The Rundown 10 Stats That Shaped 2020

By The Pew Charitable Trusts, December 30, 2020

From the pandemic to the economic recession to political events, 2020 was an unprecedented year. But behind each challenge was, as always, the facts. Let's look back at 10 statistics that provided context, inspired action, and helped us move forward this year.

1. Four in 10 U.S. adults said that they or someone in their household had lost their job or taken a pay cut during the pandemic. That data point only hints at the uncertainty U.S. families faced this year as the financial effects of COVID-19 deepened—as shown in these Pew Research Center findings from August: One in 4 U.S. adults have had trouble paying their bills since the start of the pandemic. One-third have dipped into savings or retirement accounts to make ends meet. About 1 in 6 have borrowed money from friends or family or have gotten food from a food bank. 8 CHARTS

2. More than 18 million Americans still lack access to reliable high-speed internet. America's digital divide isn't new. But with so many working and learning from home this year, bridging the broadband gap became more urgent than ever. Fortunately, this year also saw policy advances, including a multifaceted approach in Colorado and infrastructure investment in Minnesota. LEARN MORE

3. Nearly half of U.S. voters say they voted by absentee or mail-in ballot. This pandemic-era presidential election brought new challenges—and solutions. In the end, the Pew Research Center found, voters generally agreed on a few points: Seventy-seven percent of voters said casting a ballot was "very easy," despite anticipated issues. Fifty-nine percent of all voters said elections in the United States were well run. Ninety percent of voters think elections in their community were well run. Breakdown: See how post-election views compare across demographics and party lines.

4. People with mental health conditions are jailed more than 2 million times each year. The use of police, jails, and emergency rooms as the default reaction in the U.S. to people in crisis is costly and can limit access to evidence-based treatments. Some states are taking a new approach: A Dallas initiative has been teaming police officers with social workers and paramedics to connect people with the help they need. New programs in Miami have led to a substantial drop in jail bookings since 2008—and taxpayer savings. POLICY SOLUTIONS

5. The flow of plastic into the ocean could be cut 80%. More than 11 million tons of plastic enter the ocean each year—a figure projected to triple in the next 20 years. A July Pew report revealed that we can break the plastic wave using existing technologies—but only if decision-makers take urgent action. LEARN MORE

Take a Break: Top 10 Nature Photos of 2020 Information overload? Unwind with our most popular Pew Environment Instagram posts of the year—from a wildflower super bloom to seal pups splashing in the sun. SEE PHOTOS

6. Nine million borrowers could overwhelm the student loan system when the pandemic pauses end. As the pandemic unfolded, Congress and the Trump administration paused payments and interest charges for most federal student loans and suspended collection efforts for those in default. Once the pause expires, several factors could lead borrowers to reach out to loan servicers in unprecedented numbers, overwhelming the system.   RECOMMENDATIONS

7. A majority of U.S. young adults are living with their parents for the first time since the Great Depression. The share of young adults living with their parents hit 52% in July—the highest proportion on record. (That number may have been higher during the Great Depression, but data is lacking.) Key takeaways Most of the increase was among 18- to 24-year-olds. Racial and ethnic differences in the share of young adults living with parents have narrowed over time. Full results: See how the data breaks down.

8. Newspaper newsroom employment dropped 47% between 2004 and 2018. The loss of local news may be tied to decreased civic participation, studies suggest. What's more, "news deserts" are no longer a rarity: More than 2,000 of the 3,143 counties in the U.S. have no daily local newspaper. Nearly 2,100 newspapers have closed in this country since 2004. PODCAST SERIES

9. One in 72 U.S. adults is on probation. On any given day, more Americans are on probation than in prisons and jails and on parole combined. States can shorten probation and protect public safety at the same time. Our analysis this year uncovered plenty of opportunities to do just that: Many Americans on probation serve longer terms than necessary for public safety. Maximum allowable probation sentences vary substantially across states, and few states have statutes that provide for early release. The average total time spent on probation declined nationally between 2000 and 2018. But in 28 states, it increased. SEE REPORT

10. More than $6 billion will go toward fixing our parks. America's National Park System faces billions of dollars' worth of overdue maintenance. But thanks to the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, enacted Aug. 4, up to $6.65 billion in nontaxpayer funds will be directed toward priority repairs over five years. By the numbers It's the biggest investment in U.S. national parks in nearly 65 years. By addressing the repair backlog, the act is projected to generate 100,000 new park-related jobs. The act also allocates nearly $3 billion for national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education schools over five years, and it fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund in perpetuity. CONSERVATION WIN

Thank you for spending time with us in 2020, through all its ups and downs. We wish you a safe, happy, and healthy new year. (Sources: The Pew Charitable Trusts)