Which Countries Think They’re on the Right Track?

Mapped: Countries With the Most Freshwater Per Person

Some of the world’s largest freshwater supplies are found in countries that most people wouldn’t expect. Once population is factored in, the rankings look very different from total water resources alone.

Using data from the World Bank via Our World in Data, this map ranks countries by renewable freshwater available per person, highlighting where freshwater is most abundant relative to population.

Iceland Leads the Ranking

Iceland ranks first by a wide margin, with 15.7 million cubic feet of renewable freshwater available per person each year. Its glaciers, abundant rainfall, and population of roughly 400,000 make it one of the world’s most water-rich countries on a per-capita basis.

Guyana and Suriname follow for similar reasons. Both receive heavy tropical rainfall and have extensive river systems shared among relatively small populations.

Canada has one of the world’s largest supplies of water, yet much of it lies far from major population and agricultural centers. This highlights an important distinction: total freshwater resources and freshwater available per person are not the same.

Large countries such as Canada, Russia, and Brazil have abundant renewable water supplies, but they rank lower on a per-capita basis because those resources are spread across much larger populations. Geographic distribution can also create local shortages, even in countries with abundant overall supplies.

Where the U.S. Stands

The U.S. has one of the world’s largest renewable freshwater supplies in absolute terms, but it also has one of the largest populations. As a result, it ranks 54th globally on a per-capita basis, with about 297,000 cubic feet available per person each year.

Regional differences complicate the national picture. Water is plentiful across much of the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes region, while many fast-growing areas in the Southwest face chronic water stress and mounting pressure on rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater supplies.

As climate change intensifies droughts and shifts precipitation patterns, managing freshwater resources is expected to become an increasingly important challenge across the U.S.

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To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s deepest lakes.

Mapped: Where Cars Eat Up the Biggest Share of Income

For many Americans, owning a car is a necessity, but the financial burden varies dramatically by state. In the least affordable places, annual vehicle expenses consume nearly one-quarter of the typical household’s income.

This map ranks every state by annual car ownership costs as a share of median household income, based on analysis from LendingTree of active auto loan holders. The estimates include financing, insurance, fuel, and maintenance.

The States Where Car Ownership Costs the Most

The table below ranks every state by annual car ownership costs as a share of median household income.

Data is for active auto loan holders. Cost and income figures were adjusted to 2026 dollars.

Louisiana is the nation’s least affordable state for car ownership, with the typical household spending 23.2% of its income, or $14,894 annually, on vehicle expenses. By comparison, Massachusetts households devote just 10.6% of their income to car ownership.

Mississippi, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Alabama round out the top five, with households in each spending roughly one-fifth of their income on car ownership.

Why Car Ownership Is Less Affordable Across the South

The South dominates the least affordable rankings because many states combine relatively modest household incomes with high ownership costs.

Insurance is one major factor. Louisiana and Florida, for example, consistently rank among the country’s most expensive states for auto insurance due to severe weather, litigation costs, and high accident claims.

Drivers in many Southern states also travel more miles each year, increasing spending on fuel, maintenance, and repairs.

America’s Most Affordable States for Car Ownership

Massachusetts has the nation’s lowest car ownership burden, with annual costs equal to 10.6% of median household income, or $11,745.

New Hampshire and Maryland also rank among the most affordable states, helping make the Northeast the country’s least financially burdensome region for car ownership. Higher incomes help keep costs manageable across much of the region, while extensive public transit may allow some households to drive less or own fewer vehicles.

These rankings show that car affordability depends on more than the cost of owning and operating a vehicle. Household income also plays a major role, meaning similar expenses can create very different financial burdens depending on where people live.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the cheapest car brands to own and maintain.