Saratoga County Is One of NY’s Most Resilient Communities to Disasters
Saratoga County is one of the state’s most resilient counties to weather-related disasters and disease outbreaks, based on its sizeable individual and household groups within the community that have the capacity and resources to overcome such hazardous events, according to a Center for Economic Growth analysis of new U.S. Census Bureau experimental data.
The Census Bureau recently released new Community Resilience Estimates that weigh the “capacity of individuals and households within a community to absorb, endure, and recover from the impacts of a disaster.” To measure resilience to disaster, the Census Bureau focused on vulnerabilities within a community, particularly the presence of any of 11 risk factors,1 such as a single or zero caregiver household, a household with no employed persons and serious heart conditions. Community risk factor (RF) groups were categorized into three defined RF groups: those with no RFs (0RF), those with one to two RFs (1-2RF) and those with three or more RFs (3+RF)
Saratoga County
Among New York’s 62 counties, and as a percentage of its total population, Saratoga County had the largest 0RF population (39.8 percent). It also had the third smallest 1-2RF population (42 percent) and the second smallest 3+RF population (18.2 percent). In terms of vulnerable Census Tracts in the county, Corinth (Tract 603) had the lowest 0RF population (28.8 percent), downtown Saratoga Springs (Tract 610) had the highest 1-2RF population (66.3 percent) and Mechanicville (Tract 623) had the highest 3+RF population (45 percent).
Capital Region
The Capital Region likewise ranked high for resilience among New York’s 10 economic development regions. It has the third largest 0RF population (28.7 percent), the third smallest 1-2RF population (47.7 percent) and the second smallest 3+RF population (23.6 percent). Other counties in the region with notable community resilience scores were Washington County, which had not only the state’s 17th highest 0RF percentage (31.9 percent) but the sixth lowest 1-2RF percentage (43.3 percent); and Rensselaer County, which had the 21st lowest 3+RF percentage (23.27 percent).
CEG Activities
With no employed persons in a household being a risk factor, CEG’s industry attraction, business technical support and workforce development efforts contribute to efforts to strengthen community resilience throughout the Capital Region. CEG continues to actively work to attract to the Capital Region businesses within its core industry clusters, such as advanced electronics, life sciences, and logistics and distribution. CEG has partnered with Hudson Valley Community College to develop a manufacturing boot camp that is intended to quickly skill-up individuals who are new to manufacturing. CEG also administers apprenticeship programs for local manufacturers and software firms to help them elevate entry-level workers to middle-skill positions. CEG’s Business Growth Solutions (BGS) unit also helps manufacturers and technology companies with workforce training, growth and strategy, operational excellence, business acceleration, and energy and sustainability.
Notes
Risk factors: 1. Income-to-poverty ration; 2. Single or zero caregiver household; 3. Unit-level crowding; 4. Communications barrier; 5. No employed persons; 6. Age over 65; 7. Disability posing restraint to significant life activity; 8. No health insurance coverage; 9. Serious heart condition; 10. Diabetes; 11. Emphasyma or current asthema.
Don’t miss these insights into the trends that are shaping the Capital Region’s economy. Sign up for CEG’s e-news and follow us on:
|
|
