Equity Tools and Data Sources


​Resources to Identify Key Indicators ​of Disparities in Health Outcomes
​Several national organizations have developed indices to track equity concerns geographically. The data provided in these indices may be sufficient for some communities to identify communities disproportionately at risk of negative health outcomes associated with lead exposure.
​
In addition to existing equity indices, considering the following types of information may be necessary to identifying households and/or neighborhoods at risk of disproportionate lead exposure. Many resources referenced below provide data across several indicators; as such, a resource may appear in multiple tables to reflect the different datasets available.
​
​Demographic Data
Demographic data refers to information such as age and number of people in a household, education, race and ethnicity, nativity, and other characteristics that describe a community. Demographic indicators of equity include metrics like:
  • Population/Age: Children are at high risk of negative health impacts associated with elevated blood lead levels.
  • Race/Ethnicity/Nativity: In the U.S., race is the number one indicator of elevated risk of health impacts directly related to environmental factors, including from lead exposure.
  • Education: Level of education can be indicative of opportunities available in a community; lower levels of education are often correlated with other factors that put households at higher risk of lead exposure and associated negative impacts.

There are national resources that provide community demographic datasets.

​Economic and Employment Status
Economic and employment status are common indicators used to assess disadvantaged communities in the United States. Employment, poverty, median income, and government assistance data can identify low-income areas within communities that can be prioritized in LSL replacement programs. National resources with regularly updated economic datasets are available.

Community Development Patterns
Patterns of development and infrastructure investment can indicate the level of prosperity in a community. Low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color have historically received inadequate investment in infrastructure and development. Development patterns can also be used to identify inequities, such as disproportionate risk of environmental lead exposure (e.g., drinking water, paint, soil, air pollution). Community development is best understood through engaging local experts like those engaged in community planning, but there are resources available that limited national insights or national insights that can be evaluated using local data.

Other Indicators
Other indicators may not be directly used to define a disadvantaged community per state definitions. However, they may point to larger systemic issues that create inequity in communities and can still help develop a prioritization plan for LSL replacement. ​

National Public Health Resources

Resource
Links
Description
National City of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) 
NACCHO's Health in All Policies (HiAP) funded by CDC is a collaborative approach that integrates and articulates health considerations into policymaking across sectors to improve the health of all communities and people. They provide examples and opportunities for implementing HiAP from local health departments.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
​The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network brings together health and environment data from national, state, and city sources to provide information on environments and hazards, health effects, and population health from various CDC involved programs. CDC provides funding for states and communities to develop health-based tracking programs.

Parameters such as drinking water, populations, and vulnerabilities and environmental justice can directly assist in (a) identifying important and relevant indicators in a water system’s census tracts; and (b) communities that might be prioritized based these indicators.
Climate XChange
​
​Climate XChange provides a memo and visualization tool that tracks the occurrence and characteristics of three procedural environmental justice policies across 24 U.S. Climate Alliance states by identifying:
  1. How each state defines an environmental justice community;
  2. Each state’s environmental justice mapping capabilities; and
  3. The existence of permanent environmental justice staff and/or advisory bodies in each state.
National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH)
NCHH is the pre-eminent national non-profit dedicated to securing healthy homes for all. They provide strategies and roadmaps for health departments which are applicable and transferrable to water systems for implementing an LSL replacement strategy to reduce and prevent lead exposure. Additionally, they provide resources and state and local examples to identify and track environmental health legislation and lead based programs across states and nationally.
Earthjustice
Earthjustice’s Better Lead Policy is an initiative that aims to combat childhood lead poisoning and focuses on low-income communities and communities of color. Their website provides information on best practices in eliminating lead poisoning, resources for conducting rental inspections to estimate age of houses, case studies of utilities that have a proactive rental inspection roadmap to assist in identifying and addressing LSL replacements, webinars and conference proceedings addressing equity in reducing lead exposure, and public outreach guidance.

Resources for Identifying Locations of Schools and Child Cares

​Young children are highly sensitive to negative health effects associated with lead exposure. The following table provides resources to help identify locations where children congregate, including child care facilities and schools, that may warrant higher priority in LSL replacement programs.
Resource and Data Available
Description
Pros and Cons
Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD)​
  • ​Number and location of childcare centers
  • Number and locations of public and private schools
​HIFLD provides national foundation-level geospatial data to support community preparedness and resiliency research. Open geographic information system (GIS) datasets are available for the locations of educational facilities, public health facilities, and childcare facilities to help identify where there may be high concentrations of children.
Pros
  • HIFLD data is available for download as CSV, KML, and Shapefile (ArcGIS) data use across many different platforms
Cons
  • ​Only raw data is available; significant analysis may be required to produce usable information for LSL replacement programs
ChildCare.gov
  • Links to state child care search websites and resources
​ChildCare.gov provides links to every state’s website listing licensed child care facilities.
Pros
  • ​Directs the user to their state’s websites for child care resources.
  • Each state has a database of licensed child care facilities
Cons
  • Communities may need to extract the facility locations and plot on their mapping system to identify concentrated areas
  • Each state provides data in different formats. Some may be more easily usable than others. 
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program
  • ​Percent of population ages 5 to 17
  • Percent of population under age 5
  • Number of families with children ages 5-17 in poverty
​The SAIPE program provides data on the number of children in school districts, counties, and states.
Pros
  • ​Datasets and visualizations provided at state and county level for all ages, and at school-district level for children between 5 and 17 years of age
  • Trends over time are presented graphically, and data is presented in maps as well as tables
​Cons
  • Additional analyses may be necessary to produce usable information for LSL replacement programs
  • Data at school-district level is only available for ages 5-17, data for children under 5 is county-level
U.S. Census Bureau
  • Children under 5
  • Children under 6, 6-11, and 12-17 years
  • Children in households receiving public assistance
​U.S. Census provides datasets by census tract on percentage of children in various age ranges.
Pros
  • Many datasets are available to allow for population analysis across many factors
  • Publicly available, and useful for all communities
Cons
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to parse out specific data needed to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
​U.S. Child Care Deserts 
  • ​Locations of child care facilities
​U.S. Child Care Deserts is a mapping tool provided by the Center for American Progress to identify areas with a high or low density of child care facilities.
Pros
  • Household-level visualization overlayed on Google Maps for availability of child care supply
  • Publicly available dataset
Cons
  • Raw data in the form of Excel, CSV, or text unavailable for further processing via U.S. child care deserts
  • Will require visually identifying locations on Google Maps to identify locations

Existing Indices

​Several organizations have developed indices to track equity concerns geographically. The table below highlights four such indices, which identify communities at increased risks for negative health impacts based on a variety of indicators. These indices may provide sufficient information to meet the state and local government or regulator requirements for identifying disadvantaged communities. They also may be used to identify inequities in specific communities that should be investigated in more detail.
Index
Description
Key Indicators Used in Analysis
​​EJSCREEN - Demographic Index
EJSCREEN is an environmental justice mapping tool that helps identify areas with people of color and/or low-income populations and increased environmental risk factors on a census-block scale nationwide. EJSCREEN overlays demographic indicators of inequity with environmental risk factors to identify locations at high risk of negative outcomes because of environmental factors. These data are also combined into an overall Environmental Justice Index score by census block. EJSCREEN can be used to identify high-priority communities for LSL replacement.
  • Percent low-income
  • Percent people of color
  • Less than high school education
  • Linguistic isolation
  • Individuals under age 5
  • Individuals over age 64
City Health Dashboard - Lead Exposure Risk Index
​The Lead Exposure Risk Index is a poverty-adjusted risk of housing-based lead exposure from LSLs, paint, and fixtures. Lead exposure risk is calculated based on when a house was constructed and the likelihood of lead exposure in housing from that era. The index combines lead exposure risk with information about the percentage of households living at or below 125% of the poverty level. Housing with potential lead risk and overall lead exposure can directly help in identifying areas to prioritize for LSL replacement.
  • Poverty
  • House construction year
Economic Innovation Group - Distressed Communities Index
The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines a variety of key indicators at zip-code level to understand the spatial distribution of U.S. economic well-being. The index combines seven socioeconomic indicators into a single score that depicts how economic well-being in a community compares to its peers. The DCI is calculated at four different levels of geography: zip codes, counties, cities, and congressional districts. Within each level, places are sorted into quintiles based on their performance on the index: prosperous, comfortable, mid-tier, at risk, and distressed. Areas with high DCI scores may be prioritized in equity-based LSL replacement programs.
  • Education (based on high school diploma cut-off)
  • Poverty Rate
  • Working Class (Adults Not Working)
  • Housing Vacancy Rate
  • Median Household Income
  • Employment
  • Establishments
​Centers for Disease Control Social Vulnerability Index
Social vulnerability refers to the ability of communities to survive and thrive when confronted by external stresses on human health. Reducing social vulnerability can decrease both human suffering and economic loss. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) uses U.S. census data to determine the vulnerability of every census tract based on 15 indicators and provides a score on a scale from 0 (lowest vulnerability) to 1 (highest vulnerability). Water systems can use the SVI to check if they are part of a Socially Vulnerable County to acquire funding for initiating LSL replacements for their local communities. 
  • Socioeconomic status (poverty, unemployment, income, and no high school diploma rates)
  • Household composition and disability status (aged 65 or older, aged 17 or younger, older than age 5 with a disability, single-parent households)
  • Minority status and language (minority, speak English “less than well”)
  • Housing type and transportation (multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle, group quarters)
Environmental Justice Index
​The Environmental Justice Index (EJI) gives a single environmental justice score to help identify census tracts in greatest danger of environmental hazards. The score pulls together data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Census Bureau to measure the cumulative impacts of environmental burden from a public health and equity perspective. The EJI can be used to identify areas that are most at risk from environmental hazards such as lead exposure and understand the unique factors driving these cumulative impacts. These areas can be prioritized as part of a LSL replacement program, and meaningful goals established around health equity that take into account these unique factors.
  • Social vulnerability (race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, household characteristics, housing type)
  • Environmental burden (air pollution, potentially hazardous and toxic sites, built environment, transportation infrastructure, water pollution)
  • Health vulnerability (high estimated prevalence of asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and poor mental health)

Community Demographics

Demographic data refers to socioeconomic information such as age and household makeup, education, race and ethnicity, nativity, and other characteristics that describe a community. Resources listed below provide information on the following key indicators of equity:
  • Population / Age / Household Size: Children are at high risk of negative health impacts associated with elevated blood lead levels.
  • Race/Ethnicity/Nativity: In the U.S., race is the number one indicator of elevated risk of health concerns directly related to environmental factors, including from lead exposure.
  • Education: Level of education can be indicative of opportunities available in a community; lower levels of education are often correlated with other factors that put households at higher risk of negative impacts associated with lead exposure.
Resource and
​Data Available
Description
Pros and Cons
U.S. Census Bureau
  • Household Size
  • Living arrangements
  • Age
  • Nativity
  • Education
The U.S. Census Bureau provides data population and household characteristics at census-block level. These data include living arrangements (i.e., married-couple family household, single householder), age and nativity of children under 18 years of age, age, sex, nativity, and many other demographic data.
Pros
  • Many datasets are available to allow for population analysis across many factors
  • Publicly available and useful for all communities
Cons
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to parse out data specifically needed to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
U.S. Census Bureau
  • ​Food Stamps/ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The U.S. Census Bureau provides county subdivision-level data on food stamps and supplemental nutrition assistance program use, broken down by household type (married couple with or without children, people over the age of 60, non-family households with or without children, etc.).​
​Pros
  • Population datasets for various demographics on county and sub-county level is available 
  • Publicly available and could be useful for all communities in understanding equity disparities within their community
Cons
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to parse out data specifically needed to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data 
  • Education
  • Hospitals
  • Nursing homes
  • Public schools
  • Child care facilities
  • Locations of child care facilities
HIFLD provides national foundation-level geospatial data to support community preparedness and resiliency research. Open geographic information system (GIS) datasets are available for the locations of educational facilities, public health facilities, and child care facilities to help identify where there may be high concentrations of at-risk populations.​
Pros
  • HIFLD data is available for download as CSV, KML, and Shapefile (ArcGIS) data use across many different platforms
Cons
  • Only raw data is available; significant analysis may be required to produce usable information for LSL replacement programs​
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • ​Race/ethnicity
  • Age
  • Disability status
The USDA provides profiles of SNAP households broken down by congressional district within each state. Data related to household characteristics, race, and work status is provided.
Pros
  • SNAP recipients must be below the set monthly income to qualify; SNAP receipt is indicative of many key indicators for LSL replacement prioritization
  • Breakdown by congressional districts provides data on rural, suburban, and urban areas
​Cons
  • Data is not available at city level; data may only clarify whether SNAP receipt is an appropriate indicator for LSL prioritization in a community
Economic Innovation Group
  • Race
  • Nativity
  • Education
The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines a variety of key indicators at zip-code level to understand the spatial distribution of economic well-being in the U.S. Data compares individual indicators to state and national averages.
Pros
  • Provides seven metrics across five tiers of communities with interactive maps and easily accessible data at U.S. zip-code level
  • Can aid in identifying risk factors relevant to individual communities for further analysis
Cons
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
​Center on Rural Innovation
  • Population and population change
  • Education​
The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) partners aims to support development in rural America. The Data for Action Map provides data to aid in defining rural communities across several criteria and compare to state and national averages.
Pros
  • Data resolution is at a neighborhood level and compares data across demographics, economy, housing, funding, and community assets through interactive maps
Cons
  • Data available only for rural areas.
  • Prioritization of communities based on racial equity, children ages at risk, and household size is not available

Economic and Employment Status

​Behind race, wealth and income are top indicators of inequity in the United States. Employment, poverty, median income, and government assistance data can identify low-income households within communities that may be prioritized in an LSL replacement program.
Resource and Data Sets
Description
Pros and Cons
​U.S. Census Bureau
  • Census poverty status viewer
  • Local employment dynamics
  • Income and poverty interactive tool
  • Opportunity Atlas
​The U.S. Census Bureau provides tools to assess equity in communities across the U.S. These tools are publicly available and provide economic and employment information based on analysis of census data, including assessments of wealth mobility.​
Pros
  • Data is publicly available and easily accessible
  • Many tools provide graphical visualizations of data
  • Many tools provide trends in data over many years
Cons
  • ​Data is primarily economic and not overlain with other indicators
U.S. Census Bureau
  • Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The U.S. Census Bureau provides county subdivision-level data on food stamps / supplemental nutrition assistance program use, broken down by household type (married couple with or without children, people over the age of 60, non-family households with or without children, etc.).​
​Pros
  • ​​Population datasets for various demographics on county and sub-county level is available 
  • Publicly available, and could be useful for all communities in understanding equity disparities within their community
Cons
  • ​Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to parse out data specifically needed to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
​U.S. Census Bureau
  • Cash assistance and social insurance use
  • Individual earnings
  • Household income
  • SNAP/Food Stamp benefits
  • Child poverty rates
  • Employment status
The U.S. Census Data Explorer is a comprehensive database of all publicly available data collected from the U.S. Census surveys. Data that can be used to identify low-income areas is provided at varying levels of detail (state, county, municipal, census block) and can be exported to comma-delimited files.​
Pros
  • Many datasets are available to allow for population analysis across many factors
  • Publicly available and useful for all communities
​Cons
  • Only raw data is provided and may require substantial analysis to produce useful information to the user.
  • The website user-interface can be confusing, and it can be difficult to navigate to data of interest.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  • Household income
  • Family worker status
  • Poverty
​The USDA provides profiles of SNAP households broken down by congressional district within each state. Data related to household characteristics, race, and work status is provided.​
Pros
  • ​SNAP recipients must be below set monthly income to qualify; SNAP receipt is indicative of many key indicators for LSL replacement prioritization.
  • Breakdown by congressional districts provides data on rural, suburban, and urban areas
Cons
  • ​Data is not available at city level; data may only clarify whether SNAP receipt is an appropriate indicator for LSL prioritization in a community
​Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program
  • Income by school district, county, and state
  • Poverty
​Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) program provides annual estimates of income and poverty statistics for all school districts, counties, and states.​
Pros
  • ​Datasets and visualizations provided for poverty rates and income at state and county level for all ages, and at the school-district level for children between 5 and 17 years of age
  • Trends over time are presented graphically, and data is presented in maps as well as tables.
Cons
  • ​​Additional analyses may be necessary to produce usable information or LSL replacement programs
​Economic Innovation Group - Distressed Communities Index
  • Poverty rate
  • Median household income
  • Employment
The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines a variety of key indicators at zip-code level to understand the spatial distribution of economic well-being in the U.S. Data is provided for individual indicators.
Pros
  • ​​Provides seven metrics across five tiers of communities with interactive maps and easily accessible data at U.S. zip-code level
  • Can aid in identifying risk factors relevant to individual communities for further analysis
Cons
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
​City Health Dashboard
  • Children in poverty
  • Housing cost, excessive
  • Income inequality
  • Unemployment
City Health Dashboard analyses publicly available government data (for example, U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, EPA) to provide information on measures of health and factors affecting health.
Pros
  • ​Data is easy to visualize and download
  • Data is frequently updated based on most recent surveys
  • High level of transparency in data sources and analysis methods
Cons
  • Only available for 500 cities; rural and small communities may not be analyzed
​National Equity Atlas
  • Median wages
  • Poverty
  • Unemployment
  • Income Inequality
  • Homeownership
The National Equity Atlas provides data across many indicators with the goal of advancing equity in all communities. The data provided track indicators of equity over time, including median wages, poverty, unemployment, income inequality, homeownership, and other economic factors. Data is available for the largest 100 cities in the U.S., 150 regions, and all states.
Pros
  • The website displays changes in metrics over time to allow for assessment of worsening trends
  • Indicators can be broken down by race, ethnicity, gender, ancestry, and nativity
Cons
  • Data is provided at city-scale for large metropolitan areas, so it is unlikely to be useful for rural or small communities
  • Data is presented in a graph rather than a map, so geographic visualization is not available
Center on Rural Innovation
  • Employment
  • Poverty rate
  • Median income
​The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) partners aims to support development in rural America. The Data for Action Map provides data to aid in defining rural communities across several criteria and compare to state and national averages.
Pros
  • ​Resolution is at a neighborhood level and compares data and across demographics, economy, housing, funding, and community assets through interactive maps
Cons
  • Data available only for rural areas.
  • Prioritization of communities based on racial equity, children ages at risk and household size not available​
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
  • Unemployment
  • Poverty
County Health Rankings are based on a model of community health that emphasizes the many factors that influence how long and how well a community and its residents live. The rankings use more than 30 measures that help communities understand how healthy their residents are today (health outcomes) and what will impact their health in the future (health factors).
Pros
  • ​Raw data, maps, and summary report available for each state and their counties from 2010-2021 for health outcomes and health behaviors​
Cons
  • Data resolution is limited to county level
  • Health measure cannot directly assist in identifying disadvantaged community hotspots in neighborhoods
  • Overall scores provided do not help to produce usable information for LSL replacement programs

Community Development Patterns

​Patterns of development and infrastructure investment can indicate the level of prosperity in a community. Communities with high housing vacancy rates and/or high percentage of rental units can indicate that disproportionate risk, as landlords may have less incentive than those occupying their homes to replace LSLs. Conversely, large investments in a community’s infrastructure are indicative of prosperity, growth, and a healthy community.
 Resource and Data Sets
Description
Pros and Cons
Center on Rural Innovation
  • ​Housing rent 
  • Housing vacancy
  • Funding, cash flows, and investments
  • Community access to internet and cable​
The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) partners aims to support development in rural America. The Data for Action Map provides data to aid in defining rural communities across several criteria and compare to state and national averages.
Pros
  • Resolution is at the neighborhood level and compares data across demographics, economy, housing, funding, and community assets through interactive maps
  • Provides data on community assets of broadband and fiber access. This may help identify areas with recent infrastructure investments
Cons
  • Data available only for rural areas.
  • Prioritization of communities based on racial equity, children ages at risk and household size not available
Economic Innovation Group
  • ​​​Housing vacancy rate
  • Change in number of commercial establishments
The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines a variety of key indicators at zip-code level to understand the spatial distribution of U.S. economic well-being. Data is provided at zip-code level for individual indicators and compares these factors to state and national averages.
Pros
  • Provides seven metrics across five tiers of communities with interactive maps and easily accessible data at U.S. zip-code level
  • Can aid in identifying risk factors relevant to individual communities for further analysis
​Cons
  • ​Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
​U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • ​Multifamily and single-family housing stock
  • Public and subsidized housing 
  • Community Development Block Grant activity
  • Community indicators
  • Rental assistance
  • Difficult development areas
​HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) provides access to original datasets regarding housing and development in communities. Data is provided as geographic information system (GIS) format and in spreadsheets.
Pros
  • Data is collected nationally, so data can be beneficial to all communities
  • Data is available in multiple formats for ease of use
Cons
  • Detailed raw data are provided but may require further analysis to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs 
​Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Community Investment Explorer 2.0
  • ​​Total funding
  • Funding in low- and moderate-income communities
  • Funding in communities that are predominantly of color
  • Use of funds by program
Community Investment Explorer (CIE) 2.0 explores community and economic development funding from 2012 to 2020 to study where capital is going, how equitably it is being distributed and what purposes it is serving. Lack of investments in community development can be indicative of larger systemic inequality and may be beneficial in identifying disadvantages communities.
Pros
  • National-level community funding information is available for communities receiving HUD funds
  • Interactive maps are provided for funding and capital flows among low-to-moderate-income communities and communities of color
  • Data is collected over the course of a decade so development trends can be assessed
  • Raw data available for download
Cons
  • ​High-resolution data for all neighborhoods is only available for St. Louis, Memphis, Louisville, and Little Rock
  • Detailed raw data and visualizations are provided but may require further analysis to produce useful information for LSL replacement programs
  • Funding and capital flows may not always be representative of existing infrastructure 

Other Indicators

​Many other indicators besides those listed above can be used to identify disadvantaged communities. Not all the following resources are directly related to such a status; however, they may point to larger systemic issues that create inequity in communities.
Resource and Data Sets
Description
Pros and Cons
​Public health agency databases​
  • Blood lead levels
​Many public health agencies, such as state health departments, keep data and statistics on locations where children are known to have elevated blood lead levels. This data may be beneficial.
Pros
  • Blood lead level data can be used to identify locations where a population are most at-risk of increased lead exposure (especially children).
​Cons
  • Data may not be publicly available
  • Data may not identify the main source of lead exposure 
Public health and community health data
  • ​Lifespan
  • Heart disease
  • Asthma
  • Other health indicators
​Many health organizations collect data regarding a variety of health indicators that can be show disparities in a community, such as lifespan. Communities with the worst health outcomes may warrant prioritization in an LSL replacement program.
Pros
  • Data can be used to identify populations at-risk of environmental health exposures
​Cons
  • Data may not be publicly available
Local drinking water system
  • Water bill delinquency 
​Water bill delinquency and a high frequency of water shutoffs can be a result of many factors that overlap with those used to identify disadvantaged communities (low-income, undocumented immigration status, non-homeowners). This data is likely accessible for most water systems.
Pros
  • ​High probability of access to data
  • House-by-house resolution
  • More likely to include communities that often have low representation in other survey and data-gathering methods
Cons
  • Assumptions can be derived from locations with bill delinquency, but likely require verification through other resources
​Local tax databases
  • ​Owner-occupied vs  tenant-occupied properties 
Local tax databases, often maintained by local planning and zoning departments, will provide data on homeownership and property rental trends. High homeownership and owner-occupancy rates can be indicative of greater wealth in a community. Additionally, landlords may be less inclined to pay for LSL replacement if they don’t live in the property without outside funding. 
Pros
  • High probability of access to data
  • House-by-house resolution
  • More likely to include communities that often have low representation in other survey and data-gathering methods
​Cons
  • Assumptions can be derived from locations with bill delinquency, but likely require verification through other resources
  • Differentiation between long-term rental properties and secondary residences used as vacation homes may not be possible.
​County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
  • Length and quality of life (assessment of premature deaths, poor or fair health, physical and mental wellness)
  • Health behaviors: alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diseases, obesity
  • Clinical care
  • Socio-economic factors: education, unemployment, poverty, crime
​County Health Rankings are based on a model of community health that emphasizes the many factors that influence how long and how well the community and its residents live. The rankings use more than 30 measures that help communities understand how healthy their residents are today (health outcomes) and what determinants will impact their health in the future (health factors).
Pros
  • ​Raw data, maps, and summary report available for each state and their counties from 2010-2021 for health outcomes and health behaviors
Cons
  • Data resolution is limited to county level
  • Health measure cannot directly assist in identifying disadvantaged community hotspots in neighborhoods
  • Overall scores provided do not help to produce usable information for LSL replacement programs
​U.S. Census Bureau
  • Response Outreach Area Mapper (ROAM)
The U.S. Census Bureau’s ROAM application identifies census tracts with low response scores to identify areas that may not be accurately represented in survey data. This application can help identify whether census data is an appropriate resource for data for specific communities.
Pros
  • Census-tract level data is available
  • Can help identify if special measures should be taken to effectively communicate LSL replacement programs
Cons
  • Some, but not all, census data is available in the viewer.
  • Does not provide recommendations for how to interact with hard-to-reach communities ​
​American Communities Project
  • Identification of communities based on similar demographics
​The American Communities Project studies the cultural, socioeconomic, and political changes across the county. Using 36 different indicators, counties are sorted into one of 15 “community types”, each with similar demographics, education, income, development, and other factors. This information can be used to help identify similar communities across the country and see if and how they are implementing equity analyses in their LSL replacement programs.
Pros
  • Provides a map of county-level qualitative and quantitative information on population type, income level, racial and ethnic diversity, etc.
Cons
  • Raw data on metrics not available for direct inclusion into LSL replacement initiatives
  • Resolution of data only available for county level, hence identification of inequities at a more local level is not possible