In the one month that student loan borrowers were able to apply for the one-time student loan debt relief program, 66% (25.4 million) of eligible borrowers applied for debt relief, and 64% of those applications (16.3 million) were approved.

For low-income households, affordable internet increases employment rates and earnings. Yet, 12% of Southerners have no internet access at home — not even a cellular plan.

The Black employment rate surged 3 percentage points in the past 8 months, and as of March 2023, the Black employment rate (60.9%) is half a point higher than the white employment rate (60.2%).

At least 1 in 4 renters in several Southern states (LA, FL, WV, MS, and SC) used half or more of their total household income toward housing costs from 2017-2021.

31% of Southerners (27% of non-Southerners) who are past-due on rent or mortgage fear that eviction or foreclosure is likely. Among Southern states, fears are highest in KY (44%), GA (42%), AL (41%), and TN (41%).

In March 2023, 11% of Americans reported that their household sometimes or often went hungry. In the South, it was 12%. Two Southern states had the highest rate of food insecurity: AL (14.6%) and FL (14.1%).

For every maternal death, there are 60 pregnant people that experience severe maternal morbidity (SMM)— short- or long-term health problems related to pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period. This amounts to over 25,000 people annually when limiting to the 21 indicators of SMM.

After the CTC expiration in December 2021, child poverty spiked to 17%.

The percent of adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression has tripled from 11% in 2019 to 33% in March 2023. 7 out of the 8 states with the highest rates were in the South: WV (42%), MS (40%), AL (39%), KY (38%), LA (37%), FL (36%), and AR (36%).

From 2011–2021, the share of high school students that experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, seriously considered suicide, or attempted suicide increased by 50%, 38%, and 25%, respectively.

The percent of adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression has tripled from 11% in 2019 to 34% in December 2022.

A multitude of coinciding factors make it difficult for Americans to have accessible and affordable food options. In the South, 13% of households sometimes or often went hungry. Food insecurity was most severe in Mississippi (20%), Kentucky (16%), Texas (15%), Georgia (15%), Louisiana (14%), and West Virginia (14%).

35% of Americans who are past-due on rent or mortgage fear that eviction or foreclosure is likely. Among Southern states, fears are particularly high in Mississippi (50%), West Virginia (50%), Florida (47%), and South Carolina (44%).

From 2017-21, at least 1 in 4 renters in several Southern states (Louisiana: 29%, Florida: 29%, West Virginia: 25%, Mississippi: 25%, and South Carolina: 25%) paid at least half of their total household income toward housing costs. Black and Hispanic renters hold the highest share of those who spend a significant portion of their income on rent.

8 of the 10 states with the highest shares of residents with medical debt were Southern: West Virginia (24%), South Carolina (22%), North Carolina (20%), Louisiana (18%), Arkansas (18%), Tennessee (18%), Georgia (17%), and Kentucky (17%).

While jobs have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, the share of the population age 16+ with employment remains 1 percentage point below February 2020.

Provisional data for 2021 shows that maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S. spiked to 33. Among maternal deaths, racial disparities persist. Pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. were 2.6 times more likely for Black people (70) than for white people (27) during 2021.

In 2021, working-age death rates from “external causes” were 33% higher in Southern states than elsewhere in the U.S. Researchers have found that paid sick leave reduces deaths from these “external causes.” The U.S. is the only wealthy country that does not mandate paid sick leave for workers.

28% of Mississippi children and 27% of Louisiana children live below the poverty level — the highest rates of child poverty in the nation. Mississippi and Louisiana are among the 20 states that do not have a statewide minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.

According to new data, 21% of Southern counties have poor internet access (defined as at least 1 in 4 households lacking internet) compared to 6% of non-Southern counties.