A quick reference guide to key terms used across our data pages. Bookmark this page for easy access.
- Data Point
- A single unit of information collected from a verified source.
- Benchmark
- A standard reference point used for comparison and evaluation.
- Year-over-Year (YoY)
- A comparison of data between the current period and the same period one year ago.
- Median
- The middle value in a sorted dataset. Less affected by outliers than the average.
- Percentile
- A value below which a given percentage of data falls. The 75th percentile means 75% earn less.
- Cost Index
- A relative measure comparing costs between locations, with a baseline of 100.
- Seasonality
- Regular, predictable patterns in data that repeat at the same time each year.
- Trend Line
- A line on a chart showing the general direction of data over time.
Last updated: April 2026