Union Community Indicators Introducing the inaugural report.

Union Community Indicators

Introducing the inaugural report

Goal:

Identify and examine the key human service and social issues affecting Union County


Union, SC

Consensus on the most pressing issues facing Union County began with informal discussions with community leaders.

The discussions yielded the 5 broad areas of emphasis: Education, Economics, Environment & Recreation, Family and Health

Committees were formed around each area, chaired by local leaders and included members from various walks of life

Each committee was given the task of identifying 5 or 6 indicators that give residents a picture of the community’s performance in the 5 selected areas

Each indicator must be:• an accurate measurement of the issue being discussed;• obtained from a reliable source;• scientifically defensible;• understood and accepted by the community;• readily available and easily obtainable; and• unambiguous in interpretation

Each committee developed a comprehensive list of potential statistics to illustrate Union’s successes and challenges

Committees then gathered public input• focus groups• live surveys at the Union Day festival• survey in Union Daily Times• electronic survey

Interpreting the data:Local, state, and national agencies accumulate and report the quantitative data necessary for benchmarking

Rates per population, US Census Bureau estimates were used

Source for each indicator is noted in the text

Reviewing the indicators:

•Designed to compare the community to itself over time, not to evaluate against progress of other communities

•Provide quantitative data from publicly-accessible sources

•Some important dimensions to issues are not included because data is not readily available

•Mere pieces of a much larger picture

1. EXIT EXAM PERFORMANCE

65

70

75

80

85

90

Union 82.8 81.7 81.9

South Carolina 85 86.2 84.9

2004 2005 2006

English/Language Arts Scores

South Carolina Dept. of Education

Mathematics Scores

65

70

75

80

85

90

Union 75.2 71.6 76.3

SouthCarolina

80.1 76.4 80.2

2004 2005 2006

2. DROP OUT RATE 3. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

0

10

20

30

40

1986 24.4 27.5

1990 25.4 30.5

2001 36.6 31.9

UnionSouth

Carolina

Drop Out Rate

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Kids Count Online

Educational Attainment

0

5

10

15

1990 13.6 11.7 11.2

2000 12 11.2 9.8

UnionSouth

CarolinaUnited States

3. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (continued)

These percentages apply to the population in Union County who is 25 years old and over. According to the 2000 US Census, 20,222 individuals made up this group:

Less than 9th grade 13.5%

9th grade – 12th grade, no diploma 19.6%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 36.4%

Some college, no degree 15.1%

Associate degree 5.6%

Bachelor’s degree 6.7%

Graduate or professional degree 3.1%

4. FIRST GRADE READINESS ASSESSMENT

0

10

20

30

40

1980 35.9 36.3

1989 23.7 25.6

2001 4.8 13.6

UnionSouth

Carolina

Measures the percent of children testing not ready for first grade. Thanks to initiatives such as First Steps Union and other early-intervention programs through the schools and library, the number of children assessed as “not ready for first grade” has declined over the past 20 years.

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Kids Count Online

5. TEACHERS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES

0

20

40

60

80

Union 54.5 56.6 58.2 59.9 60.2 60.7

South Carolina 44.1 43.6 44.4 47.2 51.7 51.3

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Following the trends in SC, the percentage of teachers with advanced degrees has risen in Union County.

South Carolina Dept. of Education

Successes in EDUCATION

USC Union

Union County Adult Education

1. PER CAPITA INCOME 2. MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$24,396

$28,285

$34,471

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

2005

Union

South Carolina

United States

SC Employment Security Commission

Per Capita Income Median Household Income

$44,334

$39,454

$32,128

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

$40,000

$45,000

2004

Union

South Carolina

United States

United States Census Bureau

3. UNEMPLOYMENT

9.8

6.2

4.5

0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.09.0

10.0

Aug 06 - July 07

Union

South Carolina

United States

Shows the average percentage of unemployed residents as compared to SC and US averages. Statistics from August 2006 through July 2007 show that Union’s unemployment rate tops both SC and US percents.

SC Employment Security Commission

4. SKILLED / UNSKILLED WORKFORCE

19.6

23.7

33.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

2000

Union

South Carolina

United States

The percent of the population age 25 and older with no high school diploma is an indication of the skill of a community’s workforce. The percentages from 2000 show that 33 percent of Union County residents within this group lack a high school diploma or GED.


5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

66.2%

72.2%

76.7%

60.0%62.0%64.0%66.0%68.0%70.0%72.0%74.0%76.0%78.0%

2000

Homeownership Rates

Union

South Carolina

United States

The following graphs show the percentage of the population that owns the home in which they live and the median value (half of th e prices above and half of the prices below) of those owner-occupied homes. Statistics come from the 2000 Census.


$119,600

$94,900

$61,900

$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

2000

Median home values

Union

South Carolina

United States

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

Successes in ECONOMICS

Dollar General Stores Distribution Center

LSP Automotive Systems LLC

USC Union/Spartanburg Community College Robotics and Technology Center

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

125183

460

140

1000

0

200

400

600

800

1000

2007

Baseball

Basketball

Football

Soccer

Cheerleading

According to the Union County Recreation Department the following graph represents the following graph represents the number of youth who participated in an organized athletics program through the Union County Recreation Department or the Union YMCA during 2007.

1. YOUTH ATHLETICS PARTICIPATION

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

1.54

3.35

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.50

Recycling Centers

Per 10,000 people

Union County

South Carolina

There are 3.35 recycling centers for every 10,000 people in Union County vs. 1.54 recycling centers for every 10,000 people in SC. Statistics are from the SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control and the US Census Bureau.

2. RECYCLING CENTERS

0.075

0.076

0.0740.0750.0750.0750.0750.0750.0760.0760.076

Ground level ozone

Union

South Carolina

3. AIR QUALITY 4. WATER QUALITY

39.6%

36.4%

34.0%

35.0%

36.0%

37.0%

38.0%

39.0%

40.0%

Water Quality

Union

South Carolina

Successes in ENVIRONMENT/RECREATION

Timken Sports Complex

Rose Hill Plantation

Union County Museum

Cross Keys House

Union County Arts Council

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

1990

2000

1990 22.0% 21.0% 18.3%

2000 19.4% 18.8% 16.6%

Union South Carolina United States

Compares the percent of the population under the age of 18 living in poverty. From 1990 to 2000, the percent of youth in poverty has decreased across the board, but Union County still remains behind SC and the US in the percentage of children and youth living in poverty situations.

1. YOUTH IN POVERTY

Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

35.1%33.3%

52.7%54.8%

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%

Union

Teen Pregnancy Rate per 1,000 (ages 10-19)

1994

2002

2003

2004

Between 1994 and 2004, Union County improved its incidence (rate) of pregnancy per 1,000 youth and teens between the ages of 10 and 19 by 33.4 percent.

2. TEEN PREGNANCY

SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 2006

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

Single Parent Families

1990

2000

1990 22.7% 21.8% 20.2%

2000 29.9% 27.1% 23.3%

Union South United States

Measures the percent of children living in single-parent households, comparing 1990 and 2000. For the purposes of these statistics, children are defined as people under the age of 18who are the son or daughter of the householder by birth, marriage (stepchild) or adoption.

3. CHILDREN IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

84.083.084.0

23.820.3

52.9

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

Union South Carolina

Incidence of Domestic Violence

2003

2004

2005

Measures the reported incidences of domestic violence per 10,000 citizens. Union County’s reported incidences are far below the number reported in the state.

4. INCIDENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

SAFE Homes/Rape Crisis Coalition and the SC Attorney General’s Office

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

2099

1330

16121420

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Union

Nights spent in Salvation Army shelter

2004

2005

2006

2007

The Salvation Army is the primary provider of shelter for homeless individuals and families in Union County. The indicator counts the number of nights of shelter provided (i.e. if a family of four was provided shelter for 7 days, that would represent 28 shelter nights provided.)

5. HOMELESSNESS

Union County Salvation Army

Successes in FAMILY

Union County Disabilities and Special Needs Board

Union County Children’s Museum Advisory Committee

5. HOMEOWNERSHIPInformation shows the total number of clients served in one of the Union County Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse’s programs and the number and corresponding percentage of people who were discharged after successful treatment. Clients in most of programs and services were included in these statistics.

1. DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE & TREATMENT

Union County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

486465

448

277 270

220

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2004 2005 2006

# Served

# SuccessfullyTreated

57% 58% 49%

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

60.2%61.0%

68.0%

56.0%

58.0%

60.0%

62.0%

64.0%

66.0%

68.0%

Overweight/ Obesity

Union

South Carolina

United States

Measures the percentage of obese or overweight individuals as defined as people with Body Fat Mass Index (BFMI) equal to 25% or more.

2. OVERWEIGHT / OBESITY

South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

and the National Center for Disease Control

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

0.0

200.0

400.0

600.0

Union 269.8 70.1 52.6 406.5

South Carolina 202.5 57.6 27.8 219.2

Cancer Stroke DiabetesHeart

Disease

Includes Union County and South Carolina comparisons of the rate of death from specific chronic diseases per 100,000 residents. Statistics from 2005 indicate that Union County has a higher rate of death in all areas – cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease – than the state as a whole. Heart disease is the number one killer, followed by cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

3. INCIDENCE OF DEATH FROM CHRONIC DISEASES

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Successes in HEALTH

Wallace Thomson Hospital Obstetrics Nursery reopening

WTH Outpatient Education – Diabetes Self-Management and Education

Union County YMCA

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?Union Indicators provides information about the status of the community

and points to a range of strategic issues that, if addressed, could greatly improve the quality of life in the county.

By sharing this information, the Union Community Indicators committee hopes to provide common ground to engage the public in ways to work together to address these and other related issues.

The first step is to share this information and ask hard questions about what causes conditions in our county to get better or worse. This publication should inspire the further research and dialogue necessary for the community to come together as advocates for positive change.


The inaugural Union Community Indicators report was made possible through the financial support of:

Milliken Foundation

Timken

The City of Union

The County of Union

United Way of the Piedmont

Upstate Workforce Investment Board


Union Community Indicators Introducing the inaugural report.

Documents

Transcript of Union Community Indicators Introducing the inaugural report.