Page 8 - 2024 Annual Report

T H E Y E A R IN R E VIE W

IN S IG H T S IN S IDE R – W OR C E S T E R C O UN T Y IN S IG H T S

Worcester County Insights is a collaborative effort led by Greater burden in the 12 communities that make up southwestern Worcester
Worcester Community Foundation and Worcester Regional Research County. Released in September 2024, the Insider covers three five-
Bureau to provide essential data through a county-wide community year periods between 2008 and 2022 and finds that, when compared
indicators platform. The resource was launched on April 30th at to their neighbors, Southbridge and Webster had consistently low
Mechanics Hall with a stakeholder tutorial and a reception celebrating household incomes and high housing cost burdens, while Charlton
its launch. This resource offers local information across 60 indicators fared the opposite. The interaction between these variables is important
covering community life, demographics and diversity, economic to understand, as while the threshold for housing cost burden—30% of
mobility, employment and workforce, health and wellbeing, youth income spent on housing costs—is the same no matter one’s household
and education, and racial equity. As part of the endeavor, Worcester income, the amount of money spent on housing costs and left for other
Regional Research Bureau is producing the series Insights Insider using household necessities can differ drastically depending on one’s base
data directly from Worcester County Insights. Introducing Worcester income level.
County Insights is the first edition of the series, providing an overview On September 13, 2024, the Bureau participated in an event with the
and insights into the platform. As the Insider explores, all types of Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester focused on best practices for
organizations can find value in the data from addressing areas of need health equity and the Community Health Improvement Plan. Specifically,
to strategic planning, grant applications to targeted interventions. The along with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the Bureau
platform also offers practical features for users including customized presented on the Worcester County Insights Dashboard. This
visualizations, mapping, downloadable tables and charts, and more. presentation included information on how to use it, why disaggregated
Following this initial introductory edition, Cost Burdens in South data is critical for advancing public health, and provided examples on
County, the second entry in the Insights Insider series, covers the how the data can be further refined for use by interested groups and
interaction between median household income and housing cost individuals in the community.

MAP 1: INTERACTION BETWEEN MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND AND HOUSING
COST BURDEN, SOUTHWESTERN WORCESTER COUNTY, 2008-2022

SCAN FOR MORE:

Introducing
Worcester
County
Insights

Cost Burdens
in South
County

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