This morning, Scioto Analysis released a study on human development within the state of Ohio. Analysts analyzed and created a Human Development Index for both the nation and counties in Ohio and a demographic analysis of Ohio using data from the Global Data Lab, the American Community Survey, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Analysts found that the country as a whole has been trending positively in terms of human development. Each state has improved its human development index score to some degree over the past three decades. Ohio, itself, has improved from an index value of 0.87 to 0.91. However, when looking at the Midwest, Ohio has ranked in the bottom 25% for the past two decades.
Human development is calculated as a function of income, health, and education levels within the state, each given an equal weight. This measure is based on international standards of evaluating human development.
The data showed the negative the COVID-19 pandemic had on human development as every state saw a dip in its human development during 2020. This trend was similarly echoed in the data for Ohio counties.
Analysts created a 3-year time series of Ohio Counties’ HDI which, similar to the national trend, showed overall improvement over the 3 years. Counties in Southeastern Ohio had the lowest HDI while northwestern counties held some of the highest. Rural counties with low populations tended to have lower HDI scores than their metropolitan and suburban counterparts.
Delaware County, the suburban neighbor of the metropolitan Franklin County, consistently ranked as the highest county with HDI scores above 0.98.
Demographic measures of the HDI components also revealed interesting trends. Asian Ohioans had the highest percentage per population of attaining a bachelor’s degree or higher. African Americans living in Ohio consistently earned the lowest average income, nearly $30,000 less than their Asian counterparts who are the highest earners in the state. Hispanics in Ohio lived on average 2 years longer than White Ohioans and 4 years longer than African American Ohioans.
The report hopes to spur demand for strategic policy change that better addresses both the racial and geographic inequalities in Ohio and is a part of a larger project Scioto Analysis is conducting, looking into the well-being within Ohio.