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Population Overview
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010 the City of Dawson Springs reported the following demographic information.
Population Distribution for the City of Dawson Springs Subject Number Percent
Population 3,409 100.0
Under the Age of 5 311 9.1
Ages 5 to 9 254 7.5
Ages 30 to 34 244 7.2
Population over Age 65 538 15.8
Median Age 34.4 -‐-‐
*Table 1
The data reflects the largest population group in the city is categorized by “Under the age of five.” Also, the “Ages 5 to 9” represents the second largest portion of the city’s population, as cataloged by the U.S. Census. Perhaps this trend suggests population growth, or perhaps other underlying factors are affecting the data. The data also shows an increase in population category for the “Ages 30 to 34” group. This group is most likely linked to the population under the age of ten; meaning, the “Ages 30-‐34” group are the most likely population to have children under the age of ten.
To follow this line of thought further, the U.S. Census Bureau also studies the types of households in a city. The findings of this survey are provided in Table 2.
Types of Households in Dawson Springs Subject Number Percent
Total Households 1,329 100.0
Family Households 906 68.2
with children under age 18 400 30.1
(of total household)
Nonfamily Households 423 31.8
*Table 2
The term “household” is defined by the Census Bureau as a householder plus one or more occupants related to the householder by marriage, birth, or adoption. The data reflects the type of citizen base in the city. A large portion of the population consists of “families” (again, as the Census
Dawson Springs Demographic Overview
defines the term). Further, “young” households are prevalent; nearly half of the households include children under the age of eighteen. While reviewing this data, the number of single-‐parent households seemed high. In Dawson Springs, the percentage of single-‐parent households represented 11.6% of total households. The most recent average produced by the Bureau to compare this statistic was in 2005; in the study, the agency found that since 1995 the national average for single-‐family households had remained constant at 9 %. While this is not a “red flag” statistic, the result is somewhat surprising.
As for home occupancy, the City reported a 2.2 Homeowner’s Vacancy Rate, which is defined as portion of homeowner’s property that is vacant for sale. This average was not significantly different from the national average for that year (2010). However, the renter vacancy was different from the average. While the Census reported the Rental Vacancy Rate approximately 10.2, the City of Dawson Springs reported a 4.7 approximate for this rate. This may reflect less “movement” among the renting population of Dawson Springs relative to the nation. Perhaps most renters tend to remain at the residence rather than move to another rental property. Also, this may indicate low movement from the renting to owning; perhaps most renters in Dawson Springs remain renters. Because the city’s average for Homeowner’s Vacancy is low, the residents are most likely not moving from a status of owner to renter.
Education
The 2006-‐2010 American Community Survey also provided data concerning the educational enrollment and attainment of the citizens for the City of Dawson Springs.
School Enrollment Subject Estimate Percentage
Population enrolled in school
661 19.4
Through 8th Grade 395 59.8
High School 178 26.9
College or Graduate School 88 13.3
*Table 3
The data in Table 3 reflects current educational enrollment. Nearly 20% of the population is currently (as of the 2010 study) enrolled in an educational program. The largest enrollment group is “Through 8th Grade.” This is not surprising, because the category represents 1) a larger group of citizens and 2) a mandate that these age groups are legally required to attend school. The next step in understanding the educational prospect of the community is to consider what levels of education the population has obtained. Table 4 reflects the data for attainment.
Educational Attainment for Ages 25 and Greater
Subject Estimate Percentage
Total Population Greater than 25
1,766 -‐-‐
Less than 9th Grade 194 11.0
Grades 9th through 12th, no diploma
263 14.9
High School Diploma or Equivalency
729 41.3
Some College, no degree 296 16.8
Associate’s Degree 158 8.9
Bachelor’s Degree 74 4.2
Graduate or Professional Degree
52 2.9
*Table 4
The data seems to reflect lower attainment. However, this data should be coupled with the estimate that nearly 16% of the population is over the age of sixty-‐five. Younger generations tend to have higher overall level of education attainment and this may have skewed the results in this study.
Employment
Based on the 2006-‐2010 American Community Survey, the City of Dawson Springs reported 1,034 people over the age of 16 were in the labor force; conversely, the city reported 1,060 citizens were not in the labor force. The caveat of the data is the inclusion of individuals who are incapable of working at the time of the survey. The U.S. Census Bureau defines the variable “not in the labor force” as:
All people 16 years old and over who are not classified as members of the labor force. This category consists mainly of students, homemakers, retired workers, seasonal workers interviewed in an off season who were not looking for work, institutionalized people, and people doing only incidental unpaid family work (less than 15 hours during the reference week).
The employment rate is represented in Graph A.
Dawson Springs Employment for 16 Years Old and Higher
In Labor force
Not in Labor force
*Graph A
Placing this data in perspective, the state of Kentucky reported that of the 3,437,562 residents of the age of 16 and older, 2,073,873 are in the work force and 1,363,689 residents are outside of the work force.
State of Kentucky Employment for 16 Years Old and Higher
In Labor force
Not in Labor force
*Graph B
This data speaks to the age trend of Dawson Springs. Nearly 16% of the city is over the age of sixty-‐five. This data reflects a barrier of entry if the city where to try to recruit industry; currently, the city’s labor force may not have the labor capital necessary to support a much business expansion. However, the aging population does hint to an increasing need for healthcare in the area. Focusing first on what Dawson Springs currently offers in employment, the Census produced the following statistics:
*Graph C
The Graph above demonstrates the distribution of occupations in the city. The occupations listed are all relatively equal in distribution. However, Sales & Office does represent the greatest portion of the workforce, followed closely by the category Production, Transportation, & Material Moving. The lowest represented occupation is Natural Resources, Construction, & Maintenance. To better explain the distribution, a review of the different work environments in Dawson Springs helps shed light on the city’s employment outlook.
*Graph D
Graph D shows that the Education & Health Care and Social Assistance Industry has the greatest represenation in the city. Perhaps the Census data would have been clearer if the categories were seperated further; for example, looking at the most populated industry, the analysis does not clarify whether 1) Education, 2) Health Care or 3) Social Assistance has the most employees. Next, Graph E demonstrates the smaller industries in Dawson Springs.
*Graph E
Graph E was scaled to the same value incriments as Graph D in order to compare the two reports. These four indsutries have less than 40 workers each. Also, the industy “Professional, Scientific, and Management & Waste Management Services” is not reported because 1) the categorical classification is too convoluted and 2) the industry only represents 4 employees. Perhaps these smaller industries need assistance in acquiring more (or any) labor force.