Equity

Jobs by wage level refers to the distribution of jobs among low-, middle- and high-wage occupations. Low-wage jobs are those that pay below 80% of the regional median wage, high-wage jobs are those that pay above 120% of the regional median wage and middle-wage jobs fall in between.

Housing affordability means how much of a family's income goes to housing, and if they spend more than 30%, they are considered cost-burdened. Households spending more than 50% of their income on housing are considered severely cost-burdened.

Migration refers to the movement of people from one location to another, typically crossing a county or regional boundary. Migration captures both voluntary relocation – for example, moving to another region for a better job, better schools or lower home prices – and involuntary relocation as a result of displacement. By looking at net flows (or net migration), we can better understand from where our region is attracting new residents and where current residents are moving. Importantly, due to data limitations, five-year rolling average data is used throughout for this indicator.

Poverty refers to the percentage of people living in households with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty line. This measure captures the share of the population facing economic hardship due to low income.