4  Comparison Data

In addition to the user-uploaded data, the tool uses census tract, county, state, and nationwide data from the American Community Survey (ACS). The website tool uses 2018–22 five-year ACS data, and the API allows users to use 2015–19, 2017–21, or 2018–22 five-year ACS estimates.

Below are the ACS variables used to calculate the demographic and geographic disparity scores. We also note in parentheses the universe (i.e., denominators) used for each variable of interest.

Geographic Disparity Scores

The tool uses seven ACS baseline variables to calculate geographic disparity scores. We use different subgeographies across the different levels of analysis noted in parentheses: national (state), state (county), county (tract), and city (tract).

  1. Total population: percentage of the geography’s total population living in each subgeography (universe: total geography population)

  2. Population with low incomes: percentage of the geography’s residents with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level living in each subgeography (universe: total number of residents with low incomes in the geography)

  3. Population with extremely low incomes: percentage of the geography’s residents with incomes below the federal poverty level living in each subgeography (universe: total number of residents with extremely low incomes in the geography)

  4. Senior population: percentage of the geography’s population ages 65 and older living in each subgeography (universe: total number of seniors in the geography)

  5. Child population: percentage of the geography’s population under 18 living in each subgeography (universe: total number of children in the geography)

  6. Population of cost-burdened renter households: percentage of the geography’s renter households who pay more than 35 percent of their income on rent living in each subgeography (universe: total number of cost-burdened renter households in the geography)

  7. Population without internet access: percentage of the geography’s households who do not have internet access in each subgeography (universe: total number of households without internet access in the geography)

Demographic Disparity Scores

The tool computes a demographic disparity score for each demographic group as defined below.

Note

The tool uses “Latinx” instead of Latino or Hispanic to remain inclusive of gender-nonconforming and nonbinary individuals. We use “Hispanic” in the technical appendix to be consistent with the terminology the ACS uses.

We have split the demographic groups by the baseline population to which they apply. Specifically, you can choose from three baseline populations on the demographic disparity chart.

Total population:

  • Non-Hispanic Asian residents (as a share of total population)
  • Non-Hispanic Black residents (as a share of total population)
  • Hispanic residents (as a share of total population)
  • Non-Hispanic white residents (as a share of total population)
  • Non-Hispanic residents of all other races or ethnicities (as a share of total population)
  • Senior residents ages 65 and older (as a share of total population)
  • Children, or residents under the age of 18 (as a share of total population)
  • Veteran residents (as a share of civilian population 18 years old or older)
  • Uninsured residents (as a share of civilian noninstitutionalized population)
  • Residents with disabilities (as a share of civilian noninstitutionalized population)
  • Renters (as a share of occupied housing units)
  • Cost-burdened renter households, in which renters spend more than 35 percent of income on rent (as a share of renter-occupied households paying rent, when gross rent can be determined)
  • Households without internet access (as a share of occupied housing units)
  • Households with limited English proficiency (as a share of occupied housing units)
  • Residents with low incomes (as a share of population for whom poverty status is determined)
  • Residents with extremely low incomes (as a share of population for whom poverty status is determined)
  • Residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher (as a share of total population over 25 years old)
  • Residents with less than a high school diploma (as a share of total population over 25 years old)
  • Residents who are unemployed (as a share of total population over 16 years old in the civilian labor force)

Child population:

  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian children (as a share of total child population)
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children (as a share of total child population)
  • Hispanic children (as a share of total child population)
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic white children (as a share of total child population)
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic children of all other races or ethnicities (as a share of total child population)
  • Children in households with extremely low incomes (as a share of child population for whom poverty status is determined)
  • Children with a disability (as a share of child civilian noninstitutionalized population)
  • Uninsured children under the age of 19 (as a share of civilian noninstitutionalized population under the age of 19)
  • Households with limited English proficiency (as a share of occupied housing units with children)

Population with extremely low incomes

Note

Populations with extremely low income have incomes below the federal poverty level.

  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic extremely low–income Asian residents (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic extremely low–income Black residents (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Hispanic extremely low-income residents
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic extremely low–income white residents (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Hispanic and non-Hispanic extremely low–income residents of all other races or ethnicities (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Extremely low–income residents who are unemployed (as a share of total population over 16 years old in the civilian labor force and who are extremely low income)
  • Extremely low–income residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher (as a share of total population over 25 years old who are extremely low income)
  • Extremely low–income residents with less than a high school diploma (as a share of total population over 25 years old who are extremely low income)
  • Extremely low–income senior residents ages 65 and older (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Extremely low–income children under the age of 18 (as a share of total extremely low–income population)
  • Extremely low–income veteran residents (as a share of total civilian population over 18 years old who are extremely low income)
  • Extremely low–income residents with a disability (as a share of civilian non–institutionalized population who are extremely low income)
  • Extremely low–income uninsured residents (as a share of civilian noninstitutionalized population who are extremely low income)