Glossary

Population
An estimated projection based on the most recent U.S. census.

Population density
The number of residents per square mile.

Population change
The percentage the population in a geographic area has grown or decreased from 1990 to 1999. Negative percentages represent a decrease in population.

Income per capita
The average income of every resident of a geographic area, including all adults and children.

Median household income
The value in the middle when all incomes in a given geographic area are arranged from highest to lowest.

Households
The total number of households in the area, including homes and apartments.

People per household
The average number of members in a household, which consists of all the people who occupy a housing unit together.

Median age
The value in the middle when all ages are arranged from highest to lowest for the residents of a given geographic area. The median is considered by statisticians to be a better indicator than the average or mean because it is less skewed by high or low values.

Median income
Median income for all residents of a geographic area who are employed. The median is the middle income, when all values are arranged from highest to lowest. The median is considered by statisticians to be a better indicator than the average or mean because it is less skewed by unusually high or low values.

Overall
The total of all the cost of living categories weighted subjectively as follows: housing (30%), food and groceries (15%), transportation (10%), utilities (6%), health care (7%), and miscellaneous expenses such as clothing, services, and entertainment (32%). State and local taxes are not included in any category.

Housing
This is the value of the year's most recent home sales data (March, 2000 to April, 1999). It's important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean ). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values.

Food and groceries
The average cost of food and groceries (not including restaurants).

Transportation
The average cost of gasoline, car insurance and maintenance expenses, and mass transit fare for the area. The cost of the vehicle and any vehicle registration and license taxes are not included.

Utilities
The average cost of heating or cooling a typical residence for the area, including electricity, natural gas, and fuel oil expenses.

Health care
The average cost of health care calculated using the standard daily rate for a hospital room, and the costs of a doctor's office visit and a dental checkup.

Miscellaneous
The cost index of those goods and services not included in the other cost of living categories, including clothing, restaurants, repairs, entertainment, and other services.

School ratings
A rating of the schools' performance on a scale of 1-10 (best) based on state and national achievement tests and the percentage of students continuing to college. The scores are adjusted to provide an even comparison between different regions.

Expenditure per student
The dollar amount that the local school district spends on each of its students.

Student/teacher ratio
The number of students for each teacher. For example, 19.1 means teachers in the school have an average of 19.1 students.

High school graduates
The percentage of the area's population over the age of 25 with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).

College degree - 2 year
The percentage of the area's population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree.

College degree - 4 year
The percentage of the area's population over the age of 25 with a bachelor's degree or other 4-year college degree.

Graduate degree
The percentage of the area's population over the age of 25 with a master's degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree.

Violent crime
The total of four crime categories: murder, rape, assault, and robbery per 100,000 residents.

Property crime
The total of three crime categories; larceny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft per 100,000 residents. Arson is excluded from this category because it's not reported in a consistent manner across the U.S.

House median value
The value of the year's most recent home sales data (March, 2000 to April, 1999). It's important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values.

Home appreciation
The percentage rate that home values have changed over the last year. Changes result from increased demand for housing or from an economic slowdown. Many times there is just a normal cycle of increasing home prices, followed by a correction, and more increases the next year. But steep or continued decreases are a cause for investigation.

Property tax
The property tax rate shown here is displayed as the rate per $1,000 of home value. If the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the "effective" tax rate.

Commute time
The average number of minutes that residents of an area commute to work.

Commute by bus
The percentage of the population that commutes using public transportation.

Commute by carpool
The percentage of the population carpooling to work.

Commute by own car
The percentage of the population driving to work in a single-occupant vehicle.

Unemployment rate
The most recent unemployment data for an area. The unemployment rate is expressed as a percentage of the available work force that is not employed. For example, 3.2% means that among every 100 workers, 3.2 are unemployed.

Recent job growth
The percentage of increase or decrease in available jobs over the most recent 12-month period. A decrease in available jobs is represented as a negative percentage.

Future job growth
The projected change in job availability over the next ten years based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors. A projected decrease in available jobs is represented as a negative percentage.

Sales tax
The total of all sales taxes for an area, including state, county and local taxes.

Income tax rate
The total of all income taxes for an area, including state, county and local taxes. Federal income taxes are not included.

Health cost index
An index, like the cost of living index, that compares health costs between areas. The average cost of health care in the U. S. is represented as a value of 100%. A value of 95% means it costs 5% less than the national average for healthcare in this geographic area, and a value of 110% means that it's 10% more expensive.

Physicians available
The number of medical and osteopathic physicians listed by the American Medical Association in a geographic area.

Air quality
The air quality index is based on annual reports from the Environmental Protection Agency. The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. Higher values are more favorable.

Water quality
A measure of the quality of an area's water supply as rated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. Higher values are more favorable.

Comfort index
Similar to humidity but gives a more realistic measurement because relative humidity is not adjusted for temperature. The comfort index accounts for the subjective experience that 80% humidity at 85 degrees is much more uncomfortable than 95% humidity at 50 degrees. Higher values are usually preferable because they indicate more temperate climates overall.

Altitude
The altitude in feet.

Rainfall
The annual rainfall in inches.

Snowfall
The annual snowfall in inches.

Precipitation days
The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch).

Sunny days
The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny.

Days warmer than 90 degrees
The average number of days per year that have a high temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Days colder than 32 degrees
The average number of days per year that have a low temperature below the freezing point.

Average temperature in July
The average daily high temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for the month of July.

Average temperature in January
The average daily low temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for the month of January.

Average wind speed
The average daily wind speed over the course of one year.