In 2024, USAFacts readers sought information about safety and homelessness across the US, immigration, the presidential election, and government spending. Here are the 10 most-read articles from USAFacts this year:

10. How many voters have a party affiliation?

Map of percent of voters registered as Republican

This election year, readers wanted to understand political affiliations. As of late September, Wyoming had the highest percentage of registered Republican voters (81%), and Washington, DC, had the highest percentage of registered Democrats (76%). State-wise, Maryland had the highest percentage of registered Democrats (52%). 

9. Which cities have the highest murder rates?

Homicide rates were highest in counties home to large cities, where the average homicide rate is 10.5 per 100,000 people. The national average homicide rate is 7.5 per 100,000. Click here to see the cities with the highest murder rates.

8. How many Americans voted in 2020?

In 2020, the voting rate hit a 30-year high, with over two-thirds of eligible Americans voting in the presidential election. Youth voter turnout rose 10 percentage points compared to the presidential election, the largest gain among any age group.

7. Which states rely the most on federal aid?

Map of Federal funding per capita by state

Montana had the highest proportion of federal funding, with 31.8% of its budget coming from federal sources. It was followed by New Mexico (30.7%), Kentucky (30.1%), Louisiana (29.8%), and Alaska (29.0%). Vermont relied the least on federal funding (12.8%).

6. How much money has the US given Ukraine since Russia’s invasion?

As of March 2024, the United States has sent Ukraine over $60 billion in funding and equipment through military, economic, and humanitarian aid. Some of these funds will require repayment with interest after the Russia-Ukraine war. 

5. Which cities have the nation’s largest homeless populations?

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that 653,104 Americans were experiencing homelessness in January 2023. The largest homeless populations were in regions containing the nation’s two most populated cities: New York (88,025) and Los Angeles (71,320).

4. Which states have the highest murder rates?

State homicide death rates and total homicides

Between 2020 and 2022, US homicide rates reached their highest levels in the 21st century. In 2022, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama had the highest homicide rates per 100,00 people. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Utah had the lowest rates.

3. Data on unauthorized US immigration and border crossings

Between October 2019 and June 2024, US Customs and Border Protection reported just under 11 million border encounters — roughly equivalent to North Carolina’s population. There isn’t definitive data on unauthorized immigrant numbers, but border encounters provide an estimate.

2. Which countries own the most US debt?

The US owes trillions of dollars in debt to foreign entities. As of April, foreign countries owned approximately $7.9 trillion, or 22.9%, of total US debt. Japan and China have owned more Treasury bonds over the past 20 years than any other foreign nation. This article is a fan-favorite: it was the most-read article of 2023.

1. What are the current swing states, and how have they changed?

Swing states are characterized by having small vote margins and different political parties that win over time. In 2020, seven states were won by a margin of three percentage points or less. Do you know what they were?

Thank you for letting us be your source for government data — without the rhetoric — in 2024. Visit USAFacts for insights on immigration, the economy, healthcare, and so much more.