Title: Quality of Life in Los Angeles County; 2007 State of the County Report
Date: March, 2007
Author(s): United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Summary: This is the 2007 edition of the State of the County report. This year, we have incorporated a new feature: the Quality of Life Index. The index, based on 4 areas of economics, health, education, and public safety, is a 10 point scale, with a higher score indicating a higher quality of life. Some of the indicators that comprise the index include measurements of obesity, asthma, child poverty, student proficiency in math and reading, housing affordability, wages, air quality, violent crime, access to healthcare and more. With this index, policy makers, the public and the media will have a better understanding of where LA lies on key issues in comparison to the state and the nation, as well as better tools to address key problems.
Key Findings:
- The overall Los Angeles County Index is 7.32 on a 10 point scale, meaning that it is 73% where it should be overall, compared to a score of 8.08 for the state of California.
- More than 1 in 4 people live in poor households in LA County.
- Less than one third of 3rd graders in LA County scored at or above the national average for reading.
- High school students in LA County have a 60% probability of graduating with a diploma, compared to 72% for the state, and 90% for the nation.
- 53% of renters in LA County spend more than 30% of their income on rent, a percentage that is higher than the state (47%), and the nation (41%).
- 20% of Latino and African-American youth in LA County are obese or overweight compared to 9% of Whites and Asians.
- The violent crime rate in LA County is the lowest it’s been in a decade.
- The percentage of teachers that are fully credentialed in LA County has grown from 75% in 2000 to 89% in 2005.
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