Income Inequality

The Gini Index measures how evenly income is distributed across households in a community, using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Values range from 0 to 1, with lower scores indicating a more equal distribution of income and higher scores indicating greater inequality. Because income inequality influences economic mobility, health outcomes, and […]

Total Valuation of Residential Building Permits Issued per household

The Total Residential Building Permits Issued measures the number of permits authorized for new housing construction, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey. This indicator serves as an early signal of local housing supply, reflecting how quickly communities are adding new units to meet population growth and demand. Tracking residential permits helps […]

Household Receiving SNAP per capita

Households Receiving SNAP measures the share of households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. SNAP is the nation’s most extensive anti-hunger program, providing monthly benefits that help low-income families afford groceries and stabilize household budgets. This indicator offers insight into economic hardship, food […]