Profile and Liveability Rating Data: New Mexico
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1. Important Information
2. Data Directory
3. Summary Statistics: USA and All States
3. Location Profile (Zipcodes+Counties+Cities/Towns)
4. Location Liveability Index and Rating (Zipcodes+Counties+Cities/Towns)
FOREWORD
Evidence-based strategic decisions likely increase the chance of success, unlock new opportunities and maximize long-term returns to investors, businesses and individuals.
CityDataUSA.com provides systematic assessment and comparison of key economic and social dimensions for all counties, cities/towns and zip codes in the United States of America, to facilitate individuals, investors, businesses and governments’ informed strategic decision making process.
This data report also intends to be useful data source for migrants who are finding the most suitable counties, cities and towns to live and work; as well as for American people to find the most promising areas to start their new endeavours.
THE CONCEPT OF LIVEABILITY INDEX AND RATING
The concept of living index or liveability is to measure the quality of life and wellbeing of residents across all counties, cities/towns and zip codes using neighbourhood level data and advanced analytical methods. Ultimately, it aims to answer the question: which counties, cities/towns and zip codes offer the most suitable conditions for investment, business and individual successes?
The rating of a county, city/town and zip code is based on its position on the distribution of scores in comparison with all locations. The key dimensions that directly and indirectly affect the quality of life and wellbeing are Housing, Employment, Education, Income, Socio-Economic Wellbeing, and Access to Transport.
THE METHODOLOGY
The USA Liveability Index and Rating is a composite measure of key social and economic dimensions of zip-codes, counties, cities and towns, including: Income, Education, Employment, Housing Conditions, Housing Affordability, Socio-Economic Wellbeing, and Access to Transport.
THE LIVEABILITY INDEX AND RATING
There are overall liveability index and seven dimensional indexes. The factors included in the dimensional indexes determine the quality of life/liveability (such as education, housing and employment), and business opportunities (such as households’ income).
In total, an extensive list of 35 indicators was included in the calculation of indexes and ratings:
The calculation of dimensional indexes and overall index follows four steps:
1. Rescaling original values of indicators to calculate scores (range: 0-100: higher score is better)
2. Calculating dimensional scores (range: 0-100: higher score is better)
3. Calculating overall score (range: 0-100: higher score is better)
4. Classifying the indexes and ratings using the calculated scores, including:
(i) Index/Percentile: the percentage of scores in its frequency distribution that is equal to or lower than it. For example, a score of an indicator that is greater than 75% of the scores of other locations is said to be at the 75th percentile, where 75 is the percentile rank or index.
(ii) Rating: the dimensional ratings and the overall rating are classified using the index/percentile rank. This rating method pays attention on the distance to the best performer/practice rather than the actual values of scores, as well as this method reduces the rating bias due to outlier values.
Index Rating % of locations
80-100 Excellent 20%
60-79 Very Good 20%
40-59 Good 20%
20-39 Fair 20%
0-19 Low 20%
The measurement units of indicators include absolute values (such as population and population density), and percentage values (such as percentage of children attending schools, percentage of households living in separate houses). To enable comparison between indicators and to include them in the dimensional indexes and overall index, they are transformed into a common scale between 0 and 100, where 0 is the least desired and 100 is the most desired.
Rescaled score=100*(Observed value-Minimum value)/(Maximum value-Minimum value)
The diversity of indicators means that the effect direction may be different: for example, lower is better for the percentage of households living in high density housing; however, higher is better for households’ income.
For those indicators that are better with lower values, the following formula will be used:
Rescaled score=100-100*(Observed value-Minimum value)/(Maximum value-Minimum value)
The final rescaled scores have the same effect direction: the higher score is more desirable than lower score.
LIVEABILITY INDEX AND RATING: TOPICS AND INDICATORS
EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment Rate (%)
In labor force - Civilian labor force (%)
Usually worked 35 or more hours per week (%)
Did not work (%)
Worked 27 weeks or more (%)
Worked 50 to 52 weeks (%)
Mean usual hours worked for workers (hours)
Workers 16 to 64 years who worked full-time, year-round (%)
INCOME
Total households - Median household income (dollars)
Total households - Mean household income (dollars)
Per capita income (dollars)
Median earnings for workers (dollars)
Ratio of income to poverty level of families in the past 12 months greater than 2 (%)
HOUSING CONDITIONS
Total housing units - Vacant housing units (%)
Total housing units - Median rooms (rooms)
Occupied housing units - No telephone service available (%)
Occupied housing units - occupants per room: 1.00 or less (%)
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
Owner costs as a percentage of household income: Housing units with a mortgage, 30% or less (%)
Owner costs as a percentage of household income: Housing units without a mortgage, 30% or less (%)
Rental costs as a percentage of household income: Housing units paying rent, 30% or less (%)
EDUCATION
Total: - Bachelor's degree or Higher (%)
Total: - No schooling completed (%)
Total: - 12th grade or Higher (%)
SOCIO-ECONOMIC WELLBEING
No workers in Households (%)
Percentage of families whose income is below the poverty level (%)
Percentage of people whose income is below the poverty level (%)
Total:- Speak English less than "very well" (%)
Families with Food Stamp/SNAP benefits in the past 12 months (%)
Own children of the householder under 6 years - All parents in family in labor force (%)
Own children of the householder 6 to 17 years - All parents in family in labor force (%)
Families with earnings (%)
Civilian noninstitutionalized population - With health insurance coverage (%)
Gini Index
ACCESS TO TRANSPORT
Occupied housing units - No vehicles available (%)
Occupied housing units - 3 or more vehicles available (%)
Mean travel time to work (minutes)