Measures for Neighborhood Success

Every neighborhood has the opportunity to be unique and prosper. Thus, each neighborhood will have different metrics for success.

Communities Achieve What They Measure

Every neighborhood has the opportunity to be unique and prosper. Thus, each neighborhood will have different metrics for success. While overall, a city should measure progress with its citywide dashboard, we encourage neighborhoods to post a scorecard showing change in the progress they define wanting - and outwardly report the completion of the steps committed to action.  Here are some metrics that could be prioritized for neighborhood design and improvement.

  • Infant mortality

  • Preterm births

  • Voluntary pre-K enrollment

  • Kindergarten readiness

  • Free/reduced lunch

  • Cost of child care

  • High school graduation rate

  • College graduates

  • Labor force participation

  • Crime rate

  • ER visits for violence, accidents, poisonings

  • Reported child abuse and neglect cases

  • Number of arrest of minors

  • Alcohol, tobacco, drug arrests, overdoses, deaths

  • Convictions of mothers

  • Workforce participation of mothers

  • Single-parent households

  • Middle class households

  • Per capita income

  • Rent-burdened households

  • Population

  • Median workforce age

  • Overweight and obesity rate

  • Voter turnout

  • Economic impact of new developments

  • Housing demand rate by type

  • Percentage of housing units occupied

  • Percentage of commercial sq ft occupied

  • Number of new business startups

  • Percent completion of priority initiatives