Annual report reveals Orange County’s health and
trends as it relates to the economy, environment and populace
The 2012 Community
Indicator Report was presented to the Children and Families Commission.
The report annually tracks countywide trends related to the economy,
environment and populace and ranks the County against the state, nation and
other peer regions to determine whether key attributes are improving, declining
or remaining constant. The data in the report allows decision makers and
stakeholders to ascertain if investments are effective and sustainable.
In many cases, it is
a guiding document for future investments and program development to establish
Orange County as a successful place to live and work. A few notable
indicators include:
Orange County
students outperform students statewide with the majority of K-12 students
scoring “proficient” or better. Also, in 2011, 63% of Orange County
students scored proficient or better in the English Language Arts and 60%
scored proficient or better in math, marking two and three percentage point
improvements since 2009, respectively.
There was a spike in
reported cases of vaccine-preventable disease among young children, reversing
Orange County’s previous gains in this area. The majority of cases – 194 out of
206 – were whooping cough.
Almost half of Orange
County public school students were eligible for free or reduced-priced school
meals.
Orange County’s crime
rate is the lowest among national peers and decreased for the sixth consecutive
year.
Currently the third
largest county in California, and the sixth largest county in the nation,
Orange County have more residents than 20 of the country’s states, including
Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah and Nevada. Forbes 2011 national rankings
placed Orange County 109th out of 200 metro areas ranked based on
2010 year-end employment numbers.
Orange County is a
racially and ethnically diverse region, consisting of nearly 44% of residents
self-identifying themselves as Non-Hispanic White, followed by 34% Hispanic and
18% Asian/Pacific Islander. Although Orange County’s median age is 36, one year
younger than the national median, the 2010 census reported an aging population
compared to 10 years prior, with the proportion of baby boomers and the senior
population growing while the percent of residents under age 44 is shrinking
According to FBI Uniform
Crime Reports, crime in Orange County over the last 10 years has dropped a
total of 19%. Compared to peers, Orange County has the lowest overall crime
rate, as well as the lowest violent and property crime rates.
Tourism in Orange
County also generated $552 million in 2010, which is a substantial increase
compared to $508 million in 2009.
Other subjects in the
report include:
Per Capita Income
Educational Attainment and Academic Performance
High-Tech Growth and Diversity
Prenatal Care
Family Housing Security
Community Health and Prosperity
Family Safety
Crime Rate
Renewable Energy
Mobility and Transit
Voter Participation
To read the entire
report