us census bureau data - university of vermont€¦ · us census bureau data what we can learn about...

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US Census Bureau DataWhat we can learn about ourselves

Michael Moser

Vermont State Data Center

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• Data collection began in 1790

• Includes data on:

– Population Demographics

– Economic Conditions

– Agriculture

• Today there are over 200 data collection programs!

US Census Bureau Data

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• Longitudinal- We can rely on census data sets to track changes over time and even forecast future conditions.

• Comparable- We can use these data to compare conditions across geographies.

• Targeted- Programs are designed to provide reliable data on multitudes of conceivable subject matter.

Key Characteristics

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• Educational Attainment- VT ranked 8th in the Nation for percent of population with a bachelor’s degree or more in 2008 (32.1%).

• Poverty- VT ranked 37th for percent of persons below the poverty level in 2008 (10.6%).

The State of VT: Comparability

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• Violent Crime- VT ranked 49th in the nation in 2007

• Homeownership- VT ranked 16th in the nation in 2008 (72.8%).

• Median Household Income- VT ranked 20th in the nation in 2008 (~$52k).

The State of VT: Comparability

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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Nation

Orleans

Essex

Caledonia

Vermont

Chittenden

Trending: Unemployment

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2002-2011 Compound Annual Growth Rate of Avg. Monthly Earnings.

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

2002-2011 CAGR

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0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

VT

US

Trending: % Population Change

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• VT shows very well in many key indicators. BUT,

• We must seek to achieve a balance in our analyses by taking an holistic approach. BECAUSE,

• No single ranking or trend line can tell us the entire story.

Conclusions

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…resources and expertise to supportrural people and communities

Michael MoserVermont State Data Center

at the UVM Center for Rural Studiescrs.uvm.edu/census

802-656-0864mmoser@uvm.edu

This presentation contains materials based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Award No. 2010-34269-20972. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this

publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Thank you!