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 New York 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.
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1 / 50#50. Onondaga County
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $66,012
- Population: 474,621
--- 78% white
--- 10.9% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.9% Asian
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2 / 50#49. Brooklyn
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $67,753
- Population: 2,712,360
--- 42.1% white
--- 30.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 11.8% Asian
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3 / 50#48. Allegany County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $54,375
- Population: 46,654
--- 95% white
--- 1.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#47. Sullivan County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $63,393
- Population: 78,230
--- 76.8% white
--- 8.4% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.8% Asian
#46. Queens
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $75,886
- Population: 2,393,104
--- 33.6% white
--- 17.8% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 25.8% Asian
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6 / 50#45. Oswego County
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $61,983
- Population: 118,019
--- 94% white
--- 1.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
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7 / 50#44. Herkimer County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $60,561
- Population: 60,596
--- 94.4% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
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8 / 50#43. Chenango County
- Economic connectedness: 0.79
- Median Income: $55,690
- Population: 47,407
--- 95.5% white
--- 0.7% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
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9 / 50#42. St. Lawrence County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $54,351
- Population: 108,836
--- 92.3% white
--- 2.7% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
#41. Schuyler County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $56,437
- Population: 17,920
--- 95.3% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
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11 / 50#40. Cortland County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $62,163
- Population: 46,984
--- 93% white
--- 2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
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12 / 50#39. Orleans County
- Economic connectedness: 0.8
- Median Income: $54,882
- Population: 40,588
--- 87.8% white
--- 5.7% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#38. Broome County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $53,982
- Population: 198,591
--- 84.2% white
--- 5.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.6% Asian
#37. Cayuga County
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $59,602
- Population: 76,644
--- 90.1% white
--- 4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#36. Westchester County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $105,387
- Population: 999,723
--- 59.9% white
--- 14.6% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 6.1% Asian
#35. Seneca County
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $59,086
- Population: 33,900
--- 89.7% white
--- 5.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
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17 / 50#34. Manhattan
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $93,956
- Population: 1,669,127
--- 53.6% white
--- 14% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 12% Asian
#33. Schenectady County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $69,891
- Population: 157,515
--- 74% white
--- 9.8% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.8% Asian
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19 / 50#32. Tioga County
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $64,987
- Population: 48,567
--- 95.4% white
--- 0.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
#31. Washington County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $63,869
- Population: 61,504
--- 92.2% white
--- 3% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#30. Yates County
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $57,635
- Population: 24,808
--- 96.2% white
--- 0.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#29. Wayne County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $64,152
- Population: 91,332
--- 90.7% white
--- 2.2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
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23 / 50#28. Clinton County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $62,470
- Population: 80,095
--- 90.4% white
--- 4% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#27. Orange County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $85,640
- Population: 398,277
--- 70.7% white
--- 11% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.7% Asian
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Niagara County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $60,834
- Population: 212,808
--- 86.2% white
--- 6.8% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
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26 / 50#25. Delaware County
- Economic connectedness: 0.85
- Median Income: $52,757
- Population: 44,644
--- 93.4% white
--- 1.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
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27 / 50#24. Essex County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $61,563
- Population: 37,501
--- 92.3% white
--- 3.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
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28 / 50#23. Lewis County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $60,049
- Population: 26,681
--- 95.2% white
--- 1.6% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Albany County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $73,810
- Population: 314,679
--- 73.7% white
--- 12.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 6.9% Asian
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Greene County
- Economic connectedness: 0.87
- Median Income: $62,810
- Population: 48,026
--- 87.4% white
--- 5.6% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
#20. Rensselaer County
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $76,731
- Population: 161,125
--- 84% white
--- 6.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.9% Asian
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Jefferson County
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $58,271
- Population: 117,634
--- 84.8% white
--- 5.9% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.6% Asian
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33 / 50#18. Otsego County
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $60,523
- Population: 58,952
--- 92.2% white
--- 2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#17. Columbia County
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $73,065
- Population: 61,587
--- 87% white
--- 4.1% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.9% Asian
#16. Schoharie County
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $64,220
- Population: 29,936
--- 92.5% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
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36 / 50#15. Madison County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $63,312
- Population: 68,466
--- 92.9% white
--- 1.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
#14. Livingston County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $64,467
- Population: 62,253
--- 91.2% white
--- 2.8% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
#13. Genesee County
- Economic connectedness: 0.9
- Median Income: $63,734
- Population: 58,387
--- 91.2% white
--- 2.2% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#12. Ulster County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $71,040
- Population: 181,862
--- 80.1% white
--- 6% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.8% Asian
#11. Warren County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $68,765
- Population: 65,692
--- 94.4% white
--- 1.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.8% Asian
#10. Ontario County
- Economic connectedness: 0.91
- Median Income: $70,694
- Population: 112,060
--- 91.3% white
--- 2.3% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#9. Wyoming County
- Economic connectedness: 0.92
- Median Income: $60,013
- Population: 40,679
--- 90.2% white
--- 4.2% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
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43 / 50#8. Staten Island
- Economic connectedness: 0.93
- Median Income: $89,427
- Population: 493,194
--- 69.4% white
--- 10.1% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 10.4% Asian
#7. Suffolk County
- Economic connectedness: 0.94
- Median Income: $111,660
- Population: 1,522,998
--- 76.3% white
--- 7.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.1% Asian
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45 / 50#6. Nassau County
- Economic connectedness: 0.95
- Median Income: $126,576
- Population: 1,391,678
--- 64.6% white
--- 11.5% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 10.5% Asian
Colin D. Young // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dutchess County
- Economic connectedness: 0.96
- Median Income: $87,112
- Population: 296,012
--- 75.3% white
--- 10.6% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.5% Asian
#4. Hamilton County
- Economic connectedness: 1.02
- Median Income: $62,841
- Population: 5,068
--- 93.2% white
--- 1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
PhotoItaliaStudio // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Saratoga County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $90,800
- Population: 235,010
--- 91.3% white
--- 1.7% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.8% Asian
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Putnam County
- Economic connectedness: 1.03
- Median Income: $111,617
- Population: 97,960
--- 83.2% white
--- 3.5% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.1% Asian
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50 / 50#1. Tompkins County
- Economic connectedness: 1.05
- Median Income: $64,260
- Population: 105,638
--- 79.2% white
--- 4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 9.4% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
