Access – Enrollment (Age 5-17)

This indicator reports the percentage of the population age 5-17 that is enrolled in school. This indicator helps identify places where K-12 school opportunities are either abundant or lacking in the educational system. Source US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2019-23. Source Description The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide…

Access – Childcare Cost Burden

This indicator reports the childcare costs for a household with two children as a percent of median household income. Data are acquired from the 2024&2023 Living Wage Calculator and Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates and are used in the 2025 County Health Rankings. Source United States Census Bureau, US Census Small Area Income and…

Access – Head Start

Head Start is a program designed to help children from birth to age five who come from families at or below poverty level. The program’s goal is to help children become ready for kindergarten while also providing the needed requirements to thrive, including health care and food support. This indicator reports the number and rate…

Debt – Student Loan Debt

This indicator reports data from a 2 percent nationally representative panel of deidentified, consumer-level records from a major credit bureau at the national, state, and county levels for the 50 states and Washington, DC, as of 2023, compiled by the Urban Institute. The share with any student loan debt, as well as the median student…

Access – Childcare Centers

This indicator reports the number of childcare centers per 1,000 population under 5 years old. Data are acquired from the 2010-2022 Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) and are used in the 2025 County Health Rankings. Source Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data, 2010-2022. Source Description The HIFLD Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) Subcommittee…