Find relevant community data points that visualize U.S. Census Bureau data pertaining to housing, local economics, transportation, technology use, and population data. Note: Several of the below graphs reference Census Tracts. Check out this map for a breakdown of the city, by tract.
Research
Data Dashboard
Digital Divide
In the digital age, having access to a computer and Internet connection is necessary to stay connected with your community and to know what kind of assistance is available to you. In York City, there are 2,559 households that do not have any type of computer and 4,693 households that have no Internet subscription. When a household cannot afford this technology, they are likely unable to participate in education, employment, and government functions required to access opportunities and available services.
Housing
Vacancy and ownership status of housing impacts neighborhood housing quality. The older a housing unit is, the more likely it is to be dilapidated and provide poor quality housing conditions for its residents unless the household or landlord can afford to invest in renovations. This reality can lead to the deterioration of basic structural amenities such as plumbing, kitchen facilities, and interior and exterior disrepair. These low quality conditions are disproportionately felt by renters who more likely than not are paying more in monthly costs and have little authority over their properties.
The personal characteristics (race, gender, age, nationality, etc.) of a household also influence the access people have to wealth-type resources and quality, affordable housing. Because of historically discriminatory government and banking practices, people of color, immigrants, and women experience barriers to housing that prevents them from owning their home and building generational wealth. For this reason, female-headed households (especially women of color female-headed households) have the highest rate of rentership, eviction, and poverty.
Local Economy
Employment: The labor force participation rate measures the amount of people who are currently in the workforce compared to the civilian noninstitutionalized population, or residents who are aged 16 years and older. This measure differs from the unemployment rate which only measures the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work compared to the entire civilian labor force. The City of York has a labor force participation rate of 48 percent, which is 13.4 percent lower than the national rate of 61.4 percent. There are 22,967 York City residents who are currently not in the civilian labor force, meaning they are neither employed nor unemployed.
Income: A household’s income level determines nearly everything about the conditions of their life, including geographic location, housing conditions, and educational opportunities. As shown by the charts, low income households are more likely to rent their home whereas households with more than $50,000 in income are more likely to own their home. Renters often cannot afford homeownership, if desired, because they are often cost-burdened with having to pay 35 percent or more of their income in monthly housing costs, making it difficult for renters to afford a down payment and closing costs for a home. In 2019, 4,501 renters (47%) were paying more than 35 percent or more of their income in gross rent.
For families and individuals with an insufficient income to meet their basic needs, public assistance income is an invaluable service to ensure residents can afford the rising cost of living. According to the Social Security Agency, the purpose of public assistance is “to provide at least a minimum degree of economic security to persons in need.” Providing residents with this assistance is net beneficial to our society, as it allows people (who otherwise may not be able to) to pay their bills and participate in the local economy. Single, female-headed households are more likely to experience poverty and require public assistance.
Health Insurance Coverage: Most people receive health insurance coverage through their employer or through government healthcare options like Medicaid or under the Affordable Care Act. For those who are not employed, ineligible for government healthcare options, or cannot afford health care for some other reason, they must go without necessary medical interventions or go thousands of dollars into medical debt for treatment. In York City, there are 4,639 people who do not have any health insurance coverage..
Educational Attainment: Many factors contribute to disparities in educational attainment, such as cost of tuition, family dynamics, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Beyond those barriers, simply not everyone is interested in attaining a high school diploma or college degree. The level of education one attains impacts their income level, housing, and access to necessities, such as computers and internet. Further, it is apparent that the wage gap between men and women who have the same education level exists in York city, with the average gap between all levels being $7,784.40..
Population
As of 2020, there are currently 44,800 residents living in the City of York. We are a majority-minority city, with Black and Latinx residents making up 44 percent of the population, 27 percent some other race, and white residents making up 28 percent. This makeup can be explained as a result of historically discriminatory government and banking practices that centralize minority populations into inner-cities where there are higher rates of poverty, housing disrepair, and rentership. Another contributing factor to the shrinking population of white residents is white flight, where white residents of a neighborhood move to the suburbs or a prominent white neighborhood following an influx of residents of color.
Transportation
Owning and maintaining your own form of transportation can be a challenge for many people, especially for those with insufficient incomes. Without a robust public transit system, not having a personal car often means residents’ options for travel are extremely limited, potentially keeping them from grocery stores, health institutions, work or recreational activities and community events. Being able to effectively navigate the city, whether that be through public or private transit, is crucial in order for our community members and their families to meet their basic needs.