Many Americans view hard work as the path to achieving the American Dream. We work so hard, in fact, that we put in more hours at our jobs than several other industrialized countries. The average U.S. worker puts in 1,786 hours per year – 106 hours more than the average in Japan, 248 more than the U.K. and 403 more than Germany.
But some U.S. cities represent the strong work ethic that helped to build the world’s biggest economy better than others. In order to determine which cities outwork the rest of America, WalletHub compared the 116 largest cities across 11 key metrics. Our data set ranges from employment rate to average weekly work hours to share of workers with multiple jobs. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.
The amount of car insurance you need depends on multiple factors, like your financial situation, the value of your vehicle, your driving habits, and geographic location. Almost every state has minimum car insurance requirements, and drivers still have to pay for any damage they cause in the two states where liability insurance is not required: New Hampshire and Virginia.
Liability insurance covers the other driver’s property damage or injuries if you cause an accident. It is the only coverage required in 31 states. Another 17 states expect drivers to carry other types of car insurance in addition to liability coverage, such as uninsured motorist coverage or personal injury protection. In the remaining two states, you are required to either carry liability coverage or keep a certain amount of money in reserve with the state to drive legally. If you lease or finance your car, your lender can require that you carry collision and comprehensive insurance, too.
While black voters turned out at the polls in unprecedented numbers during the 2008 and 2012 elections, black voter turnout fell during the 2016 presidential election. The winner of that election, Donald Trump, received approximately 8 percent of the black vote, compared to 88% for his rival Hillary Clinton.
This year, black voters will account for around 12 percent of the national electorate. However, they make up roughly 24 percent of the Democratic primary electorate, which means they will play a key role in selecting 2020’s Democratic nominee. A January poll shows Joe Biden with 48% support among black Democrats, far above the next closest, Bernie Sanders with 20%.
There are four different Bank of America rewards programs for credit cards, extending coverage to both business and consumer cardholders. These programs vary in terms of the system by which members earn rewards and redeem rewards earnings for perks. For example, some Bank of America rewards programs only offer cash back while others allow members to redeem for gift cards, travel accommodations or charity donations. However, not all Bank of America rewards programs are open to new cardholders. One of the programs, WorldPoints, only applies to credit cards that have been discontinued. Current cardholders can still enjoy its privileges.
Details for earning and redeeming rewards vary drastically across the BofA rewards programs. So it can be hard for newcomers to gauge how much value they can get out of each. But don’t worry – WalletHub has collected and assessed all of the insider details to provide you with the best information and tips regarding Bank of America’s credit card rewards programs.
Red states and blue states may like to point to one another as the source of all that is wrong with the U.S., but the truth is that each of the 50 states has its own virtues and vices. For example, Michigan has the worst drug use problem. And it certainly comes as no surprise that Nevada is the most gambling-addicted.
But the cost of state sins is something we have to share as a nation. Gambling alone costs the U.S. about $5 billion per year. That’s nothing compared to the amount of money we lose from smoking, though – over $300 billion per year. Harmful behavior on the individual level can add up to staggering economic costs on a national scale.
State capitals aren’t just for lawmaking. Often, they’re thriving cities with a lot of economic and cultural value. In fact, they can be some of the best places to live in America. But not all state capitals are created equal. Though 17 of them are the largest cities in their states, the biggest population doesn’t always represent the best quality of life. Some have rampant poverty problems. For example, over 30 percent of the population of Harford, CT lives in poverty, compared to 11.8% of the entire United States.
In order to determine which state capitals make the best homes, WalletHub compared all 50 across 49 key indicators of affordability, economic well-being, quality of education and health, and quality of life. Our data set ranges from cost of living to K–12 school-system quality to number of attractions. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.
Strong earning rates for people who fly often and always with Southwest
CONS
$99 annual fee
High Regular APR
The Verdict: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is like jet fuel for your travel budget, offering about $700 in airfare from first-year rewards alone. You get 40,000 points for spending at least $1,000 during the first three months your account is open and another 6,000 on your first account anniversary. The secret, however, isn’t necessarily how many points you get – although that is important – but rather what each point is worth.
Unlike most travel rewards cards, whose points and miles tend to carry no more than one cent of value apiece (far less in the case of many hotel-branded cards, for example), each Southwest Rapid Rewards point equates to a bit more than 1.7 cents, on average, when redeemed for a free flight. In other words, 40,000 points are redeemable for over $688 in airfare and the 6,000-point bonus you’ll receive each account anniversary will nearly cancel out the previous year’s $99 annual fee. This puts the card’s ongoing earning structure – 2 points per $1 spent on Rapid Rewards-family purchases and 1 point per $1 on everything else – into a new light as well.
Consumer research and ratings firm J.D. Power has released its December 2019 auto sales forecast, and the trends aren’t looking the best for the industry. New-vehicle retail sales are projected to have a 2.8% decrease compared to December 2018. But even though sales are down, individual transaction prices are increasing, which is helping manufacturers to maintain their profits.
At the moment, the market appears to be tilting in favor of the consumer. But there are more questions than just whether or not to buy. Should buyers apply for financing from banks, credit unions or manufacturers? Which manufacturers offer the best financing and leasing terms? How do interest rates compare for new versus used vehicles?
The following represents historical data on credit card interest rates in the United States. These rates are presented as functions of credit card delinquency, national unemployment and credit card charge-offs. The margin reflects the differential above the Prime Rate.
Credit card interest rates are quite revealing, as they speak to changes in the economic environment, allow for historical comparison, and enable consumers to determine if they are getting a good deal on their credit card. Furthermore, they can be used to unearth seasonal trends in credit card offers and therefore time applications more fortuitously.
The U.S. today is a melting pot of cultures, thanks to increasing ethnic and racial diversification. If the trend continues, America will be more colorful than ever by 2045, at which point no single ethnic group will constitute the majority in the U.S. for the first time.
But with immigration reform still a hot-button issue, the U.S. ethnic landscape may change again in the near future. In the meantime, WalletHub took a snapshot of America’s current cultural profile, comparing more than 500 of the largest U.S. cities across three key indicators of ethnic diversity. We examined each city based on ethnicity and race, language and birthplace. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.
3% back on purchases with Apple and partner brands
2% back when using Apple Pay
No fees
CONS
Bad for carrying a balance
Limited rewards appeal
Apple Card Review Verdict: The Apple Card is a rewarding option for people with good credit or better who regularly buy Apple products and services, as well as for iPhone, Mac and iWatch users who are comfortable making purchases using Apple Pay. Having the new Apple Credit Card from Goldman Sachs in your wallet doesn’t have to cost you a thing, considering the card’s $0 annual fee (and lack of other major fees). But it can help you save money with elite rewards rates of up to 2% - 3% on select purchases, as long as you pay the bill in full every month
The Apple Credit Card is not a good choice for people who plan to carry a balance from month to month, thanks to an APR that could be anywhere from 12.49% to 23.49% (V), depending on an applicant’s creditworthiness. There are much better credit card rates available to people with the good-to-excellent credit needed to be eligible for Apple Card approval.
Location matters when it comes to health. Some places promote wellness by expanding access to nutritious food and recreational facilities. Others strive to keep healthcare costs affordable for everyone or keep parks clean and well-maintained.
When a city doesn’t take care of these issues, it can be hard to keep up good health. After all, the cost of care in the U.S. is rising and life expectancy is declining. And there are so many sources of health advice online that it can be difficult for a person to figure out what is legitimate and what is just a fad.
The Verdict: The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Visa® credit card is one of the best rewards cards for people with excellent credit who like to travel and dine out. In fact, it ranked 9th overall in WalletHub’s 2019 Credit Card Rewards Report for the net value that the average person can expect to earn in two years: $1,534.
The premium rewards start with an initial bonus of 50,000 points after you spend at least $3,000 within 90 days of opening your account. That’s worth $500. And the perks keep coming, with 2 points per $1 spent on travel and dining, plus 1.5 points per $1 on everything else. The average points card gives you just 1.17 per $1.
The Verdict: The Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card is an attractive everyday spending vehicle for people with excellent credit. Things begin on a positive note, with no annual fee to worry about and the ability to earn a $200 initial bonus for spending just $1,000 in the first 90 days after account opening.
The Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card even supplements its base 1% cash-back earning rate with 2% back on groceries and wholesale clubs and 3% back on a category of your choosing. But there’s a catch. Those bonus earning rates apply to only the first $2,500 in combined grocery, wholesale clubs and gas purchases each quarter. So if you spend more than $833 a month on such everyday necessities, you will wind up hitting that limit and earning only 1% back — slightly less than the market average of 1.07% — on all your purchases for the rest of the quarter.
The Verdict: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Visa® credit card is a very good option for people with excellent credit who want to reduce the cost of travel without paying an annual fee. But it’s only a truly great choice for fairly low-spending Bank of America banking customers with a lot of cash saved.
The party starts with a 25,000-point initial rewards bonus, worth $250 in travel, when you spend $1,000 or more within 90 days of opening your account. That’s well above average for a card offering a points-based bonus. Still, if you’re someone who spends $1,000 per month, rather than every three months, you can get at least twice as much dollar value from competing offers.
The Verdict: The BankAmericard® credit card is a very good tool for avoiding interest on credit card debt, whether you’re planning a big purchase or need a way to reduce the cost of an existing balance. The stars of the show are BankAmericard’s $0 annual fee and its 0% introductory APRs, which apply to purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles. If you transfer a balance, you just have to do so within 60 days of opening an account to get that rate.
Those features compare favorably to most competing offers. The average 0% purchase APR lasts for about 11 months. And the average 0% balance transfer deal gives you about 13 months. But that is not to say BankAmericard’s financing offer is flawless. The most important imperfection for folks with expensive debt is the card’s 3% balance transfer fee. Although this is the average for a balance transfer credit card, it’s a distinguishing factor between the BankAmericard credit card and its biggest competitors.
LendingPoint Review Summary:LendingPoint personal loans are on the smaller side, ranging from $2,000 to $25,000 and lasting for 24 to 48 months. LendingPoint also has one of the lowest minimum credit score requirements around: 585. The company not only provides an opportunity for people with bad credit to get an unsecured loan, but they also offer decent rates. The minimum LendingPoint personal loan APR is 15.49%, and their maximum is 34.99%. That’s on par with other lenders who cater to people with bad credit, but there are far better rates elsewhere for people with good or excellent credit.
LendingPoint lends to people in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The sole exception is West Virginia. They also offer very quick financing, with a decision usually within hours and funding as soon as the next business day after they receive all your documents. Keep reading to learn even more about LendingPoint’s terms and see what other lenders offer in comparison.
Quick Review:LoanMe personal loans are too expensive to consider getting. Even people with the best credit scores will only qualify for rates as low as 9.90% – far more expensive than where other lenders start. And anyone with a credit score under 760 will have to deal with an interest rate above 90%. Plus, whatever loan amount you choose will have a big origination fee (17% to 33%) deducted from it.
On top of that, LoanMe only lends to people in nine states: AZ, CA, DE, ID, KY, MO, NM, SC and UT.
Many people dislike visiting their dentist, especially if they haven’t kept up with their brushing and flossing. Some even have dental anxiety and phobia. But there are other people who wish they could go yet can’t afford it. According to the CDC, 36% of adults have gone over a year without seeing a dentist. The costs of frequent dental checks are worth it, though. A checkup costs $90-$137 on average while a filling can go for $230-$313 and a crown typically sets you back over $1,200. Prevention is cheaper than treatment.
But brushing, flossing and getting an annual checkup aren’t the only things that impact dental health. Where you live can have an effect, too. For example, certain areas of the U.S. have a higher density of dental professionals. And one of the biggest locational factors is the presence of fluoridated water, which can help prevent tooth decay. It’s so important, in fact, that the CDC projects that in 2020 nearly 80% of public water will have this benefit.
It’s primary season, and New Hampshire is first on the electoral docket — as usual. Like the Iowa caucuses that precede it, the New Hampshire primary routinely invites a storm of media attention both for what some criticize as “unfairly” holding the earliest position in the primary-election cycle as well as reliably forecasting the Democratic and GOP nominees — with 60 and 80 percent accuracy, respectively.
The mystery that baffles most about the impressive predictive abilities of the New Hampshire primary is grounded in the fact that the state is largely rural with a relatively tiny and demographically homogeneous population. New Hampshire’s roughly 1.36 million residents are 93.2 percent white, compared with the nation’s 76.5 percent. Those two simplifications summarize why critics so readily dismiss the state as “unrepresentative” of the U.S. and therefore unworthy to serve as the first litmus test for effectiveness of a candidate’s platform.
The following represents historical data on credit card interest rates in the United States. These rates are presented as functions of credit card delinquency, national unemployment and credit card charge-offs. The margin reflects the differential above the 
