Census data provides snapshot of all communities

A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my best friend’s house. He lived in a multi-generational household and his grandparents kept cable news on 24/7 (literally—the living room television was always on), which leaned conservative while their children leaned more toward liberal. This meant conversation around the dining room table usually devolved into political discussion. While opinions differed, at least one sentiment was shared: The idea that policymakers didn’t  fully understand their needs or were not able to hear them.       

This sentiment was common in the small rural community I grew up in. Small communities make up a large portion of Michigan. Despite this, it sometimes feels like the outsider’s perspective of Michigan boils down to Lansing, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, a nebulous concept called “up north,” and a collection of colleges, lakes and forests. It really is no wonder some communities may feel ignored or forgotten.  

Every year, the Michigan League for Public Policy publishes updated geographic fact sheets, which include information on local poverty rates, household income, educational attainment and much more. The data comes from the United States Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and the fact sheets are designed to be easy to read and use.

This election year, we hope policymakers will use these fact sheets to gain a better understanding of who they represent and the types of challenges their districts face. 

For example, when we think of someone renting an apartment, it’s not uncommon to imagine that person living in a city. While it’s true many renters live in more urban areas, it’s easy to forget people rent in rural counties such as Montmorency, where 54% of renters are cost-burdened—meaning they are paying more than 30% of their income in rent alone. That’s 14% higher than the state average! A cost-burdened family is more likely to experience difficulty paying for other expenses such as food and transportation, too.  

These fact sheets can also help identify groups within a community that need additional assistance. In the 106th Michigan house district, the poverty rate is 15%—2% higher than the statewide poverty rate. However, from the fact sheets, we can see 47% of all single-parent, female-led households in the 106th district are living in poverty. This puts it 11% higher than the statewide numbers, indicating single-parent households in this district need additional support or are facing barriers accessing existing support systems. With this knowledge, policymakers could make more informed decisions based on the needs of their constituents.      

We hope that policymakers will pair this data with other evidence—and most importantly, with what they’re hearing directly from folks living in their districts. 

And as candidates and leaders make the rounds this summer at community events, these fact sheets will also be a great tool for residents to use when advocating for policies and issues they care about.

At the League, we know that poverty is a policy choice and that these fact sheets are only one step in making policy and state budget decisions to help ensure that all people in Michigan are doing well and feel heard—whether they live in a city, in a suburb or on a farm.

View the new census fact sheets here.