New single-family home sales in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 698,000, according to estimates from the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. That count was 6.7 percent higher than the SAAR number in December 2023. This graph from Calculated Risk shows the SAAR new home sales rate since 1963 (the blue bars indicate recessions): 

As of December 2024 

In 1973, the Census Bureau started breaking home inventory data into three categories: planned but Not Started, Under Construction, and Completed. This Calculated Risk graph shows the trends for each since 1973: 

As of December 2024 

The inventory of approximately 118,000 completed new homes for sale (red in the graph above) in December was close to four times the record low of 31,000 in February 2022 and the most since 2009. 

The inventory of homes under construction (blue) at 268,000 was high but still about 16 percent below the current cycle’s peak in July 2022. 

The inventory of homes planned but not started in December 108,000 — the all-time high. 

Construction Sector 

Associated Builders and Contractors’(ABC) forecast indicates the U.S. construction industry will need to attract an estimated 439,000 net new workers in 2025 to meet anticipated demand for construction services, according to its proprietary model. 

In 2026, ABC says the industry will likely need 499,000 new workers as spending picks up in response to (presumed) lower interest rates: 

As of 2024

Factory Output 

U.S. manufacturing sector saw growth this month: 

As of 1/25/25 

As of 1/25/25 

John’s firm has tracked economic diversity in Southern Nevada over the years, and the 2024 numbers show the two biggest jobs changes from 2014 were an uptick in Construction (4.9 percent to 7.3 percent) and a decrease in Leisure & Hospitality (from 31.1 percent to 25.5 percent): 

As of 2024 

Many more metrics from John’s team at RCG Economics can be found here. 

Living Wages by State 

New data reveals the average amount of money needed to support cost of living expenses for a family of four in the states — and shows that families need less to live in Nevada compared to every state that borders it except Idaho: 

As of December 2024 

RTO 

It is estimated that about 3 million federal workers will be affected by President Trump’s return-to-office mandate — many of whom have been working in either a remote or hybrid model since the pandemic.

This Statista graph reveals varying attitudes in/among remote workers based on October 2024 data from a survey by Pew Research Center:

As of 10/13/24

All the Money 

Economists have estimated that roughly 8 percent of the world’s money exists as cash and the rest comes in intangible forms. The global economy contains three main categories of money, known as monetary aggregates, which vary in liquidity. 

Visual Capitalist created a comprehensive infographic in 2022 to illustrate the $8 trillion in cash then circulating on Planet Earth. Here are some illuminating screenshots (note that one square is equivalent to $1 billion): 

Click here for more from the graphic. 

As for the total amount of cash circulating in the U.S. alone, the Federal Reserve estimates it at $2.3 trillion as of October 2024. 

The World’s Most Interesting Airports 

There are more than 41,000 airports worldwide, and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson is the world’s busiest, according to Interesting Facts: 75 million travelers set foot in the Georgia hub 2021. 

Qatar’s Hamad International was voted the world’s best in Skytrak’s 2024 global survey, followed by: 

2. Singapore Changi 

3. Seoul Incheon 

4. Tokyo Haneda 

5. Tokyo Narita 

6. Paris CDG 

7. Dubai 

8. Munich 

9. Zurich 

10. Istanbul 

North American airports that made the top 40:

• Vancouver (17th) 
• Seattle-Tacoma (24th) 
• Houston Hobby (29th) 
• New York LaGuardia (33rd) 
• Houston George Bush (38th) 

Skymark also created a worth-your-time list of unusual airports around the globe including Gibraltar International, which straddles the strait that separates Spain and North Africa and has just one runway, requiring the sole access roadway to be closed every time a plane arrives or departs. Other odd ducks include airports with: 

• a butterfly garden 
• a harrowingly short runway and some of the highest wind speed in the world, or white-knuckle approaches. 

Related (sort of): These airlines were not among the favorites in 2024: 

As of 2024 

Presidential Paychecks 

From 1776 through today, the presidential salary has been established by Congress — and has been increased several times. Three occupants of the White House donated their entire salary to charity or to government agencies: John F. Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, and Donald Trump, according to this write-up published by Interesting Facts and penned by Bennett Kleinman, New York City-based staff writer for Optimism Media. 

Following are more Kleinman-provided facts about presidential salaries and how they’ve changed over the years: 

• George Washington never accepted a paycheck during his time as a military officer, but the framers of the Constitution decided the president of the newly formed nation should be compensated to prevent the chief executive from being tempted to bend the knee to financial influence or accept bribes. 

• The Domestic Emoluments Clause was set in place to prevent Congress from altering the president’s salary during a term. 

• It was decided by Congress that the president would receive an annual salary of $25,000 (equivalent to around $4.5 million in today’s dollars), with the vice president receiving $5,000, the chief justice of the Supreme Court earning $4,000, and members of the president’s Cabinet receiving $3,500. 

• Ulysses S. Grant (in office 1969-1877) was the first POTUS to get a raise — one he signed off on hours before he was sworn in for his second term after Congress passed a law in March of 1873 — referred to by objectors as the “Salary Grab Act” — that awarded retroactive pay raises to outgoing members of Congress, raised the salaries of inbound members, and doubled the president’s annual salary to $50,000. 

• The president’s salary was raised to $75,000 in 1909, beginning with William Howard Taft. At the time he took office, baseball’s top stars, including Ty Cobb, earned around $9,000 per year. But in 1930, while Herbert Hoover was in office, New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth was given a raise and signed a contract that earned him $80,000 a year — the first athlete to rake in a higher salary than the president. 

• In 1949, the U.S. president’s salary was increased to $100,00 — Hall of Fame baseballers Hank Greenberg and Joe DiMaggio were already earning that much — and Congress also granted the POTUS an annual $50,000 tax-free expense account. (The allowance was later made taxable and has since fluctuated between nontaxable and taxable status

Table from University of Michigan: 

As of 2003 

Data Source: Senate.gov 

The next two charts are from Texas A&M and plot real wages and real wage growth in the first term of a select set of presidencies: 

Source: Texas A&M As of 2023 

Source: Texas A&M As of 2023 

Forward Us Fun Facts 

Should you see an interesting statistic in your internet travels, feel free to email a link or graphic with the source information — along with a note as to whether you would like to be credited if we publish it in Fact Pack. 

On the Horizon

Mike PeQueen: Wednesday’s interest rate decision by the Fed is sure to be closely watched but the odds of a rate cut are low after such strong recent economic numbers. Friday’s PCE inflation report is probably more relevant. 

Data & Dialogue About the Economy



The Fact Pack is a monthly business e-report co-authored by Mike PeQueen of Hightower Las Vegas and John Restrepo of RCG Economics, which combines important metrics relevant to business decision makers and financial commentary on the current issues facing the economy.

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