INDICATOR NEWS
THE URBAN INSTITUTE - INTERACTIVE MAPS
Web chatter around data is implying we are now experiencing a revolution - a data revolution. While not completely new, data visualization advances could be occurring as a part of the revolution because of their ability to explain real-world problems.
We at the EWU's Community Indicators offices love data visualization and enjoy sharing what we find interesting. This is partly because we know good data visualization can do an excellent job of explaining complexity, as well as making the data a little more fun, too.
The Urban Institute's Interactive Map website is a great compilation of interactive data visualizations that takes the…
THE OPPORTUNITY ATLAS - THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU MAPS THE ROOTS OF SOCIAL MOBILITY
In recent times, we hear a lot about how much America is changing - how different we are becoming. Regardless of topic, "the where", "the what", and "the who" are the questions that every community indicator must answer. But is that just hyperbole or can differences be quantified? Let's see what the Opportunity Atlas - Roots of Social Mobility data visualization tells us.
When Wenatchee is chosen for the Location, the Outcome section populates showing that approximately 72% of people who grew up in Wenatchee stay in Wenatchee as adults. The Neighborhood Characteristics section populates showing us the poverty rate (2006-2010) was…
CHELAN-DOUGLAS TRENDS WEBSITE NEW LOOK
The Chelan-Douglas Trends website has been completely redesigned into a new, even more user friendly format.
While the web design is new, many of the functions you have become familiar with have not changed. For example, the ability to switch views from the combined counties, to Chelan or Douglas County individually, or to either Wenatchee or East Wenatchee will work as they did before. Also, the More Information and Download Data sections work exactly as the previous version.
Search is one of the newest functions available on the Chelan-Douglas Trends website. Sitting directly above the…
INDICATORS IN ACTION
MEDIAN HOME RESALE VALUE INCREASING STEADILY -
The boom in the housing market over the past few years has received a lot of attention. Increasing population in Washington State, fewer available lots suitable for building new homes, and a low number of homes available for sale have added to the increasing resale value of homes, not just locally, but across the state and U.S. too.
With the area receiving national accolades, such as making the Forbes list of Best Places To Retire in 2018, Chelan and Douglas Counties can no longer hide as one of Washington State's best places to live, work, and play. Additionally, the growth of the economy on the West side of the…
GROWTH IN JOBS PAYING 25% MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE -
Statistics on new hires and job creation can offer insight into the health of any local or regional economy. Job creation is a major goal of economic policy at any level of government and obviously not all jobs are of the same quality. So while it is important to know the number of net jobs created, it is perhaps more important to know the quality of jobs being created based on the income they provide.
Information on new hires is used by both public and private sectors to negotiate labor contracts, forecast tax revenue, evaluate a region's economic health, and can even guide decisions on sales and inventories. But data on new hires…
RENT CONSUMES A LARGE PORTION OF AN ENTRY LEVEL WAGE EARNERS' BUDGET -
We've all heard the story over the last couple years: rents are increasing and wages aren't keeping pace. Those reports are often national or have a statewide focus. What is the story locally? And equally important, how is that balance of costs and income impacting newly educated individuals, fresh out of trade schools and universities? For those about to break into a healthy job market, are they facing tougher economic conditions while rent is consuming a larger portion of their household budget than for those who graduated ten years ago? Examining wages of entry-level jobs in relation to the median rent gives us insight to these…
5-QUESTIONS WITH:
HEIDI MYERS - VP OF CORPORATE BANKING, WASHINGTON TRUST BANK
Q: As much as any business, banks depend on data. Can you highlight for the readers any particular measures that define your sense of success at Washington Trust Bank in the greater Wenatchee area?
A: Success as a commercial banker means taking excellent care of the financial needs of our customers. This includes obtaining a thorough understanding of how their business operates, offering efficient responses to banking needs, and partnering for success in a competitive environment. Some measures that reflect success are total dollars loaned, timely collection…
