A daily roundup of fresh data from scholars, governments, think tanks, pollsters and other social science researchers.

Politics
Americans view China mostly unfavorablyNorth Korea least favorable, Gallup
In Ohio, Clinton sweeps 2016 field; Obama approval improves to 40%, Quinnipiac
Marylanders loyal to health law despite website’s problems, The Washington Post
How likely are Democrats to lose the Senate? Real Clear Politics

Economy
CPI up 0.1% in January as household energy costs rise, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Real average hourly earnings rise 0.1% in January, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Housing starts in January down 2% year over year, HUD
Inequality in big cities exceeds the national average, Brookings
Another take on inequality: affluent elite, squeezed middle, entrenched poor, Brookings
‘War on Poverty’ a failure? The Washington Post
Who’s the richest man in all the world, over all of history? The Washington Post

Health & Society
North Dakota now tops in ‘well-being,’ West Virginia still last, Gallup
In FY2009, states spent 31.6% of Medicaid money on 4.3% of beneficiaries, GAO
Does health insurance improve health? Evidence from Massachusetts, Forbes
Chinese now second most common non-English language in U.S., Census Bureau
Decline in use of coal for winter heating saved lives, NBER

International
Interactive: Remittance flows worldwide in 2012, Pew Research Center
In U.S., polarization turns off voters; in U.K., moderation does, The Monkey Cage
How Africa’s longest-lasting leaders have served their lands, The Economist
Japan’s estimated population, 127.18 million, down 0.2% year over year, Statistics Bureau
Economic and financial issues still biggest problems facing Australians, Roy Morgan

Got new data to share? Send it to us via email facttank@pewresearch.org or Tweet us @FactTank.

 

George Gao  is a former associate digital producer at Pew Research Center.