Data Underload  / 

Occupation Growth and Decline

By Nathan Yau

We looked at shifts in job distribution over the past several decades, but it was difficult to see by how much each occupation group changed individually. The chart below makes the changes more obvious. For example, computer and math jobs went from relative nothing to a +544% explosion since 1970.

Changes Since 1970

As you might expect, jobs in computers and math grew a lot over the past several decades, which changed everything.

Notes

The data comes from a combination of the American Community Survey and the Decennial Census. I downloaded the data via IPUMS. They provide unified occupation classifications, which allows for comparison of jobs over time.

I analyzed and prepared the data in R. I made the chart with D3.js.


Chart Type Used

Baseline Chart

Become a member. Support an independent site. Make great charts.

See What You Get

Favorites

Redefining Old Age

What is old? When it comes to subjects like health care and retirement, we often think of old in fixed terms. But as people live longer, it’s worth changing the definition.

Finding the New Age, for Your Age

You’ve probably heard the lines about how “40 is the new 30” or “30 is the new 20.” What is this based on? I tried to solve the problem using life expectancy data. Your age is the new age.

Famous Movie Quotes as Charts →

In celebration of their 100-year anniversary, the American Film Institute …

The Most Gender-Switched Names in US History

We use some names mostly for boys and some mostly for girls, but then there is a small percentage that, over time, switched from one gender to another. Which names made the biggest switch?