How vulnerable is NWGA?
How easily could the people of Northwest Georgia bounce back from a disaster? The U.S. Census Bureau has an estimate — right down to the specific neighborhoods.
The recently released Community Resilience Estimates program uses data primarily from the 2022 American Community Survey to measure social vulnerability nationally, by state, by county and by census tract. From there it maps resiliency — the capacity of individuals and households within an area to absorb the external stresses of disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and pandemics.
In the country as whole, for example, 20.6% of the population is at risk from the impact of a widespread disaster, with the biggest effects projected in the South. Georgia, however, would do better than its neighbors, with just 19.6% of its population rated as “highly vulnerable.” That ranges from a low of 9.7% in Chattahoochee County near Columbus to a high of 44.1% in Randolph County a little farther south.
The vulnerable population in the eight counties in the northwest corner of the state ranges from a low of 17.1% in Bartow to a high of 23.6% in Floyd.
In determining social vulnerability, the census bureau looked at 10 factors: Income to poverty ratio; single or zero caregiver households; crowding in the home; communication barrier; households without full-time, year-round employment; people reporting a disability; no health insurance; aged 65 and over; no vehicle access; and no broadband internet access.
Communities with three or more vulnerabilities are considered high risk. Here’s a closer look at Northwest Georgia:
Floyd County: 23.6% of its 98,541 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disabilities, 16.3%; single caregiver homes, 7.2%; below the poverty level, 17.5%; full time permanent
employment, 48.5%; no health insurance, 14.5%; and broadband subscriptions, 85.3%.
Chattooga County: 22.9% of its 24,902 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disability, 18.1%; single caregiver homes, 6.9%; below the poverty level, 19.9%; full time permanent employment, 43.8%; no health insurance, 13%; and broadband subscriptions, 77.7%.
Polk County: 22.9% of its 43,019 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disability, 16.9%; no health insurance, 14.2%; below the poverty level, 17.2%; and broadband subscriptions, 83.9%.
Gordon County: 20.8% of its 57,785 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are no health insurance, 16.5%; and broadband subscriptions, 77.4%.
Bartow County: 17.1% of its 109,410 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are no health insurance, 13.9%; and broadband subscriptions, 81.5%.
Walker County: 22.2% of its 68,065 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disability, 16.9%; full time year round employment, 48.7%; no health insurance, 13.4%; broadband subscription, 83.5%.
Dade County: 20.8% of its 16,239 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disability, 16.2%; full time year round employment, 46.3%; no health insurance, 11.9%; and broadband subscription, 84.1%.
Catoosa County: 17.8% of its 68,052 people are considered vulnerable. Among the factors that compare poorly to the national estimate are disability. 17.3%, and no health insurance, 10.8%.
Nationally, 12.9% of the population reported they have a disability, just 8.7% have no health insurance and 88.3% of households have a broadband internet subscription.