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#8. Pottawatomie County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $76,089
- Population: 25,082
--- 92.8% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#7. Ellis County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $54,858
- Population: 28,893
--- 91.3% white
--- 1.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.7% Asian
Nicholas Warren // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Riley County
- Economic connectedness: 1.12
- Median Income: $53,296
- Population: 72,602
--- 81% white
--- 6.2% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.7% Asian
#5. Comanche County
- Economic connectedness: 1.12
- Median Income: $49,333
- Population: 1,809
--- 97.7% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#4. Gove County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $53,226
- Population: 2,774
--- 94.9% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
#3. Kiowa County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $61,406
- Population: 2,457
--- 91.7% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
#2. Wallace County
- Economic connectedness: 1.13
- Median Income: $56,538
- Population: 1,529
--- 94.5% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
barteverett // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Hodgeman County
- Economic connectedness: 1.14
- Median Income: $62,902
- Population: 1,851
--- 97.5% white
--- 0.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
