Our Changing Communities: A Review of Data Trends in the Jefferson Regional Service Area

The Jefferson Regional Foundation has partnered with Fourth Economy Consulting and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR) to develop an analysis of the Jefferson Regional Foundation service area. Titled Our Changing Communities: A Review of Data Trends in the Jefferson Regional Service Area, the analysis focuses on changing demographics, economic mobility, and community health. The project includes the release of data story maps, written reports, and one-page community snapshots for each community and school district in the Jefferson Regional Foundation’s service area.

The Foundation hopes this data and information sparks conversations and strategies which complement community voice to increase health and wellness in the Jefferson Regional service area. We encourage community partners to use these materials when designing programs, conducting outreach, applying for funding, and in planning for future community engagement.

Data Story Maps

The Jefferson Regional Foundation is pleased to release three data story maps as the first deliverables of the Our Changing Communities: A Review of Data Trends in the Jefferson Regional Service Area analysis. The data story maps describe changing conditions in the Jefferson Regional service area and include demographic data on the growth of diverse populations, geographic and racial economic disparities, and a picture of community and environmental health. The data story maps strive to highlight the intersectionality of age, race, and geography where data is available.

The story maps (linked below) feature data in a variety of ways with the intent of providing a hyper-local view of the communities and people the Foundation serves. Many of the maps feature data at the census tract level and several maps focus on trends over time.  These data story maps can also be used to complement community engagement efforts and can support planning and strategy for the Foundation’s Community Voice Fund.

Highlighted throughout the data story maps are notable findings such as:

  • Diverse populations are growing in the Jefferson Regional service area, including a more than 265% increase in the population of people who identify as Asian between 2010 and 2020.
  • Large Income disparities exist across the Jefferson Regional service area. For example, a middle earner in Homestead earns on average about $70,000 less than a middle earner in Jefferson Hills.
  • The Jefferson Regional service Area has unique health and environmental challenges compared to Allegheny County, including high rates of mental distress and poor air quality.

You can access the data story maps through the links below:

Demographic Changes: Demographics Changes in the Jefferson Regional Service Area

Economic Mobility: Our Changing Community: Economic Mobility & Homeownership

Community Health: Our Changing Community: Environmental and Community Health

If you are interested in learning how to use the story maps, you can access a recording of the Foundation’s data story map walkthrough session through this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/IcB83ngUfB00o2NorpO30nWD7fa9p2bfcGfdCqSp0dQOnbxwfdo0CJD91TI2UDqF.NiFtGu0KfIwHQh2O?startTime=1680616984000

Please direct any questions or concerns to Steve Ankney, the Foundation’s Grants, Evaluation, and Data Manager, at Stephen.ankney@jeffersonrf.org.