New State/Local Data for September 2009
In this issue:
- Housing
- Population
- Health and health insurance issues
- Food and nutrition issues
- Updated agricultural data
- Rural issues
1. Housing
State and County Housing Unit Estimates: July 1, 2008
Among states, Nevada saw the greatest growth in housing units (36.2%) from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (compared to 11.4% nationally), while Louisiana showed the lowest growth at 1.9% over the approximately eight-year time period. Colorado’s housing unit growth ranked 8th in the nation at 19% (or about 2.4% per year). This translates into an increase of 344,000 units totaling 2,152,040 as of July 2008. This growth slowed to 1.2% for the state from 2007 to 2008, where two-thirds of Colorado’s 64 counties experienced housing unit growth below the state average. In percentage terms, at the county level the following five counties experienced the greatest growth in housing units over the 8-year period:
- Douglas County (60.2%);
- Broomfield County (44.4%);
- Weld County (42.0%);
- Grand County (40.1%); and
- Archuleta County (36.7%).
In comparison, the following counties experienced the slowest growth in housing units over the 8-year period: Yuma County, Prowers County, Lincoln County, Bent County, Otero County, Kiowa County and Sedgwick County. All had growth below 2% for this time period.
2. Population
Baby Boom Migration and its Impact on Rural America
This USDA ERS report finds that members of the baby boom cohort, now 45-63 years old, are approaching a period in their lives when moves to rural and small-town destinations increase. An analysis of age-specific, net migration during the 1990s reveals extensive shifts in migration patterns as Americans move through different life-cycle stages. Assuming similar age patterns of migration, this report identifies the types of non-metropolitan counties that are likely to experience the greatest surge in baby boom migration during 2000-20 and projects the likely impact on the size and distribution of retirement-age populations in destination counties. The analysis finds a significant increase in the propensity to migrate to non-metro counties as people reach their fifties and sixties and projects a shift in migration among boomers toward more isolated settings, especially those with high natural and urban amenities and lower housing costs. If baby boomers follow past migration patterns, the non-metro population age 55-75 will increase by 30% between now and 2020.
3. Health and health insurance issues
Health Status and Health Care Access of Farm and Rural Populations
USDA ERS reports that rural residents have higher rates of age-adjusted mortality, disability, and chronic disease than their urban counterparts, though mortality and disability rates vary more by region than by metro status. Contributing negatively to the health status of rural residents are their lower socioeconomic status, higher incidence of both smoking and obesity, and lower levels of physical activity. Contributing negatively to the health status of farmers are the high risks from workplace hazards, which also affect other members of farm families who live on the premises and often share in the work; contributing positively are farmers’ higher socioeconomic status, lower incidence of smoking, and more active lifestyle. Both farm and rural populations experience lower access to health care along the dimensions of affordability, proximity, and quality, compared with their nonfarm and urban counterparts.
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAIHE)
The U.S. Census Bureau has published 2006 estimates of health insurance coverage for each of the nation’s counties. The SAIHE estimates are based on models combining data from a variety of sources, including the Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey, Census 2000, the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program, the County Business Patterns data set and administrative records, such as aggregated federal tax returns and Medicaid participation records. Although SAHIE currently is the only source for county-level estimates of health insurance coverage status, the Census Bureau in late September 2009 will release for the first time health insurance coverage estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS).
4. Food and nutrition issues
Younger Consumers Exhibit Less Demand for Fresh Vegetables
USDA‘s Economic Research Service finds that growth over time in the demand for fresh vegetables for at-home consumption may slow because of differences in the behavior of younger and older birth cohorts. A birth cohort includes people born in the same year and is similar in concept to a generation. People born around the same point in history may share common behaviors that they carry throughout their lives independent of age. People born more recently are found to spend less money for fresh vegetables than older Americans do. Changes in how people purchase and consume food may help to explain these effects.
Effects of Economic Conditions and Program Policy on State Food Stamp Program Caseloads, 2000-2006
This USDA ERS study uses a unique combination of State panel data and qualitative interviews to examine the economic and policy factors associated with the sharp increase in the number of Food Stamp Program (FSP) participants between 2000 and 2006. This period is particularly interesting because the rise in participation between 2003 and 2006 occurred while the national economy was improving. Higher numbers of participants were associated with higher State unemployment rates and lower State labor force participation rates and minimum wages. The introduction of FSP policies designed to expand eligibility and ease reporting also increased the number of participants. In addition, program outreach efforts were associated with higher caseloads in times of low unemployment. Interviews with State FSP administrators and staff at community-based organizations reinforce the quantitative findings and point to declining local economic conditions and high-quality program outreach as the main sources of caseload growth. The Food Stamp Program was renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in October 2008.
5. Updated agricultural data
Colorado State Fact Sheet
This ERS State Fact Sheet for Colorado contains current data on population, per-capita income, earnings per job, poverty rates, employment, unemployment, farm characteristics, farm financial characteristics, top agricultural commodities, top export commodities, and the top counties in agricultural sales. There is a fact sheet for each of the states in the US.
Price Spreads from Farm to Consumer
ERS compares the prices paid by consumers for food with the prices received by farmers for their corresponding commodities. This data product has 2 components: (1) the marketing bill provides a composite estimate of the value added to agricultural products by the food marketing system for all types of food, and (2) at-home foods by commodity group compares farm and retail prices for foods belonging to each of several commodity groups.
Farm Balance Sheet Data
ERS estimates are presented for the farm business balance sheets for the U.S. for 1960 to present and individual States for 1960 through 2003. The balance sheet includes component accounts for assets, debt, and equity, where equity equals assets minus debt.
Farm Income Data
ERS estimates of farm sector income with component accounts: for the United States, 1910-2009; and for States, 1949-2008.
Farm Income and Costs
This release is an update of 2009 ERS farm income forecasts first released on February 12, 2009, to include new information from USDA's August Crop Production report and other recently available data. The update builds upon the August 6, 2009 release of USDA's estimates of 2008 calendar year income for the United States. The August 27 release also includes a forecast of the farm sector balance sheet for 2009 along with the annual estimates prepared for 2008 and earlier years. The 2008 estimate incorporates estimates of land values released by NASS on August 4, 2009. The release also includes the first estimates of 2008 farm business and household incomes based on reported farm survey data.
6. Rural issues
Broadband Internet's Value for Rural America
As broadband—or high-speed—Internet use has spread, Internet applications requiring high transmission speeds have become an integral part of the “Information Economy,” raising concerns about those who lack broadband access. This report analyzes (1) rural broadband use by consumers, the community-at-large, and businesses; (2) rural broadband availability; and (3) broadband’s social and economic effects on rural areas. It also summarizes results from an ERS-sponsored workshop on rural broadband use, and other ERS-commissioned studies. In general, rural communities have less broadband Internet use than metro communities, with differing degrees of broadband availability across rural communities. Rural communities that had greater broadband Internet access had greater economic growth, which conforms to supplemental research on the benefits that rural businesses, consumers, and communities ascribe to broadband Internet use.
