In collaboration with the Economic Policy Institute, Darkhorse Analytics is proud to announce an all new redesign of the State of Working America Data Library.
The State of Working America Data Library is a vital resource, providing researchers, media, and the public with easily accessible, up-to-date, and comprehensive historical data on the American labor force.
Compiled from Economic Policy Institute analysis of government data sources, it enables users to explore critical topics like wages, inequality, and other economic indicators over time and across demographic groups.
Fundamentally, this library wasn't just designed to store data--it was built to empower people to tell truthful stories about the economic conditions faced by everyday working Americans.
With the new redesign, insights are not only easier to access, but are more engaging, impactful, and actionable than ever before.
Here are five ways this site now lives up to its mission, exceeding what came before and inspiring what comes next:
1. Dynamic Featured Indicators: Data That Speaks Volumes
The new homepage brings storytelling with data to the forefront. Key economic indicators are featured front and center, highlighting urgent issues like income inequality, employment disparities, and poverty rates.
Users are empowered to see trends and inequalities at a glance, sparking meaningful conversations and driving action on behalf of the working class and underserved communities.
2. Empowering Long-Term Sustainability: A Self-Service Platform
The foundation of any impactful tool is flexibility. For the Economic Policy Institute, we built a seamless, self-service data management pipeline to keep their platform adaptable and up-to-date—no outside help required.
Why was this so important?
Multiple data sources: Indicators arrive at different frequencies—monthly, quarterly, annually—so flexibility is critical to stay current.
Wide range of indicators: Covering many economic equality measures demands a tool that can grow and evolve with new topics.
Real-time relevance: Keeping the platform updated ensures the public stays informed about the latest trends in economic equality.
Mission-driven adaptability: The tool supports their evolving goals, rather than locking them into a static solution.
Want to add a new topic? Done. Need to refresh indicators or update descriptions? Easy. The result? A site that serves their mission—and their audience.
3. Transformative Visualizations: From Static to Storytelling
The new data library transforms overwhelming tables of information into an intuitive and engaging exploration experience, empowering users to uncover meaningful insights with ease.
An image of the old data library.
Visuals are powerful storytellers. The new site moves beyond static tables to bring data to life with dynamic line charts and cartograms.
Whether users need to examine trends over time or compare states at a single point, they can now see the story data is telling in vivid detail.
4. Twice the Data, Half the Effort, Infinite Insights
One challenge we overcame in this project was consolidating data previously housed in multiple different websites into a single, user-friendly site. This included adding state-level data for the first time, enabling improved visibility into disparate economic outcomes across states.
The all-new state cartogram view unlocks previously inaccessible state-level insights, offering a clear, point-in-time comparison across regions.
Despite doubling the available data, the new design makes finding and exploring insights more intuitive than ever. What was once overwhelming is now accessible, unified, and actionable.
5. Custom Comparisons: Letting Users Write Their Own Stories
This scenario compares 16-24 year olds to 25-45 year olds within the 60th wage percentile nationwide, showcasing the tool’s ability to analyze custom, niche comparisons.
One of the most exciting features of the new site is its “custom mode.” Users are empowered to compare specific data sets—for example, Black women in California versus Hispanic men nationally—and build their own visual charts and stories.
This unprecedented flexibility ensures that anyone engaging with the platform can uncover the insights most relevant to their research.
By combining the desire for storytelling with intuitive and responsive design, the redesigned platform empowers the Economic Policy Institute to amplify their voice.
Darkhorse Analytics extends gratitude to the Economic Policy Institute for their partnership and trust in bringing their vision to life.