EDC+503+Su13+-+Newport+Community

EDC 503 Context Reports **Community Description** **Newport, RI 02840**

Census Data
Year data collected: 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates


 * || **Community**
 * (Newport)** || **Rhode Island** || **United**
 * States** ||
 * **Median household income** || $69,369 || $55,975 || $52,762 ||
 * **Median family income** || $85,269 || $72,724 || $64,293 ||
 * **Per capita income** || $37,915 || $29,685 || $27,915 ||
 * **Families below poverty level** || 4.5% || 8.9% || 10.5% ||
 * **Individuals below poverty level** || 7.7% || 12.8% || 14.3% ||
 * **Employed (Civilian)** || 60.1% || 60.0% || 58.8% ||
 * **Unemployed (Civilian)** || 3.7% || 5.9% || 5.6% ||
 * **Armed Forces** || 3.5% || 0.4% || 0.5% ||

Year data collected: 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates


 * || **Community**
 * (Newport)** || **Rhode Island** || **US** ||
 * **White** || 88.2% || 76.9% || 64.2% ||
 * **Black/African Americans** || 3.7% || 5.2% || 12.2% ||
 * **Asian** || 1.4% || 3.0% || 4.7% ||
 * **Hispanic** || 4.2% || 12.1% || 16.1% ||
 * **American Indian or Alaska native** || 0.1% || 0.4% || 0.7% ||

Kids Count Fact Book 2012 Data

 * ||= **Community Data** ||= **Rhode Island Data** ||= **Percent Change 2000-2010** ||
 * **Child population** ||= 4,083 ||= 223,956 ||= -21.5% ||
 * **Children in single-parent families** ||= 1,698 (42%) ||= 68,138 (31%) ||=  ||
 * **Children living in families below the federal poverty threshold** ||= 556 (14.4%) ||= 37,925 (16.9%) ||= -10% ||
 * **Households with grandparents financially responsible for grandchildren** ||= 204 (5%) ||= 13,968 ||=  ||
 * Child Abuse and Neglect (victims per 1,000) ||= 131 (32.1%) ||= 3,125 (14%) ||=  ||
 * **Public School Attendance versus private school attendance** ||=  ||=   ||=   ||
 * **Race/Ethnicity** ||=  ||=   ||=   ||
 * **-**- Hispanic (703) ||= 17% ||=  ||=   ||
 * - White (2,405) ||= 59% ||=  ||=   ||
 * - Black (337) ||= 8% ||=  ||=   ||
 * - American Indian (37) ||= 1% ||=  ||=   ||
 * - Asian (39) ||= 1% ||=  ||=   ||
 * Percent income needed for rent (second highest in the state) ||= 86% ||= 74% ||=  ||
 * Student Mobility ||= 18% ||= 14% ||=  ||
 * Chronic Early Absence ||= 12% ||= 16% ||=  ||
 * Fourth grade reading proficiency ||= 64% ||= 69% ||=  ||
 * Fourth grade math proficiency ||= 57% ||= 64% ||=  ||
 * SNAP program participation ||= 1,402 (34%) ||= 68,783 (28%) ||  ||
 * School breakfast participation ||= 18% ||= 19% ||  ||
 * Early intervention participation ||= 96 (12%) ||= 3,883 (11%) ||  ||

=Narrative Description of Community=

Based on the U.S. Census data, Newport has a higher median household income than Rhode Island with its median household income ($69,369) over $10,000 more than Rhode Island's ($55,975), and over $15,000 more than the U.S. ($52,765). Similarly, Newport's median family income ($85,269) is higher than Rhode Island's ($72,724) and significantly higher than the U.S. ($64,293). While Rhode Island's per capita income is not much more than the U.S. ($29,685 compared to $27,915 respectively), Newport's is higher once again at $37,915. The number of families that are below poverty level in Newport is lower than Rhode Island and the U.S. (4.5%, 8.9%, 10.5% respectively), this is also true of the percentage of individuals living below the poverty level (7.7%, 12.8%, 14.3% respectively). The number of civilians employed are relatively close with Newport at 60.1% followed by 60.0% in Rhode Island and 58.8% in the U.S. The percent of civilians that are unemployed in Newport (3.7%) is less than that of the U.S. (5.6%), however the percent unemployed in R.I. is greater than that of the U.S. at 5.9%. There is a significant percentage of members of the Armed Forces living in Newport at 3.5% compared to only 0.5% in all of the U.S. Rhode Island is not far beyond the U.S. with 0.4% in the Armed Forces. (United Census Bureau, 2012)

Newport has the highest percentage of Whites (88.2%) compared to Rhode Island (76.9%) which is then higher than all of the U.S. (64.2%). Compared to both Rhode Island and the U.S., Newport has the lowest percentage of African Americans (3.7% versus R.I. with 5.2% and the U.S. at 12.2%), Asians (1.4% versus R.I. with 3.0% and the U.S. at 4.7%), Hispanic (4.2% versus R.I. with 12.1% and the U.S. at 16.2%), and American Indian/Alaska native (0.1% versus R.I. with 0.4% and the U.S. at 0.7%). (United Census Bureau, 2012)

Newport has some characteristics that make it a particularly interesting community to study. The community is extremely class divided. There is K-8 private school that costs $20,000 per year. There is a private boarding high school that costs $50,000 per year. There is also a private K-8 catholic school that costs approximately $6,000 per year. This leaves parents in Newport with different options depending on their income level. It also means that the wealthiest students in the town are not attending school with the poorest or even the middle class students. Middle class parents are often opting out of the public school system and choosing private schools, potentially due to the low math and reading proficiency scores, making the working poor and middle class more divided as well. It creates a community divided by both class and race as the private schools are observed to be over 90% white (though the private schools do not release this data) while the public school system is 59% white.

When you look at Newport as a whole it appears to be a fairly well off community. The average income is healthy and the high property taxes ensure that the schools receive significant funding. However, looking beneath the surface the data show the depth of poverty and need among a certain group in the city. Rents are the second highest in Rhode Island, requiring a family of three living below the federal poverty threshold to pay over 80% of their income to housing. Many working poor and middle class families have left Newport as a result of the cost of housing and there has been a significant drop in the child population as a result. 34% of children who do live in Newport are participating in the SNAP program versus 28% in Rhode Island as a whole. There is also a high student mobility rate - 18% in Newport versus 14% in the state as a whole. This is due to the tourist economy in Newport and the associated transient nature of the availability of work for families. There is also a very high rate of chid abuse and neglect compared to the state as a whole - 32% versus 14%. Essentially, for those who are poor in Newport, they are poorer and more at risk than the poor in most other areas of the state. However, they remain more hidden due to Newport's reputation as a world class city and the overall demographics. (Kids Count, 2012)

Sources:

United States Census Bureau. 2007-2011 //American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates//. [|www.factfinder.census.gov] Kids Count. //Fact Book 2012//. [|www.rikidscount.gov]