Data and Methods
The Bay Area Recovery Tracker draws from a mix of data sources. We rely on timely, nationally representative datasets and prioritize regularly updated data sources to provide a real-time snapshot of how communities are faring.
The dashboard draws on:
- The Census Household Pulse Survey from August 18, 2020, to October 2, 2023
- The monthly Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) Current Population Survey (CPS) data, which provides social and economic trends in the United States as well as pandemic-related findings
- Open source data from Bay Area counties on Covid-19 vaccination rates
- The State of California’s Employment Development Department data on county-level unemployment rates Zillow housing data on typical home values and observed market rate rent for given regions
- The Self-Sufficiency Standard created by the Insight Center’s Family Needs Calculator, which measures the base income necessary to afford basic expenses in California
- The 2019, 2020, and 2021 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) IPUMS data, which we use when more frequently updated data is not available through the other sources listed above
To ensure adequate sample sizes that allow us to disaggregate data by race/ethnicity, we sometimes combine monthly observations at the quarterly level or aggregated demographic groups to create broader categorizations. For several indicators on the dashboard, we combine race/ethnicity groups into an overarching people of color category in an effort to avoid reporting highly unreliable estimates. We highlight the various geographies available throughout the dashboard and provide data at the most localized level when possible.
Remote Work
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are defined as those below $50,000 in annual household income. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was from the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. This indicator is based on the question, “Working from home is sometimes referred to as telework. In the past 7 days, have any adults in this household teleworked?”
This indicator previously used the CPS Integrated Public Use Microdata series, but the question on remote work on this survey has since been discontinued.
Occupational Segregation
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, ipums.org; 2020 American Community Survey 5-year sample
The dataset’s universe includes civilian noninstitutional workers ages 16 or older; the universe for the total working age population includes all people ages 18 to 64. The term Latinx includes people of Hispanic origin of any race, and all other groups exclude people of Hispanic origin. Data is not available for some racial/ethnic groups due to insufficient sample size to produce reliable estimates. The collected data represents a 2015 to 2019 average.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is for the racial/ethnic composition of occupation groups to reflect the racial/ethnic composition of the total working-age population in that county. For example, Latinx workers make up 26 percent of the working population in Contra Costa County, but they only make up 15 percent of workers in management positions.
Loss of Employment Income
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are defined as those below $50,000 in annual household income. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was from the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. This indicator is based on the question, “Have you, or has anyone in your household experienced a loss of employment income in the last four weeks?”
The benchmark goal for this indicator is set to be aspirational so that no household should experience a loss of employment income.
Ability to Meet Basic Needs
The dataset’s universe includes civilian noninstitutional full-time wage and salary workers between the ages of 25 and 64. The term Latinx includes people of Hispanic origin of any race, and all other groups exclude people of Hispanic origin.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is to be aspirational so that all households can meet their basic needs. Earning enough to meet basic needs is defined by the Insight Center’s Family Needs Calculator for a household of two adults, one school-age child, and one preschool-age child in the county in which they reside.
Difficulty Covering Usual Expenses
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are those living in households with incomes below $50,000 per year. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was for the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is to be aspirational that no household in the Bay has difficulty covering usual expenses.
Unemployment Rate
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas Analysis of the State of California Employment Development Department Labor Force Data by Counties, labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/data/industry-employment-and-unemployment-rates-for-counties.html
The benchmark goal for this indicator is to be aspirational so that there is no unemployment.
Households Behind on Rent
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are those living in households with incomes below $50,000 per year. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was for the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is that no household should have rent debt.
Home-buying Affordability Ratio
The Zillow Home Value Index measure is a smoothed, seasonally adjusted measure of the typical home value and market changes across the region and housing type representing the typical home value for homes in each zip code in the 35th to 65th percentile range. Median family income is based on the Bay Area Equity Atlas’ analysis of the Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File and the 2021 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (adjusted for inflation). The home-buying affordability ratio is a ratio of the Zillow home value index to the median family income at the zip code level.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is for housing affordability to either be at or below zero.
Rental Affordability
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) is a smoothed measure of the typically observed market rate rent across a given region. The index computes the mean of listed rents that fall into the 40th to 60th percentile range for all homes and apartments in the region and is then weighted to reflect the rental housing stock. Median family income is based on Bay Area Equity Atlas’ analysis of the Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File and the 2020 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (adjusted for inflation). The typical yearly rental cost is calculated as the observed monthly market rate rent multiplied by 12, with the assumption that renters are signing a year-long lease. Rental affordability is calculated as the percentage of a median family income spent on yearly rental costs at the zip code level.
The benchmark goal for this indicator is to be less than a zero percent change in affordability (i.e., an increase in affordability) from January 2020 to September 2023.
Food Insufficiency
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are those living in households with incomes below $50,000 per year. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was for the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. This indicator is based on the question: “In the last 7 days, which of these statements best describes the food eaten in your household?”
The benchmark goal for this indicator is that no household should experience food insecurity.
Childcare Affecting Ability to Work
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are those living in households with incomes below $50,000 per year. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was for the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. This indicator is based on the survey question: “Which if any of the following occurred in the last four weeks as a result of childcare being closed, unavailable, unaffordable, or because you are concerned about your child’s safety in care?”
The benchmark goal for this indicator is that no household should have childcare that affects their ability to work.
Public School Enrollment
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of California Department of Education data on annual public school enrollment in kindergarten through grade 12, dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest
The public school enrollment benchmark is equivalent to the California public school kindergarten through grade 12 enrollment projections for the 2022 to 2023 school year: dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/public-k-12-graded-enrollment.
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Census Household Pulse Survey Public Use File; 2019 5-year data from the American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
We use a moving average that incorporates Pulse data collected from the current wave as well as the prior two waves. The variability in weeks included in the smoothing methodology is to account for an adequate sample size of 100 observations. This indicator is reliant on experimental data with smaller and more volatile samples than is typical of census-produced data, so the data should be used with caution. Low-income individuals are defined as those below $50,000 in annual household income. For regional analyses using the Pulse survey data, the only data available was from the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. These indicators are based on the questions: “Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by…Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge?” and “Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by…Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?”
The benchmark goal of the symptoms of anxiety and depression in comparison to the 2019 National Health Interview Survey. In 2019, eight percent of adults over 18 experienced symptoms of anxiety and seven percent of adults experienced symptoms of a depressive disorder nationally. Estimates can be found here: cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/mental-health-monthly-508.pdf.
Access to Quality Broadband
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, IPUMS USA, University of Minnesota, ipums.org; 2021 American Community Survey 5-year sample
The term Latinx includes people of Hispanic origin of any race, and all other groups exclude people of Hispanic origin. Low-income individuals are defined as those making under $75,000 for Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. In Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, low-income individuals make under $100,000. This indicator is based on whether the survey respondent or any members of their household subscribed to the Internet using broadband (high-speed) internet service, such as cable, fiber optic, or digital subscriber line (DSL) service.
The benchmark goal of access to quality broadband is to be aspirational so that all households have access to quality broadband.
Total Covid Cases
Data collection for this indicator has stopped due to a lack of data availability.
Covid Vaccination Rate
Source: Bay Area Equity Atlas analysis of California Department of Public Health data on Covid-19 vaccine progress data by zip code: https://data.chhs.ca.gov/dataset/covid-19-vaccine-progress-dashboard-data-by-zip-code