Social Vulnerability Index, Arizona, 2011, US EPA Region 9
Dataset Identification:
Resource Abstract:
The Social Vulnerability Index is derived from the 2000 US Census data. The fields included are percent minority, median household
income, age (under 18 and over 64), population without a high school diploma, linguistically isolated households, and single
female head of households with own children under 18 (single moms). The data is at the block group level. Each field for each
block group is assigned an index score of 0-3, based on whether the value of that dataset falls in the top quartile (score=3),
second quartile (score=2), third quartile (score=1), or bottom quartile (score=0). The scores for each field are then added
together to assign a comprehensive score to each block group (0-21). The highest scores are block groups that have the highest
percentage of sensitive populations (highest percent minority, lowest per capita income, highest percent of population under
18 and over 64, highest percentage of population without a high school degree, highest percent of linguistically isolated
households, and highest percent of single female head of households). Zoe Heller of the US EPA Region 9's Communities and
Ecosystems Division, is responsible for the design and development of the Social Vulnerability Index data set.
Citation
Title Social Vulnerability Index, Arizona, 2011, US EPA Region 9
publication Date
2011-04-06
presentationForm
mapDigital
cited responsible party
-
originator
organisation Name
US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
cited responsible party
-
publisher
organisation Name
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
description Downloaded California, Arizona, Hawaii, and Nevadas SF3 data (ascii text file) from the US Census Bureau (http://www2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/Summary_File_3/)
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total number of linguistically isolated households, calculate percent of linguistically isolated households.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total population over 25 without a high school diploma, calculate percent of total population over 25 without a high school
diploma
description Query to create a table with just the relevant SF3 data.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Import the geo table from the ascii SF3 data into the SF3 template.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Summed the quartile scores together to get a Social Vulnerability Index Score (1-21)
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Imported to ArcMap and joined with existing census block group data.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total over 64, calculate percent over 64
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total minority population, calculate percent minority
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Used quartile function in Excel to identify quartile cut offs for each field. Assigned a zero to the least vulnerable quartile
for each field (lowest percent minority, least population under 18, least population over 64, least population over 25 without
a high school diploma, lowest percent of linguistically isolated households, lowest percent of single female head of households,
highest median household income). Assigned a 1 to the next quartile. Assigned a 2 to the next quartile. Assigned a 3 to the
most vulnerable quartile.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Export the data into excel. Each state separately.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Imported each states relevant SF3 data into Access including (SF3, P6), median household income (SF3, P53), percent population
younger than 18 years old and percent population older than 64 years old (SF3, P8), percent population older than 25 without
a high school diploma (SF3, P37), percent of linguistically isolated households (SF3, P20), percent single female head of
household with own children under 18 (SF3, P10), and (SF3, P1) total weighted population.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Create a field called STCO_BG that combines the state, county, tract and block group codes for each census tract.
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total under 18, calculate percent under 18
Processing Step
date and time 2011-02-18T00:00:00
description Sum total number of single female head of households with own children under 18 living in the home, calculate percent of single
female head of households with own children under 18 living in the home.
ConceptualConsistency
measure Description
Tests for integrity have not been performed.
Completeness Omission
measure Description
Features represented have not been tested for completeness
AbsoluteExternalPositionalAccuracy
measure Description
Data were collected using methods that have unknown accuracy (EPA National Geospatial Data Policy [NGDP] Accuracy Tier 10).
For more information, please see EPA's NGDP at http://epa.gov/geospatial/policies.html)