Citizen Information - Neighborhood Quality of Life Study

Economic Dimension

Overview

The economic vitality and the economic characteristics of a neighborhood are among the most commonly cited quality of life indicators. Often, indicators look at household income measures. As a consequence, the evaluation of economic vitality can easily become biased toward affluent neighborhoods. This report seeks to look at a different measure of economic vitality, which is less oriented around higher income. In the Chesapeake Neighborhood Quality of Life research, the economic dimension of quality of life is assessed using change measures, where the level of positive economic activity is the critical indicator. Thus, a neighborhood may have modest median incomes, but improvements in real estate, community reinvestment, and income growth are signals of positive economic trends. The economic dimension findings are found on Figure 8.

The pace and dynamic character of community growth in Chesapeake mean that up-to-date information is difficult to collect and mean. Thus, the data used in this area may appear, at first glance, as dated, but they represent the most complete information at the time that they were gathered.

Analytical Variables

• Percent affordable housing
• Percent housing reinvestment
• Percent change in income
• Percent of tax delinquent parcels

Description

• Developing - NSAs with economic change related to newer neighborhoods
• Sustaining - NSAs displaying economic indicators around the city average
• Revitalizing - NSAs experiencing economic challenges in older neighborhoods

Results

• Developing - 71 NSAs
• Sustaining - 44 NSAs
• Revitalizing - 2 NSA

Figure 8
Economic Dimension Groupings