Author

Tim Henderson
Tim Henderson covers demographics for Stateline. He has been a reporter at the Miami Herald, the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Journal News.
Race and place can contribute to shorter lives, research suggests
By: Tim Henderson - January 30, 2025
Theres growing evidence that some American demographic groups need more help than others to live longer, healthier lives. American Indians in Western and Midwestern states have the shortest life expectancy as of 2021, 63.6 years. Thats more than 20 years shorter than Asian Americans nationwide, who can expect to live to 84, according to a […]
Junk food and drug use cut into life expectancy gains for states
By: Tim Henderson - December 30, 2024
After large drops during the pandemic, life expectancy in the United States should recover to 2019 levels this year nationally and in 26 states but not as fast as it should compared with similar countries, according to a new study. Bad habits such as junk food, smoking and illicit drug use are preventing longer […]
Immigration drives nations population growth
By: Tim Henderson - December 20, 2024
A recent immigration surge brought newcomers to every state this year, helping to offset a continued drop in U.S. births while contributing to a national upswing of about 3.3 million new residents, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Texas and Florida continued to dominate state population growth, together adding more than 1 million people […]
Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies
By: Tim Henderson - December 9, 2024
A major U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer was hailed as a conservative courts broadside against a Democratic administration, giving red states more backing to delay or overturn policies they dont like, such as transgender protections and clean energy goals. But the ruling in the Loper Bright case, which granted courts more power to scrutinize […]
The next census will gather more racial, ethnic information
By: Tim Henderson - November 30, 2024
The U.S. Census Bureau and a growing number of states are starting to gather more detailed information about Americans race and ethnicity, a change some advocates of the process say will allow people to choose identities that more closely reflect how they see themselves. Crunching and sorting through those specific details known as data […]
Manufacturing already has made a comeback
By: Tim Henderson - November 19, 2024
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, McLean County, Illinois, was known mostly as the home of State Farm Insurance in Bloomington and Illinois State University in Normal. Now, the area illustrates a trend thats bringing more factories to small cities with lower costs of living: It has thousands of new jobs manufacturing Rivian electric vehicles and a […]
Overdose deaths are rising among Black and Indigenous Americans
By: Tim Henderson - October 29, 2024
The recent declinein overdose deaths hides a tremendous disparity by race: Deaths have fallen only among white people while continuing to rise among people of color, according to a new Stateline analysis of federal data. Health experts in nonwhite communities say theyre finding strategies that work in their areas, but that they still struggle for […]
Overdose deaths are down nationally, but up in many Western states
By: Tim Henderson - October 14, 2024
Despite an encouraging national dip in the past year, overdose deaths are still on the rise in many Western states as the epicenter of the nations continuing crisis shifts toward the Pacific Coast, where deadly fentanyl and also methamphetamine are finding more victims. Overdose deaths remain sharply higher since 2019. Many states are working on […]
Rent is eating up a greater share of tenants income in almost every state
By: Tim Henderson - September 15, 2024
There were 21 states where a majority of tenant households spent 30% or more of their incomes on rent and utilities last year, compared with just seven states in 2019. Nationwide, about 22 millionrenters are shouldering that percentage.Anyone paying more than 30% is considered cost burdened, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban […]
The nations last refuge for affordable homes is in northeast Ohio
By: Tim Henderson - September 11, 2024
At 43, Sharon Reese is a housing market refugee forced to return to her Ohio hometown after 18 years in Las Vegas, despite a successful career training dancers for nightclub acts. If you dont have between $600,000 and $800,000, youre not buying a house out there, Reese said. Las Vegas has lot of opportunity, […]
Dark highways, fast cars, few sidewalks and more pedestrian deaths
By: Tim Henderson - September 1, 2024
BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. Bianca Quintana was just taking a walk in the early morning dark near her mothers house on South Coors Boulevard. There, the city streets of Albuquerque give way to feed stores and irrigation ditches, and the sounds of chickens and crickets mingle with high-speed traffic noise. Quintana, a 31-year-old mother of […]
Most workers make about the same as before the pandemic except in these states
By: Tim Henderson - August 23, 2024
The typical U.S. workers pay is about the same as it was in late 2019, after accounting for inflation. But workers in some states have seen sharply higher earnings, especially in scenic areas that are appealing to remote workers and have labor shortages. In Montana, for example, average pay has increased 28.3% since before the […]