The United States relies on a mix of energy sources to heat our homes, fuel our transportation, and power the economy. In 2024, the energy mix was 82% fossil fuels (primarily petroleum and natural gas), 9% nuclear power, and 9% renewable energy. But these ratios have changed, sometimes dramatically, over time.
Petroleum is the country’s most-consumed energy source, accounting for 37.5% of all energy usage in 2024. Petroleum, which has been the top power source since 1950, peaked in 1978 at 48.7% of all energy use.
Natural gas is the nation’s second-biggest source of power in the US, accounting for 36.3% of energy use in 2024, its highest share in recorded history. In 1950, it accounted for 17.8%.
Renewable energy sources comprised 9.1% of all power. In 1950, renewable energy accounted for 5.7% of all US power use. Both wind and solar consumption has increased more than 20 times since 2005.
Nuclear power accounted for 8.7% of all US energy use in 2024. It hasn’t exceeded more than 10% of the nation’s consumption since joining the grid in 1957.
Coal accounted for 8.4% of power consumption, down nearly 15 percentage points since its peak in 2005. Coal was a major source of energy before the rise of natural gas and petroleum. In 1950, it accounted for 36.8% of US energy use.
For more on energy and the environment, get just the facts with USAFacts Founder Steve Ballmer.
For many Americans, the stories of how their ancestors came to the United States are passed down through generations. Some came here for an education, or to escape war and other hardships, others came for marriage. Depending on their story, the process of immigrating may vary — and it could be years, or increasingly decades, in the making.
This new article breaks down the data into wholly unique visuals for insight into this complex system.
Family ties are the most common path to a green card. In FY 2023, nearly 65% of new green card holders qualified through a US citizen or lawful permanent resident relative. For spouses, parents, and their children younger than 21 (who aren’t married), the process is relatively fast. These applicants are exempt from annual visa limits. Once their petition is approved, they can move straight into green card processing.
Other family members wait longer, depending on their country of origin. Mexican siblings of US citizens who applied in 2001 just became green-card eligible in September 2025.
Employment is the second most common path. In FY 2023, 16.7% of new green cards were issued through US jobs or job offers. Roughly half of those were for workers’ spouses and children rather than employees. The employment route requires more steps than the family-sponsored route and has tiered preferences.
Because of the high number of applicants and the annual and per-country limits, employment visa applicants from India and China often face waits of 10 years or more.
Refugees and asylees make up a smaller share of new green card holders, and their path to citizenship is among the least predictable. In FY 2023, roughly 8.5% of new green cards were granted through humanitarian protections to people who first arrived as refugees or were granted asylum after reaching the US.
Each new green card applicant gets in line behind others seeking the same type of visa.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that US passports can require people to use their biological sex at birth rather than "X" or a different gender they identify with. The most recent data shows that nearly 1% of the nation’s adult population identifies as transgender.
Have more candy than trick-or-treaters on Halloween? You might be among the people who’ve spent an increasing amount on candy, and sweets in general, since 2013. In 2023, Americans spent an average of $164 on candy alone — a 44% jump from just two years prior.
We should note that this data comes from a Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer survey. It reflects what people actually spent each year, so it’s not inflation-adjusted.
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