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 Michigan 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. Jackson County
- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $57,746
- Population: 160,765
--- 85.7% white
--- 7.7% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#49. Sanilac County
- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $52,459
- Population: 40,829
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
Bernie Parsons // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Bay County
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $52,510
- Population: 104,050
--- 93.1% white
--- 1.4% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#47. Van Buren County
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $61,549
- Population: 75,550
--- 84.4% white
--- 3.5% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#46. Mason County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $55,035
- Population: 29,103
--- 93.3% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Gratiot County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $53,347
- Population: 41,758
--- 89.3% white
--- 5.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#44. Manistee County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $54,428
- Population: 24,939
--- 89.9% white
--- 3.3% Black
--- 1.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#43. Newaygo County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $54,235
- Population: 49,653
--- 91.3% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#42. Menominee County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $52,457
- Population: 23,477
--- 93.8% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Presque Isle County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $52,181
- Population: 12,976
--- 96.2% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#40. Antrim County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $60,378
- Population: 23,427
--- 95% white
--- 0.2% Black
--- 1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#39. Iron County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $45,792
- Population: 11,580
--- 94.5% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#38. Delta County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $51,117
- Population: 36,836
--- 91.7% white
--- 0.3% Black
--- 2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#37. Gogebic County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $41,948
- Population: 14,858
--- 91.8% white
--- 2.5% Black
--- 2.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#36. Huron County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $51,924
- Population: 31,542
--- 95.7% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Mecosta County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $48,440
- Population: 40,051
--- 91.7% white
--- 2.9% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
#34. Otsego County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $59,330
- Population: 25,016
--- 95% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
Fsendek // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Montcalm County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $54,803
- Population: 66,430
--- 92.9% white
--- 2.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#32. St. Clair County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $62,847
- Population: 160,067
--- 92.7% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#31. Chippewa County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $53,079
- Population: 37,091
--- 67.9% white
--- 4.7% Black
--- 13.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
#30. Benzie County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $68,875
- Population: 17,926
--- 93.3% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#29. Macomb County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $67,828
- Population: 879,123
--- 78.6% white
--- 12.1% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.4% Asian
#28. Mackinac County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $52,989
- Population: 10,814
--- 73.3% white
--- 3.5% Black
--- 15.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
#27. Isabella County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $48,840
- Population: 65,623
--- 86.5% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 3.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.6% Asian
#26. Ionia County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $64,436
- Population: 66,564
--- 90.5% white
--- 4.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#25. Ingham County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $58,226
- Population: 285,660
--- 72.8% white
--- 12% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 6.5% Asian
Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Shiawassee County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $58,004
- Population: 68,203
--- 95.5% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lenawee County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $60,656
- Population: 99,346
--- 91.4% white
--- 2.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#22. Kalamazoo County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $61,739
- Population: 261,280
--- 79.1% white
--- 11.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.4% Asian
#21. Dickinson County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $54,775
- Population: 25,954
--- 94.8% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#20. Charlevoix County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $63,508
- Population: 26,109
--- 94.5% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#19. Kent County
- Economic connectedness: 0.86
- Median Income: $69,786
- Population: 654,958
--- 76.8% white
--- 9.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.1% Asian
Logan Bush // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Lapeer County
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $69,194
- Population: 88,644
--- 93.9% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
FefistoPhoto // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Eaton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $72,173
- Population: 108,972
--- 84.8% white
--- 7.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.3% Asian
David Lingholm // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Monroe County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $68,006
- Population: 154,068
--- 92.5% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#15. Ontonagon County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $44,605
- Population: 5,891
--- 95.5% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#14. Emmet County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $63,488
- Population: 33,946
--- 90.7% white
--- 0.6% Black
--- 2.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#13. Midland County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $67,642
- Population: 83,467
--- 92% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.2% Asian
#12. Alger County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $48,822
- Population: 8,911
--- 83.3% white
--- 7.1% Black
--- 2.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#11. Oakland County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $86,275
- Population: 1,271,983
--- 72.9% white
--- 13.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 7.8% Asian
#10. Allegan County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $70,269
- Population: 119,418
--- 90.9% white
--- 1.3% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#9. Barry County
- Economic connectedness: 0.92
- Median Income: $68,779
- Population: 62,014
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Clinton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.96
- Median Income: $76,161
- Population: 78,895
--- 91.7% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
#7. Grand Traverse County
- Economic connectedness: 0.96
- Median Income: $69,393
- Population: 94,562
--- 94.1% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#6. Ottawa County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $77,288
- Population: 293,713
--- 87.6% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.7% Asian
#5. Houghton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.98
- Median Income: $48,623
- Population: 37,485
--- 92.7% white
--- 1% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.8% Asian
#4. Marquette County
- Economic connectedness: 1.
- Median Income: $57,981
- Population: 66,380
--- 92.3% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
Alexey Stiop // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Leelanau County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $72,709
- Population: 22,251
--- 91.5% white
--- 0.4% Black
--- 3.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
Agnieszka Gaul // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Washtenaw County
- Economic connectedness: 1.07
- Median Income: $79,198
- Population: 372,428
--- 72% white
--- 11.7% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 9.1% Asian
#1. Livingston County
- Economic connectedness: 1.11
- Median Income: $88,908
- Population: 193,234
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
