Accurate data is essential to help our community set priorities, track progress, formulate policy, and allocate resources. To help drive change in our area, the Community Foundation has been tracking data and publishing Community Counts since 2008. Data for the Shreveport-Bossier Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is collected and tracked in six categories – Population, Economics, Human Capital, Health, Social Environment, and Physical Environment. For the Community Foundation, this data guides all that we do.
The 2020 edition of Community Counts will be released on October 15th. While the report is being finalized, we are excited to share some bright spots in the data.
- The percent of uninsured citizens in 2018 is 6.3%, which is an improvement from 7.3% the year prior. Shreveport-Bossier holds the number one ranking in this category among comparative communities for the second year in a row.
- The percent of families living below poverty level in 2018 fell to 14.5% from 18.6% in 2017.
- The graduation rate for Shreveport-Bossier students is 83.3%, an increase from 74.8% in 2017. In ten years, the graduation rate rose from 65% in 2008 to its current level.
Other trends demonstrate areas of concern.
- The percentage of live births with low birth weight (less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces) in 2018 is 14%. This rate is the highest among comparative communities and has increased from 13.3% in 2017.
- The percent of 16- to 19-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and not in the labor force remains at 11.3%, the highest among our peers.
We hope that you will join us in exploring more data on October 15th at 4:00 PM. Dr. Dave Norris, Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Louisiana Tech University, will present the report and answer audience questions. All event details will be announced at a later date. The full report and executive summary will be available online at cfnla.org/data.