All posts tagged: average

US Property Taxes Rose 3 Percent On Average In 2025, Outpacing Inflation

US Property Taxes Rose 3 Percent On Average In 2025, Outpacing Inflation

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Rob Sabo via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Property taxes are rising across the United States and, on average, have outpaced inflation. Homeowners in 2025 paid a total of $396.8 billion in property taxes on more than 89.6 million single-family homes, a 3.7 percent increase from 2024, an April 9 report by real estate property data provider ATTOM states. The average single-family home paid $4,427 in taxes, up by 3 percent from 2024, driven by a higher effective tax rate, according to the report. The ATTOM report analyzed tax data collected from assessment offices, combined with estimated market values of single-family homes. The estimated home value of $494,231 for 2025 was down by 1.7 percent year-over-year, ATTOM noted, following a significant spike in 2024. Nationally, the effective tax rate on single-family residences in 2025 was 0.9 percent, up slightly from the prior year and the highest since 2020, when it stood at 1.1 percent, ATTOM’s researchers wrote. The tax growth rate is higher than the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) inflation rate, which …

People With High Intelligence Have The Antisocial Habit That Sets Them Apart From The Average Person

People With High Intelligence Have The Antisocial Habit That Sets Them Apart From The Average Person

Published by Jenni Sidey

We live in a world where fitting in is often prioritized over standing out. Despite the American societal ideals of individuality, going against the grain isn’t always easy, especially when you’re highly intelligent. Having the courage of one’s convictions takes mental and emotional strength that not everyone has. What might appear to the rest of society as antisocial behavior might actually be where you thrive, but adhering to it requires a commitment to being yourself, regardless of what other people say. Highly intelligent people often have the antisocial habit of keeping to themselves. Julian de Medeiros, who has a TikTok presence based on explaining complex philosophical concepts in an accessible way, referenced an idea that he credited to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. He claimed that “Antisocial behavior is a key characteristic of intelligence in the conformist world.” According to de Medeiros’ interpretation, “A lot of people who are highly intelligent also tend to keep to themselves.” He noted that “they might even struggle to relate to other people. They tend to be loners; they need time …

Do You Cry More or Less Than the Average Person?

Do You Cry More or Less Than the Average Person?

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech In common parlance, allowing yourself to have a “good cry” about something is usually associated with feelings of being freed or released from burden or stress. Yet there’s surprisingly little scientific research on the matter, leaving the question of whether there are actually emotional benefits to a nice sob session. Now, in a study published in the journal Collabra: Psychology, Karl Landsteiner University psychology professor Stefan Sieger and his colleagues tried to establish a more scientifically rigorous assessment of the effects of “emotional crying.” In an experiment, they invited 106 adult participants from Austria and Germany to track and self-report their emotional states 15, 30, and 60 minutes after a “crying episode was reported,” as well as their end-of-day emotional state, over a four-week period. (Just over 70 percent of participants were women, while 25 percent self-reported were men and around four percent reported as neither.) “Crying is a basic human behavior,” Stieger told PsyPost. “I was astonished …

For Altadena families trying to rebuild, 5 months is average time to get permits

For Altadena families trying to rebuild, 5 months is average time to get permits

Published by Sam Flores

Among the many things Beatriz Coca did not know about building a house — and only learned as workers were laying rebar in her future basement — is that she would need a temporary power pole installed before the next phase of construction could begin. Coca was one of the dozens of applicants who drop in daily to Los Angeles County’s One-Stop Permit Center for Eaton fire rebuilding. Her mission on a recent day was to pay Southern California Edison the $425 power pole fee. Mixing with the contractors, architects and expediters who normally frequent building offices, novices like Coca, a retired psychologist, are showing up at the center to run errands for their builders, pursue their own applications or just try to understand the many roadblocks in their path to recovery. The first thing they are likely to learn is that nothing moves at a speedy pace. A Times analysis of Los Angeles County building permit records shows two distinct realities: Interest in rebuilding is high and progress is slow. At the end of …

11 Habits That Reveal Someone Thinks At A Much Higher Level Than Average

11 Habits That Reveal Someone Thinks At A Much Higher Level Than Average

Published by Jenni Sidey

Some people approach ideas and problems in ways that feel noticeably different from the norm. Their thinking often goes deeper, moving beyond quick conclusions to explore patterns, motivations, and long-term implications. While intelligence can take many forms, people who think at a higher level than an average person often display certain habits that shape how they process information and make decisions. Deeper thinkers tend to slow down their thinking rather than rushing through it. They question assumptions, consider multiple possibilities, and remain open to new information even when it challenges their existing beliefs. Over time, these habits influence how they learn, communicate, and interpret the world around them. When you notice these patterns in someone’s behavior, it often signals a mind that operates with unusual depth. These are 11 habits that reveal someone thinks at a much higher level than average 1. They pause before reacting Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock One of the clearest signs of high-level thinking is the ability to slow down before responding. Instead of reacting immediately to information, these people take a …

Arne Slot bereft of ideas as Liverpool fail at even being average

Arne Slot bereft of ideas as Liverpool fail at even being average

Published by Sam Flores

At least there was a concession from Slot that however many excuses he makes, losing 10 League games in a season will never be good enough for Liverpool. He added: “At our club we’re also looking at the situation and the challenge we had during this season, and then we might be a bit more realistic, why the season has gone how it has gone. But still it’s not good enough no matter how many excuses I can come up with, it’s still not good enough for the position we’re in right now. “It [losing 10 games] says a few things. First of all, it says how and what great teams Liverpool has had in the last 10 years and a great manager. Then I could come up and tell you all the reasons why we have lost this season. You just heard about late goals and I think today sums it all up in terms of injury problems in this season. To go without three great goalscorers never helped any team and against the …

11 Things Deep Thinkers Do That Leave Average Minds Slightly Perplexed

11 Things Deep Thinkers Do That Leave Average Minds Slightly Perplexed

Published by Jenni Sidey

Deep thinkers often process the world in ways that don’t always make immediate sense to others. While many people move quickly from one task or idea to the next, individuals who think deeply tend to slow down, analyze patterns, and explore questions that others might overlook. Their minds naturally wander into layers of meaning, possibilities, and connections that aren’t always visible on the surface. Because deep thinkers spend more time examining situations and questioning assumptions, their behavior can sometimes seem unusual to people who prefer quicker, more straightforward conclusions. Yet many of these habits play an important role in creativity, problem-solving, and insight. Over time, these patterns of thinking become part of how they approach everyday life. Here are 11 things deep thinkers do that leave average minds slightly perplexed 1. They pause before answering even simple questions Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock Deep thinkers rarely rush to respond immediately, even when the question seems straightforward. Instead of delivering the first thought that comes to mind, they often take a moment to consider the implications behind …

Average US Long-Term Mortgage Rate Rises to 6.22%, Highest Level in More Than 3 Months

Average US Long-Term Mortgage Rate Rises to 6.22%, Highest Level in More Than 3 Months

Published by Sam Flores

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in more than three months, a setback for prospective home shoppers this spring homebuying season. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.22% from 6.11% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.67%. When mortgage rates rise, they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for home shoppers, limiting what they can afford to buy. Only three weeks ago, the average rate had dropped to just under 6% for the first time since late 2022, but it has risen every week since the war with Iran started, rattling financial markets and stoking worries about higher inflation due to a spike in energy prices. Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.54% from 5.5% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.83%, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the …

Affordability? These EV lease deals are HALF the average payment

Affordability? These EV lease deals are HALF the average payment

Published by skeptic

Edmunds data shows US average monthly car payments crept over $770 in the closing months of 2025. With rising fuel costs and a shaky job market adding to the chaos, getting around feels more expensive than ever — but fear not! These EV lease deals clock in at under half that price, and can help slash your fuel costs, too! More than 20% of America’s new car buyers are paying more than $1,000 per month for the privilege of buying new, which is driving near record levels of adoption for leases that can help to reduce payments and provide a buffer against rapid swings in the used car market by providing a set residual price — a rare consumer win that we’ve outlined before. With war in Iran ratcheting up oil prices at the same time, getting around is becoming a substantial fiscal challenge for many Americans, and why these awesome, low-cost lease deals (presented in alphabetical order) couldn’t have come at a better time! Chevy Equinox EV LT1 2026 Chevy Equinox EV LT 1 …