Union Community Indicators Introducing the inaugural report

Goal: Identify and examine the key human service and social issues affecting Union County Union Community Indicators Union, SC

Consensus on the most pressing issues facing Union County began with informal discussions with community leaders. The discussions yielded the 5 broad areas of emphasis: Education, Economics, Environment & Recreation, Family and Health Committees were formed around each area, chaired by local leaders and included members from various walks of life Each committee was given the task of identifying 5 or 6 indicators that give residents a picture of the community’s performance in the 5 selected areas

Each indicator must be: an accurate measurement of the issue being discussed; obtained from a reliable source; scientifically defensible; understood and accepted by the community; readily available and easily obtainable; and unambiguous in interpretation

Each committee developed a comprehensive list of potential statistics to illustrate Union’s successes and challenges Committees then gathered public input focus groups live surveys at the Union Day festival survey in Union Daily Times electronic survey

Interpreting the data: Local, state, and national agencies accumulate and report the quantitative data necessary for benchmarking Rates per population, US Census Bureau estimates were used Source for each indicator is noted in the text

Reviewing the indicators: Designed to compare the community to itself over time, not to evaluate against progress of other communities Provide quantitative data from publicly- accessible sources Some important dimensions to issues are not included because data is not readily available Mere pieces of a much larger picture

1. EXIT EXAM PERFORMANCE English/Language Arts Scores South Carolina Dept. of Education Mathematics Scores

2. DROP OUT RATE 3. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Drop Out Rate Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Online Educational Attainment

3. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (continued) These percentages apply to the population in Union County who is 25 years old and over. According to the 2000 US Census, 20,222 individuals made up this group: Less than 9 th grade 13.5% 9 th grade – 12 th grade, no diploma 19.6% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 36.4% Some college, no degree 15.1% Associate degree 5.6% Bachelor’s degree 6.7% Graduate or professional degree 3.1%

4. FIRST GRADE READINESS ASSESSMENT Measures the percent of children testing not ready for first grade. Thanks to initiatives such as First Steps Union and other early- intervention programs through the schools and library, the number of children assessed as “not ready for first grade” has declined over the past 20 years. Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Online

5. TEACHERS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES Following the trends in SC, the percentage of teachers with advanced degrees has risen in Union County. South Carolina Dept. of Education

Successes in EDUCATION USC Union Union County Adult Education

1. PER CAPITA INCOME 2. MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME SC Employment Security Commission Per Capita IncomeMedian Household Income United States Census Bureau

3. UNEMPLOYMENT Shows the average percentage of unemployed residents as compared to SC and US averages. Statistics from August 2006 through July 2007 show that Union’s unemployment rate tops both SC and US percents. SC Employment Security Commission

4. SKILLED / UNSKILLED WORKFORCE The percent of the population age 25 and older with no high school diploma is an indication of the skill of a community’s workforce. The percentages from 2000 show that 33 percent of Union County residents within this group lack a high school diploma or GED. United States Census Bureau

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP The following graphs show the percentage of the population that owns the home in which they live and the median value (half of th e prices above and half of the prices below) of those owner-occupied homes. Statistics come from the 2000 Census. United States Census Bureau 5. HOMEOWNERSHIP

Successes in ECONOMICS Dollar General Stores Distribution Center LSP Automotive Systems LLC USC Union/Spartanburg Community College Robotics and Technology Center

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP According to the Union County Recreation Department the following graph represents the following graph represents the number of youth who participated in an organized athletics program through the Union County Recreation Department or the Union YMCA during YOUTH ATHLETICS PARTICIPATION

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP There are 3.35 recycling centers for every 10,000 people in Union County vs recycling centers for every 10,000 people in SC. Statistics are from the SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control and the US Census Bureau. 2. RECYCLING CENTERS

3. AIR QUALITY 4. WATER QUALITY

Successes in ENVIRONMENT/RECREATION Timken Sports Complex Rose Hill Plantation Union County Museum Cross Keys House Union County Arts Council

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Compares the percent of the population under the age of 18 living in poverty. From 1990 to 2000, the percent of youth in poverty has decreased across the board, but Union County still remains behind SC and the US in the percentage of children and youth living in poverty situations. 1. YOUTH IN POVERTY Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Between 1994 and 2004, Union County improved its incidence (rate) of pregnancy per 1,000 youth and teens between the ages of 10 and 19 by 33.4 percent. 2. TEEN PREGNANCY SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 2006

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Measures the percent of children living in single-parent households, comparing 1990 and For the purposes of these statistics, children are defined as people under the age of 18who are the son or daughter of the householder by birth, marriage (stepchild) or adoption. 3. CHILDREN IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Measures the reported incidences of domestic violence per 10,000 citizens. Union County’s reported incidences are far below the number reported in the state. 4. INCIDENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SAFE Homes/Rape Crisis Coalition and the SC Attorney General’s Office

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP The Salvation Army is the primary provider of shelter for homeless individuals and families in Union County. The indicator counts the number of nights of shelter provided (i.e. if a family of four was provided shelter for 7 days, that would represent 28 shelter nights provided.) 5. HOMELESSNESS Union County Salvation Army

Successes in FAMILY Union County Disabilities and Special Needs Board Union County Children’s Museum Advisory Committee

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Information shows the total number of clients served in one of the Union County Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse’s programs and the number and corresponding percentage of people who were discharged after successful treatment. Clients in most of programs and services were included in these statistics. 1. DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE & TREATMENT Union County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse 57% 58% 49%

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Measures the percentage of obese or overweight individuals as defined as people with Body Fat Mass Index (BFMI) equal to 25% or more. 2. OVERWEIGHT / OBESITY South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the National Center for Disease Control

5. HOMEOWNERSHIP Includes Union County and South Carolina comparisons of the rate of death from specific chronic diseases per 100,000 residents. Statistics from 2005 indicate that Union County has a higher rate of death in all areas – cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease – than the state as a whole. Heart disease is the number one killer, followed by cancer, stroke, and diabetes. 3. INCIDENCE OF DEATH FROM CHRONIC DISEASES South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Successes in HEALTH Wallace Thomson Hospital Obstetrics Nursery reopening WTH Outpatient Education – Diabetes Self-Management and Education Union County YMCA

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Union Indicators provides information about the status of the community and points to a range of strategic issues that, if addressed, could greatly improve the quality of life in the county. By sharing this information, the Union Community Indicators committee hopes to provide common ground to engage the public in ways to work together to address these and other related issues. The first step is to share this information and ask hard questions about what causes conditions in our county to get better or worse. This publication should inspire the further research and dialogue necessary for the community to come together as advocates for positive change. Union Community Indicators

The inaugural Union Community Indicators report was made possible through the financial support of: Milliken Foundation Timken The City of Union The County of Union United Way of the Piedmont Upstate Workforce Investment Board Union Community Indicators