Sometimes things get into my head and won’t leave until I put them out in the world.

To wit:

Unfortunately, putting this out in the world had not stopped it from playing on a loop in my brain.

Ranked: The Top 10 U.S. States by Auto Manufacturing Jobs

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Automobile manufacturing continues to be a major source of employment across America, employing over a million people in 2025.

From Detroit’s “Motor City” heritage in Michigan to emerging plants in Southern states like Kentucky and Alabama, the U.S. has several vehicle manufacturing hubs.

This infographic ranks the top 10 U.S. states by total auto manufacturing jobs as of February 2025, using preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which only provides data for the top 10 states. It breaks down employment by vehicle manufacturing and assembly, body/trailer manufacturing, and vehicle parts manufacturing.

America’s Auto Manufacturing Hubs by Employees

Together, the top 10 states employ over 520,000 workers in auto manufacturing—making up more than half of the industry’s nationwide employment.

Here’s how the top 10 states stack up by auto manufacturing employment, as of February 2025:

States in the Midwest remain the centers of auto manufacturing in America.

Michigan leads the pack with 164,000 auto manufacturing jobs, accounting for over 15% of all such jobs in the country. Its dominance is driven by legacy automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (previously Chrysler), who have significant manufacturing footprints in Detroit.

States like Indiana and Ohio are also heavily invested in parts production, with Indiana also leading in bodies and trailers manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Southern states are becoming increasingly important for vehicle manufacturing, with Kentucky and Alabama attracting investments from foreign automakers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz.

Overall, employment in U.S. auto manufacturing is down 12.7% from a year ago, with the parts manufacturing segment taking the biggest hit at -17.8%. California has seen the biggest decline in jobs in this segment, dropping 6.5% from February 2024 levels.

The State of the U.S. Auto Industry

The U.S. auto industry is facing speed bumps from the latest round of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which include a 25% levy on imported auto parts and completely built up vehicles.

S&P Global forecasts that U.S. light vehicle sales will fall by 700,000 units in 2025, and North American production will decline by nearly 1.3 million units as a result of the new tariffs. Increased manufacturing costs from tariffs on auto parts are also likely to result in higher vehicle prices.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this infographic, check out this graphic on the Favorite Car Brands of America’s Ultra-Wealthy, on the Voronoi app.

Earlier this year, I sat down in front of my brand-new day planner, excited to fill its crisp pages with my daily to-dos, upcoming appointments, and vacation plans. But when it came time to put pen to paper, I couldn’t bring myself to write. My Laurel Denise Mini Horizontal Weekly Planner, a top pick in Wirecutter’s planner guide, was just too pretty, and I didn’t want to ruin it with scratch-outs, misspelled words, and smudged ink.

Instead of rummaging through my junk drawer to find a stubby pencil to use, I turned to Wirecutter’s guide to the best pens to see what our experts had to say about erasable ink. Although the Pilot FriXion Clicker Erasable Retractable Gel Pen is not an official pick, it’s listed as the best option for anyone who’s too nervous to commit to writing in pen. I bought a pack almost immediately.

After years of using the Uni-ball Jetstream RT, Wirecutter’s top-pick pen, I’ve become a bit of a pen snob, so I didn’t expect to like using the FriXion pen. But desperate times called for desperate measures. If writing with an inferior pen meant that I could use my planner without getting a mini anxiety attack every time my plans changed, it would have to do.

But surprisingly, I’ve fallen head over heels in love with the FriXion erasable pen. Not only does it write beautifully, but it has also given me a type of freedom I’ve never known from a pen. It has helped me find more joy in writing, planning, and even making mistakes.

“In the wake of votes by a handful of key Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to pass a GOP-led continuing resolution funding federal operations through the end of September, fissures have expanded within the Democratic Party on how best to counter Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s ongoing assault on government agencies.” — Mother Jones

SCHUMER: My fellow Trojans, we are gathered to discuss what to do with the big wooden horse statue that the Greeks left behind.

TOWNSMAN: It’s a ruse to kill us all! I say we burn it, then uncork some wine—and enjoy centuries of peace and prosperity.

SCHUMER: Yes, there’s danger in opening our gates to this statue. But there’s also danger in keeping it out… the danger of eroding the sanctity of the gift-giving process. Now, what do we know about this thing?

GUARD 1: We found it two days ago, along with a note that reads: “Please take this statue as a gift. It would look especially good in an unguarded plaza with easy access to your main thoroughfares. P.S. Try not to block the air holes—for artistic reasons.”

SCHUMER: Was there anything on the back?

GUARD 1: A blueprint for a gigantic horse that can fit thirty men inside.

SCHUMER: Well, I—for one—am touched by this act of generosity. Perhaps one day, all of humanity will know the saying “Be welcoming of Greeks bearing gifts.”

GUARD 2: Senator, there’s more… as we approached the horse, we heard what sounded like dozens of soldiers sharpening daggers inside. At one point, baklava fell out—and one of the soldiers said, “Great. That was the last of the baklava. Now we have to kill a thousand Trojans on an empty stomach.”

SCHUMER: Has anyone actually seen these supposed soldiers?

GUARD 1: No, but we hear them plenty. They whistle every time a maiden walks by. And this morning, we heard a voice say, “Dammit, I spilled the pee bucket,” then the horse almost tipped over as they all scattered to get away.

GUARD 2: The statue also has a secret hatch—one of them opened it to let out all the hookah smoke. Senator, let’s just destroy it.

SCHUMER: But what of decorum?

GUARD 2: Is he one of the Greeks hiding in the horse?

TOWNSMAN: I have an idea—let’s weigh the pros and cons of letting in the horse. I’ll start. Pros: none.

SCHUMER: My brethren, soldiers may leap out of that statue tonight and kill me, but what’s leaping out at me right now is our total disregard for norms. What you see as an enemy threat, I see as a one-of-a-kind statue of a mare.

GUARD 1: Oh, it’s not a mare—that horse is packing. We think that’s where they’re storing the shields.

GUARD 2: And I have to push back on “one of a kind.” This is the third one they’ve built—their soldiers fell through the bottom of the first two.

SCHUMER: Look… I know everyone’s worried about this statue facing our gates. But I see this as a chess match between us and the Greeks—and I know chess. Our best play is to move the horse straight forward.

TOWNSMAN: Are you sure you know chess?

GUARD 1: Maybe we can compromise. What if we let in the horse—but surround it with men ready to stab anyone who jumps out?

SCHUMER: No dice. We’ll need everyone capable of wielding a blade to get to work on the thank-you sculpture we send back to Greece.

TOWNSMAN: Senator, this is a real quagmire—perhaps we should sleep on it?

SCHUMER: Fine. But we’ll sleep on it with the horse inside the gate, so no one can steal it.

TOWNSMAN: (indecipherable muttering in Trojan)

SCHUMER: People of Troy, long ago, you vested me with the power to make big decisions. Do you remember why?

GUARD 1: Because we trusted your judgment.

SCHUMER: Exactly—And after all these years, I still have that same tactical savvy. Now let’s wheel this mysterious hollow horse to our city center, then go get some shut-eye.