July and August 2010

General

• Some 25.5% of American consumers (nearly 43.4 million) now have a credit score of 599 or lower. This reflects an increase of 2.4 million people over the past two years. Scores in this range mark the individuals as poor risks for lenders.

• Americans have lived in their current homes for a median of nine years.

• Some 88% of Americans live in a single-family home, 5% in a townhouse or duplex, and 8% in a condo, apartment or co-op.

• Despite Generation Y-ers claims to be concerned about the environment, the proportion who expect to be driving an SUV five years into the future rose to 23% (up from 11% in 2008), while those who expect to drive a hybrid dropped to 11% (down from 21%).

• One in six cell phone owners (17%) had a smartphone at the end of 2009, up from 11% a year earlier. Those with unlimited data plans jumped to 21%, up from 16% over this same period. Another 43% have 3G phones, up from 32%.

• One-third of adults with bank accounts (32%) have considered moving their account from a larger national bank to a community bank or credit union because they are unhappy with the policies or behavior of the national banks; some 14% have already moved their accounts.

• Sixty percent of 18-29 year olds say they are worried about being able to pay their bills and meet other financial obligations. Forty-five percent say their personal financial situation is bad.

• Two-thirds of Americans (66%) feel the U.S. has an obligation to help poor children around the world. They most commonly agree that it should be the government’s top charitable priority (31%) equal to assisting underserved families in the U.S. (31%).

• Most Baby Boomer women (79%) are planning to take a leisure trip during 2010; 40% will travel abroad.

• Three-quarters of moviegoers (75%) say movie tickets are too expensive; 37% bring snacks from home to avoid the high price of theater concessions.

• Some 81% of Americans are concerned about the security of their personal information online. Thirty-one percent believe they will be the victim of a cyber attack within five years.

• More than 71 million households (62% of Americans) have pets, up 17% from 61.2 million households in 1998. Households with children account for 38% of pet-owning households, compared to 19% of American households without pets.

• The average woman spends an estimated 25,185 hours shopping in her lifetime (the equivalent of eight years).

• Young women ages 18-34 who are social media users, report falling asleep with their PDA (37%), regularly check Facebook first thing in the morning after waking (34%), have gotten up in the middle of the night to check text messages (26%) and have checked Facebook during the night (21%).

Advertising

• Americans spent $1.2 billion while shopping on mobile devices in 2009, almost triple the $363 million they spent in 2008.

• More than two-thirds of Hispanics (68%) watched TV in Spanish during the prior day, and 64% watched TV in English.

• About one in 10 households (11%) are considering canceling their pay-TV service since they have access to online video.

• The affluent market is made up of the wealthiest 20% of American households (23.4 million households) with an annual income of $100,250 or more. Super affluents are the top 5% of households (5.9 million households) at annual incomes of $180,000 or more. Ultra affluents are the top 2% of households (2.5 million households) with incomes at $250,000 and higher.

• When shopping for products or services locally, consumers seek out online information through search engines (90%), online Yellow Pages (48%), comparison shopping sites (42%), and vertical shopping sites (24%).

• Just over one-half (53%) of social gamers will watch a commercial video, complete a survey, or sign up for a subscription to receive points for the online games they play.

• Sports programs make up the smallest share of TV viewing at home (10.7%), but the largest proportions at work (28.6%) and in bars and restaurants (38.3%).

• One-quarter of consumers (28%) believe a male voice is a more effective sales tool than a female voice (7%) in automobile advertising. However, 66% say the voice does not matter.

Business-to-Business

• The average pay for CEOs of the largest 500 companies in the U.S. has jumped 300% over the last decade.

• Air travelers’ top complaints about flights include long security lines (39%), the lack of leg room (25%), baggage fees (25%), high prices for food (19%), and not enough seating in boarding area (14%).

• Some 21% of workers check their smartphones every time the device rings; 18% say their company requires them to be available outside of work hours; and 14% feel obligated to constantly be in touch with work during the recession.

• More than one-half of smartphone owners (57%) are disappointed with their smartphone’s performance, but 55% aren’t sure if it’s the fault of the device manufacturer or the service provider.

• More than one-third of workers (38%) have co-workers they consider friends and with whom they interact outside of work. Women (42%) are more likely than men (34%) to have such workplace friendships.

• One-third of office supervisors (32%) have turned to their administrative assistants for help with technology.

Energy

• About 70% of America’s clean energy systems and components (wind and solar power) are produced abroad, and the U.S. produces less than 10% of the global solar component market.

• In the U.S., buildings account for 70% of all energy use. Energy efficiency experts estimate that green buildings can reduce energy consumption by 30% to 50%, on average.

• Each American is responsible for 20 tons of CO2 emissions each year, versus just 8.4 tons per European.

• As of February 2010, 1,017 U.S. mayors from the 50 states (representing a total population of almost 90 million citizens) have developed sustainability plans for their cities focusing on energy efficiency and resource conservation. Thirty states have developed renewable energy mandates that include targets of reducing CO2 emissions between 15-25 % by 2020.<

• The United States has about 280 power stations burning high-moisture coal, generating more than 100 gigawatts of electricity, which equates to about one-third of the electric power generated by coal in the country.

Healthcare

• Only 8% of people “always” read the product labels on cleaning products to be sure they are using them correctly and are aware of any harmful chemicals.

• Some 77% of Americans say they would like food products to come with labels that warn them of high calories or low nutrients, and 64% think they would stop eating or eat less of their favorite foods if they came with these warning labels.

• One in six dog owners (17%) has an electronic tracking device implanted in their dog.

• Emerging majorities spent $2.7 billion on ethnic hair care products in 2009, up 38% since 2005.

• Six in 10 women (61%) say they feel sluggish at least once per week. Most attribute this to a lack of exercise (75%), poor diet (66%), and sitting for long periods of time (61%).

• Forty percent of Americans say they would not give up their favorite foods for any amount of cash; another 50% claim it would take $100,000 or more to give them up.

• Springtime allergies keep 45% of contact lens wearers from wearing their lenses during the season.

• Almost one-half of families (47%) eat dinner at home together every night of the week.

• Minorities accounted for 48% of babies born in the US during 2008 (most recent data available), compared to 37% in 1990.  Some 25% born in 2008 were Hispanic, 15% were Black, 4% Asian, and 4% multiracial.

• One-half of teen girls (48%) get information about sex, pregnancy and parenting from TV shows.

• In the open market for health insurance (where employers do not arrange for insurance), the average deductible for an individual policy is $2,498; for families it is $5,149.

• The percentage of American workers facing high deductibles ($1,000 or more for single coverage) has doubled from 10% to 22% between 2006 and 2009, and increased from 16% to 40% in small firms.

• In 2008, American hospitals treated 123 million people in their emergency departments, provided care for 624 million outpatients, performed 27 million surgeries, and delivered 4 million babies.

• Among U.S. adults aged 18 years and older with a lifetime history of any mental disorder, 29% have a history of an addictive disorder; of those with an alcohol disorder, 37% have had a mental disorder; and among those with other drug disorders, 53% have had a mental disorder.

• Some 72% of small businesses with 10 to 25 workers currently offer healthcare insurance coverage to their employees; about 95% of businesses with 50 or more workers do so.