• 17 percent
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 26, 2013
• The drop in the value of one ounce of gold in the last six months. Coupled with a weakened dollar, Arizona is poised to follow Utah in becoming the second state to add gold and silver to its legal currency.

• 16
• Source: Bloomberg News   |   Nation   |   April 25, 2013
• The number of states with renewable portfolio standards that are considering legislation to reduce requirements for wind and solar power since the price of natural gas has dropped sharply.

• 21 years old
• Source: New York Times   |   New York City   |   April 24, 2013
• The age that people would have to be to buy cigarettes in New York City if a proposal to raise it from 18 years old passes.

• 28 percent
• Source: Governing   |   April 23, 2013
• The public's approval rating for the federal government -- the lowest ever recorded by the Pew Research Center. State governments, however, are enjoying their highest rating since 2008.

• 20,400
• Source: Governing   |   Ohio   |   April 22, 2013
• The number of jobs the state of Ohio lost in March, which was the highest in the nation. Midwestern states were especially hard-hit as the economic recovery stalled.

• $2,277
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 19, 2013
• The average cost of a vaginal birth at a birthing center, compared to $10,166 for hospital deliveries. Home births -- partially due to their lower cost -- are on the rise, and so are bills to ease the restrictions on midwives.

• 6.8 percent
• Source: Governing   |   April 18, 2013
• The decline in chronic homeless in the United States between 2011 and 2012.

• 2 percent
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 17, 2013
• The portion of law firms located in rural America, which is home to 25 percent of the U.S. population.

• 25 percent
• Source: Huffington Post   |   Nation   |   April 16, 2013
• The United States' share of the worldwide prison population, though its home to less than 5 percent of the global population.
• 2 Comments

• $23.7 billion
• Source: New Orleans Times Picayune   |   Louisiana   |   April 15, 2013
• The loss in revenue that Louisiana would experience over the next decade if it gradually phases out its income tax, according to a legislative report. Gov. Bobby Jindal has called on lawmakers to eliminate the state's income tax.

• $58 billion
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 12, 2013
• The amount of money the insurance industry lost in 2012 due to extreme weather -- much of it a result of damage from Hurricane Sandy.

• $1.95
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 11, 2013
• The new tax rate -- from $1.01 -- President Barack Obama is proposing for cigarettes. The increase would help fund his $75 billion initiative to expand preschool to every American child.

• 7%
• Source: Stateline/Governing   |   Nevada   |   April 10, 2013
• The amount Nevada's water supply is shrinking by each year, according to studies. The state was set to enter into a pact with Utah to share more than 43 billion gallons of water, but Utah's governor refused to sign it.

• 45.2%
• Source: Governing   |   Indiana   |   April 9, 2013
• The share of the workforce in the Elkhart-Goshen, Ind., metro area made up of manufacturing jobs, which is the largest of any region in the country.

• 88,000
• Source: Governing   |   Nation   |   April 8, 2013
• The number of jobs the U.S. economy added in March, down from 268,000 in February.