Grant County Trends Blog-October 2023

Did you know there are over 150 different community indicators on Grant County Trends - each updated throughout the year? But which ones, and when?

This issue of the Grant County Trends blog lists the most recently updated indicators on the Grant County Trends website.  

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Recent Updates

In PEOPLE:

0.1.6 Total and Share of Households with Internet Connection 
2022 estimates from Census reported about 32,000 households in the County with an internet connection, down from the 2021 estimate. Statistically however, this meant no change. The share of all households with some form of connectivity was 88%

0.2.2 Total Foreign-Born Population and Foreign-Born as a Share of Total Population 
The estimated number of Grant County residents in 2022 reporting to have been born abroad was about 15,500. This was slightly over 15% of the population, about equal to the share of the foreign-born in Washington state but slightly higher than the share in the U.S. Unlike these benchmarks, most are not naturalized.

In ECONOMIC VITALITY:

2.1.5 Share of Total Overall Income Earned by Household Income Level:  Income Distribution 
This indicator tracks the distribution of income by quintiles. A common summary of the data is to examine a ratio of total income held by the top 20% to total income held by the bottom 20%. For 2022, the ratio in Grant County was 15.7 times, lower than the Washington average (16.5 times) and the U.S. (17.3 times). Income here is relatively more equally distributed.
 
2.5.2 Total and Share of Youth Population Ages 0-17 Living in Poverty - 1 year updated for 2022
This measure tracks children living in households with money income at or below the 100% Federal Poverty Level. Typically, the rate of children in poverty is higher than the rate for adults. For 2022 Census estimates put the number in Grant County at nearly 4,900, or 17% of all children. This represents a sizeable jump over 2021 and is much higher than the Washington average share.

 

In HEALTH:

5.1.5 Share of Avoidable Hospital Admissions 
These admissions are deemed preventable because competent primary care should take manage the condition. In recently released data for 2021, Grant County’s share of all hospital admissions in this category declined (slightly) further, to 4%. The county’s share has been below the Washington average since 2005.

In HOUSING:

6.1.6 Overall Rental Vacancy Rate
The average annual apartment vacancy rate in Grant County in 2022 was estimated at 5.6%. This is about equal to the U.S. average but higher than the Washington state average. The value is the lowest since 2016. Typically, the apartment market is “in balance” with a vacancy rate of about 5%.

In PUBLIC SAFETY:

7.2.2 Weapon Incidents in School by Weapon
The number of weapons incidents in Grant County public schools in the most recent school year were, unfortunately, the highest since school year 2009-2010. While knives/daggers were the most common weapon seized, there were nine instances of firearms in schools. The rate in school year 2022-2023 was about equal to the Washington average.

In TRANSPORTATION:

9.1.1 Share of Commuters Using Alternate Modes of Transportation 
The estimated share in Grant County in 2022 not using privately-owned vehicles to go to work was the highest since 2016. As in prior years, the most common alternative method was carpooling (13.9%). The share of “commuters” working from home (WFH) in 2022, at 6.6%, was slightly lower than in pre-pandemic 2019.  The County’s current share of WFH was much less than its counterparts in the U.S. (15%) and Washington (21%).

 

 

list updated 10.25.23

The full list of indicators on Grant County Trends can be found here.