Did you know there are over 170 different community indicators on Skagit County Trends - each updated throughout the year? But which ones, and when?
This issue of the Skagit County Trends blog lists some of the most recently updated indicators on the Skagit County Trends website.
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Recent Updates
In PEOPLE:
Most communities grow not by an increase of births over deaths but to people moving in from other places. Skagit County is no exception. Between 2023 and 2024, the county picked up over 1,400 newly moved in residents. That’s the highest number since immediately before the pandemic, when it stood at about 2,000. And in-migration was actually a bit higher than the population gain. This implies that the county experienced more deaths than births.
In AGRICULTURE:
Total Farms and Farms per 1,000 Residents
Since 2007, the number of farms in Skagit County has shrunk. The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 882 in the county, far below the peak of 1,215 in 2007. Compared to the state overall, however, the county is still “farm-rich”: 6.7 farms are present per 1,000 residents versus 4.2 for Washington.
Average Annual Earnings Agriculture
This measure is based on those agricultural workers who are part of the unemployment insurance pool. It is based on total reported earnings in the sector, divided by the number of people on the insurance roll. It doesn’t take into account full- versus part-time workers.
For 2023, average annual earnings were a bit above $42,000. This represents a decline from 2022. Skagit County’s result is slightly higher than the average of agricultural workers statewide.
In ECONOMIC VITALITY:
Share of Wages in the Top-5 Sectors Paying the Most in Total Wages
Like most counties in Washington, Skagit County’s economy rests on 20 large groups of industries, or sectors. This indicator tracks how much of all wages paid, excluding sole proprietors, the highest-paying sectors claim. It is one way of examining the structure of the economy.
The top 5, in order, are: government, manufacturing, retail, construction and healthcare. In 2023, they claimed about 70% of all wages paid in the county.
New Business Applications & Annual Growth Rate
Nearly all communities welcome business start-ups. They bring many advantages, not the least of which is replacing those firms that go out of business. This measure, a new one in the Trends, doesn’t track new firm births exactly, but should closely approximate them. (Some applications may never be realized as businesses.)
In 2023, nearly 1,300 applications were filed within the county, a record behind 2021.
In EDUCATION:
Total and Share of Students with Regular Attendance (averaging fewer than two absences per month)
A core element of student success is, not surprisingly, showing up for class. This indicator measures the number of students with “regular” attendance (2 or fewer absences/month). As is abundantly clear from the graph, regular attendance in the county’s K-12 districts plunged during the early pandemic and has yet to recover.
For school year 2022-23, less than 2/3 of public-school students showed regular attendance.
Share of Students Meeting Math Standards as Measured by the Smarter Balance Assessment (SBA)
Assessment in core subjects give students, teachers, school officials and families a sense of how much has been learned over the prior academic year. The Smarter Balanced Assessment rests on the national “Common Core” set of expected knowledge. It is given for English Language Arts as well as math.
As was the case with attendance, the pandemic dealt a blow to performance of math grade level mastery for 4th and 10th graders. While there has been some recent recovery, the scores are considerably below pre-pandemic levels.
In ENVIRONMENT:
Air Quality Days by Severity Level
Good air is essential to thriving life. Yet air can be impaired in a variety of ways, from human sources (industry, transportation) and natural sources, such as forest fires. The EPA continuously tracks air quality for most communities, collecting data on ground level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM). The agency then classifies a 24-hour period (day) as good, moderate, or unhealthy.
For 2023, Skagit County tallied 336 good air quality days. This was a better result than Snohomish or Whatcom Counties.
In HEALTH:
Recipients of Opioid Prescriptions per 1,000 Residents
Opioids find their way into humans legally via prescriptions or illegally, via street drugs. In light of the scandals of prescription opioid abuse, Washington State Department of Health has been tracking total prescriptions by county, by quarter, for several years. This indicator converts the count into a per person rate.
Clearly, those state efforts are succeeding, as the most recent rate (Q2 2023) is about one half of the rate a decade ago.
In POPULATION HEALTH TRUST:
Share of Youths Self-Reporting Feeling Sad or Hopeless (Depressive Feelings)
The importance of mental health is increasingly put on a par with physical health. This is widely followed measure from the Washington Department of Health’s Healthy Youth Survey. It asks, by grade level, of public-school students whether these feelings were present in half of the preceding month.
The 2023 survey showed the lowest rates in a decade for Skagit County youth.
updated 9.5.24
New Intern Features
Drew Dillon
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Major: Economics and Business System Analytics
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Find a good job in a new city
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: The actual work for sure. What I do for The Insitute does not feel like work most of the time. I enjoy solving the puzzles that come with data analysis and there are lots of puzzles to be solved here. I also really enjoy the people I work with. Dr. Cullen and Dr. Jones are amazing, as well as my fellow interns. We make a great team.
Kellan Burns
Hometown: Spokane, Washington
Major: Computer Science
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Start a career as a software developer
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far: My favorite thing so far is seeing the real-life meaning of our work. The data we collect often tells a different story from what people expect, and I think it makes people look at the world a bit differently. I've already learned lots here, and I'm excited for this year with Dr. Jones, Dr. Cullen, and the other interns at The Institute.
The full list of Skagit County Trends can be found here.