UNH Releases New Site For Up-To-Date Social Data On Counties And States In Northern New England

Contact: Erika Mantz
603-862-1567
UNH Media Relations

Aug. 31, 2005



DURHAM, N.H. – The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire has launched a new Web site that offers instant access to the most up-to-date data on population, income and poverty, employment, families and children, education, housing, health, and crime and safety for the three Northern New England states – New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.

This Web site at http://www.nneindicators.unh.edu is the first of its kind in Northern New England. It is modeled on similar sites – including the Northwest Area Foundation’s and Foundation for the Mid-South’s indicators sites – that have proven to be extremely useful for decisions makers in other regions of the United States. In addition to providing information by state, each state also is broken down by county. The site includes tables, charts and maps – including a “make-your-own map” function; comparisons can be made over time and across different places.

“We heard from the people in the field that quick access to this data in one place would be useful,” said Amy Seif, director of the institute’s Advancing Leadership for a Changing Region Program. “Organizations, researchers and others can save so much time and effort by going to the site to get information critical to their work instead of having to search for the data themselves, which can be a lengthy and frustrating process.” According to Seif, the Web site will be particularly helpful for nonprofit organizations in their grant writing and reporting, as well as university researchers, anyone making planning decisions at the local, state or regional level, and officials in town/city and county government.

“This site is a great complement to our Northern Forest Watch Index and will be a valuable resource to us as we update that report,” said Steve Blackmer, president of the Northern Forest Center in Concord. “In addition, the site will be a great tool for us and for our community partners as we develop a sustainable economic strategy for the Northern Forest region.”

Data presented on the Northern New England Indicators site come from a wide range of public sources. At the federal level, sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Labor, and Bureau of Economic Analysis. Some of the indicators – such as teen birth rates and mothers who receive late or no prenatal care – come from state sources.