Exploring Demographics: Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?
Long before most of us ever heard of demographics, Sesame Street invited us to be curious about the people in our neighborhood and to learn something about our local librarian or the plumber.
While talking to someone face-to-face is still the best way to learn about another person, there are plenty of websites that can teach you about your neighborhood. Enter your zip code on one of the sites below and you can see the total population broken down by age, race, or gender. Enter your zip code on another and you can learn about educational statistics, ratings on schools, and income levels. The data can often be sorted by individual neighborhoods.
As you think about growing deeper in relationship with your community, looking at the demographic data can help you see a more accurate picture of who is in all around you. It can help you unearth trends and opportunities for ministry in your area and it can help you see your community through a more objective lens. The data by itself doesn’t tell a complete picture, but it is a useful tool in your quest to know your community more fully.
Demographic Websites:
- Data.Census.Gov: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/
- GeoMetrx: http://geometrx.com/
- Neighborhood Scout: https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/about-scout
- Virginia Department of Education: Enrollments and Demographics (Check out: VDOE National School Lunch Program Free and Reduced Price Eligibility Reports)
Bonus Link: The following article is from realtor.com and describes how you can learn about your neighborhood if you are considering moving to an area. If you want to get an idea of what folks moving to your area learn about your community before you arrive, follow the links in the article below.
- 10 Ways to Find Out about a Neighborhood without Being There: https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/learn-about-neighborhood-demographics/
Reflection by Pastor John Wertz, Jr.
Questions for Reflection:
- What is one piece of information from these demographic reports surprises you?
- What information is missing that you would like to know?
- What questions do these reports raise for you?