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:
The median age is value that divides the population into two equal halves. It is widely used as a summary measure of the population’s age distribution.
For 2023, the estimated median age of the County was 34 years. (The latest estimate for the City of Moses Lake is 33 years.) These estimates are 5-6 years below the medians of the U.S. and Washington. They have also barely budged over the past decade, unlike other jurisdictions.
Share of Population by Age Groups
The second-largest group in Grant County consists of youth (ages 0-17). It most recently claimed nearly 28% of all residents. As the graph makes clear, Grant County’s share is 6 percentage points higher than the same age group in the state. The remaining three groups - young adults (18-34), “prime working age” (35-64) and older adults (65+) show slightly lower shares here than statewide.
Total & Share of Households with Broadband Access
After trailing the national rate for all years shown in the graph, the county’s broadband penetration rate now matches that of the U.S. Most recently, the estimate from the American Community Survey (ACS) put the Grant County rate at 76%. This represents a sharp rise from 2016, when it stood at 59%.
Both the county and the U.S., however, trail the Washington state average, which was estimated at 80% in 2023.
In ECONOMIC VITALITY:
MHI is the best summary measure of where the “middle” lies in a distribution of income. It also holds an advantage over the average, which for income distribution in this country is heavily influenced by very higher values.
The ACS estimate for 2023 shows a dramatic increase over 2022, at about $76,600, or nearly a $13,000 jump. This puts the county’s MHI quite close to that of the U.S., a first. Compared to the Washington median, however, Grant County’s MHI in 2023 still lagged by $19,000.
Number of Food & Beverage Manufacturers & Share of Employment of the Total Labor Force
In 2023, the number of food & beverage manufacturers was 36, the same as in 2022. For both years, the number is the highest on record since 2018. Food processing is disproportionately represented in the labor force in the county. In 2023, 5.5% of the workforce was employed in the 36 plants. This share is nearly 4 times the share throughout the state of Washington.
In ECONOMIC VITALITY CONT.:
Total Small Businesses (Establishments with 0-9 Employees) and as a Share of All Businesses
The number of very small businesses dropped substantially in 2023. Consequently, the share of these businesses among all businesses fell as well from the prior year: from 80% to 70%. For most of the period since 2004, very small businesses have made up the bulk of all firms in the county, with their share hovering in the low 80% range.
In EDUCATION:
Share of Children Ages 3 and 4 Enrolled in Preschool
The recently released American Community Survey estimates that about 44% of the county’s 3- and 4-year-olds were in some type of preschool in 2023. While the share is a decline from 2022, it nonetheless is the second highest rate on record.
In 2005, the ACS estimated that a mere 19% of the county’s very young were enrolled.
Share of the Population Ages 25+ with a High School Diploma, GED or Less
This estimate from the ACS captures those adults whose education stopped with high school diploma (or equivalent). It also captures adults with no high school degree. For 2023, about 47% of all county adults fell into those categories, combined.
This is a higher rate than observed in both the U.S. and Washington. But it represents a decline this educational profile from 55% in 2005.
In HEALTH:
Share of Births with Low Birth Weights (Less than 2,500 Grams or 5 lb 8.2 oz)
Babies born at low birth rates are typically considered a mark of inadequate pre-natal care. That absence could be caused by a variety of factors – underinvested medical staff, low levels of health insurance, language barriers, among others.
For 2022, the most recent year), the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly 8% of all births in the county fell into this category. That’s slightly above the Washington state rate but considerably below the U.S. average (10%). And the county rate has increased (by two percentage points) over the past six years.
In PUBLIC SAFETY:
Total Property Crimes & Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents
In 2023, the rate of these crimes per 1,000 residents was about 25. That is the second-lowest rate on record. Of the nearly 2,600 reported crimes, most involved larceny (simple theft). The rate in Grant County is now below the state rate but likely still higher than the U.S. rate.
list updated 10.16.24
New Intern Features
Drew Dillon
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Major: Economics and Business System Analytics
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Find a good job in a new city
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: The actual work for sure. What I do for The Insitute does not feel like work most of the time. I enjoy solving the puzzles that come with data analysis and there are lots of puzzles to be solved here. I also really enjoy the people I work with. Dr. Cullen and Dr. Jones are amazing, as well as my fellow interns. We make a great team.
Kellan Burns
Hometown: Spokane, Washington
Major: Computer Science
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Start a career as a software developer
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: My favorite thing so far is seeing the real-life meaning of our work. The data we collect often tells a different story from what people expect, and I think it makes people look at the world a bit differently. I've already learned lots here, and I'm excited for this year with Dr. Jones, Dr. Cullen, and the other interns at The Institute.