Figuratively Speaking

Percentage of Americans who have at least one tattoo, according to an Ipsos poll: 26

Percentage of Americans who are now more likely to have multiple tattoos, rather than just one: 17

Among those who have tattoos, percentage who report being happy with them: 88

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Estimated overall tax rate that S&P 100 companies pay, according to research by WalletHub: 20

Estimated percentage lower this rate is compared to international taxes paid by S&P 100 companies: 44

Percentage lower tax rate paid by the average S&P 100 company than the top 1% of consumers: 44

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of Americans who say their eyesight is important to the pursuit of a promising future, tying with mobility as the highest-ranking health factor, with heart/cardiac health trailing closely, according to research commissioned by the Contact Lens Institute: 89

Source: Contact Lens Institute.

Percentage of U.S. adults who say having support has helped them throughout their health and wellness journeys, according to the first survey by Medifast: 66

In a follow-up survey, percentage of U.S. adults who believe they would be more successful in creating healthy habits if they had support from someone who has been in their shoes: 81

Percentage who said informational support, such as sharing healthy recipes and other resources, was helpful to them: 75

Percentage who cited emotional support, such listening and having empathy: 70

Source: Medifast.

Percentage of pet owners who spend money on their pets for social media posts, such as a special outfit for their dog, according to a survey by LendingTree: 28

Average annual spend for pet owners per year on food, treats, props for social media content and other expenses: $1,163

Average annual spend by Gen Z pet owners, the most among the age groups surveyed: $1,885

Percentage of pet owners who would have to take on debt to cover a $1,000 emergency pet expense: 45

Percentage who are currently in debt for their pets: 8

Source: LendingTree.

Percentage of new moms who report they wake up at least three times each night -- largely to care for their children, according to a poll by Zulily: 59

Percentage of new moms who say that incorporating natural elements into their babies' lives will help them have a more positive relationship with nature as they grow: 60

Percentage who say elements of nature, such as woven or wood accents and earth tones, also make them feel calmer at home: 71

Source: Zulily.

Approximate number of Americans who quit their jobs in April -- the highest monthly number ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to new research reported in MIT Sloan Management Review: 4 million

Rank of "feeling respected at work" on the list of what matters most to employees: 1

Ranks of "supportive leaders" and "leaders who live core values" on the list: 2, 3

Source: MIT Sloan Management Review.

In a 2020 study from Swedish researchers, percentage of people with depression and other mental health issues who slept much better through the night when using a weighted blanket (compared with 3.6% of the control group): 42

Percentage less likely that people who nap one to two times a week are to have a heart attack than those who don't, according to a 2019 observational study from University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland, that tracked 3,462 people for eight years: 48

Source: Global Wellness Institute.

Among full-time employees in the U.S. whose positions are performed from an office (home or company) and a desk, percentage who said location flexibility (including remote) is the biggest motivator for accepting a new job offer, according to research by isolved: 58

Percentage who said "interest in the role": 57

Percentage who cited "work-life balance": 52

Source: isolved.

Percentage of employees who have instant access to their pay and benefits information no matter where they are currently working, according to a survey conducted by the American Payroll Association: 88

Source: American Payroll Association.

Percentage of Americans who say the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest threat to the economy -- at a nearly 2-to-1 margin over the next highest threat -- according to a new survey from Bankrate.com: 39

Percentage who cite the political environment in Washington, D.C., as the next highest threat: 21

Percentage who view their selected economic threat as a risk to their jobs or income source in the next six months: 63

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of small-business owners who are likely to switch computer vendors in the next 12 months, according to a study by Cargo: 20

Percentage who cite needing help updating to newer technology as their top priority: 30

Percentage who do not feel their tech vendors care about their business: 48

Source: Cargo Magazine.

Idle thought

"Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement." -- William Morris, designer, poet and novelist (1834-1896)

(EDITOS: If you have editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker, chooker@amuniversal.com.)

While 12.3 million American households were formed from Jan. 2012 to June 2021, number of new single-family homes that were built during that time, according to research by realtor.com: 7 million� As of June 2021, number of new homes by which the U.S. housing market was short, an increase of 1.4 million from the 2019 gap (3.84 million): 5.24 million� Based on projected household formations (850,000) and new home completions (1.07 million) for 2021, by doubling the pace seen so far this year, projected number of years it would take to close the gap: 5 to 6 years� Source: realtor.com

Percentage of homeowners who said they have done at least one DIY project since the start of the pandemic, according to a new survey by Angi: 81� Percentage who said their DIY projects were more challenging than expected: 40� Percentage who said they faced a minor or major mistake during their DIY projects: 80� Source: Angi

Percentage of Americans who remember exactly where they were or what they were doing the moment they heard about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, according to Chicago Council on Global Affairs/Ipsos polling: 92� Source: Ipsos Public Affairs

As shipping and out-of-stock concerns linger, percentage of holiday shoppers (51 million U.S. adults) who have already started or plan to start their holiday shopping by the end of September, according to a CreditCards.com report: 27� Percentage who plan to start in October, while 35% plan to start in November, and 13% will wait until December: 25� Source: CreditCards.com

After a record-setting year for credit-card debt reduction in 2020, increase during Q2 2021, an all-time record for the second quarter of the year, according to WalletHub: $45.7 billion� Number of times bigger that consumers' Q2 2021 credit card debt was than the post-Great Recession average for a second quarter: 2.6� Amount more in credit card debt that consumers will end the year with than they started with, which would be close to an annual record: $100 billion� Source: WalletHub

When asked about the potential benefits of earning a college degree, percentage of Americans who agree that securing employment and having a career are important outcomes, according to a survey from BestColleges.com: 45� Rank of developing specific skills in their field and maximizing earnings and income potential as the potential benefits of earning a college degree: 1, 2� Source: BestColleges.com

With record-low interest rates, percentage of homeowners with a mortgage they had prior to the pandemic who have refinanced since the start of the outbreak, according to a new Bankrate.com report: 19� Percentage who do not know their current interest rate: 38� Source: Bankrate.com

Percentage of teens who rated the quality of education during the pandemic as "fair/poor," while the rest (44%) rated it as "excellent/very good/good," according to a survey conducted for Junior Achievement: 56� Percentage who were interested in participating in online-only classes in the future: 46� Source: Junior Achievement

Percentage of people who have left a job because of unresolved harassment issues, according to research by AllVoices: 34� Percentage who say they are more likely to report harassment if they have an anonymous channel to do so: 85� Percentage who believe their workplace wants harassment reported: 72� Source: AllVoices

Idle Thought

"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." -- Louis L'Amour, novelist

(EDITOS: If you have editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker, chooker@amuniversal.com.)

Average non-mortgage debt carried by individual Americans, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual: $23,325

Of Americans with debt, percentage of their monthly income that is dedicated to paying off non-mortgage personal debt: 30

Source: Northwestern Mutual.

Ranks of earnings/income potential, general career success and the development of a professional network on the list of enhanced benefits Americans believe come with graduating from a prestigious college, according to a survey from BestColleges.com: 1, 2 (tie)

Percentage of Americans who believe a degree from a prestigious institution is one of the best ways to achieve success in one's life or career: 39

Source: BestColleges.com

Standard number of push-ups that men between the ages of 20 and 49 should be able to do, according to the American College of Sports Medicine: 13 to 28

Number that women in the same age category should be able to do: 11 to 20

According to a survey by Gymless, percentage of men and women who reported that they can perform only 10 or fewer push-ups in succession: 54

Percentage of respondents in the Gymless survey who indicated that they can perform 51 or more consecutive push-ups: 11.8

Source: Gymless.

Percentage of all U.S. households that own one (or more) type of pet other than dogs and cats, up from 11% five years ago, according to a report from Packaged Facts: 12

Percentage of "other pet" owners who enjoy keeping them because they are fun to watch and observe: 65

Source: Packaged Facts.

Percentage of millennials (ages 25 to 40) who say that social media impacts their buying decisions, followed by 66% of Gen Zers (ages 18 to 24), 49% of Gen Xers (ages 41 to 56) and 45% of baby boomers (ages 57 to 75), according to a report from Bankrate.com: 72

Ranks of posts from friends and family, advertisements and being swayed by posts from celebrities or influencers on the list of social media influences on spending: 1, 2, 3

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of teens who say that America's best years might be behind us, up 15 percentage points from 2005, according to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll: 56

Percentage who say the U.S. is above all other countries in the world: 23

Percentage of teens who say that political divisions are a major threat to their generation, the largest proportion of any item asked: 59

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of employees who say employers should mandate vaccines before workers return to the workplace, according to research by Eagle Hill Consulting: 50

Regarding social distancing, percentage who concur that employers should require or encourage social distancing: 77

Regarding masks, percentage who agree on employers requiring or encouraging mask use: 73

Source: Eagle Hill Consulting.

Percentage of online shoppers who are using online pickup more than they did pre-pandemic, according to research by Acosta: 40

Percentage who are using online delivery more than they did pre-pandemic: 46

Percentage who are shopping less at mass merchandise stores than they were pre-pandemic: 35

Percentage of all shoppers who prefer home delivery as their fulfillment method of choice (28% prefer curbside pickup and 17% will pick up inside the store): 45

Source: Acosta.

Average APR for a new car loan, according to WalletHub research: 3.89

Average percentage rate for a used car loan: 4.49

Percentage who feel more financially secure buying a car this year than pre-pandemic: 55

Percentage of consumers who are still more likely to buy a car in-person rather than online: 91

Percentage of Americans who would prefer to buy an American-made car this year: 58

Source: WalletHub.

Idle Thought

"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it's the only one you have." -- Emile Chartier, philosopher (1868-1951)

(EDITOS: If you have editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker, chooker@amuniversal.com.)