Learn About Poverty
State & Local Data
2024 Low Income Needs Assessment
Community Action of Skagit County, working with the support of other service providers, local government and the private sector, produces a comprehensive community assessment for the following purposes:
- Explore and illustrate the dimensions of poverty in Skagit County;
- Provide a strategic planning tool for agencies, organizations and individuals seeking to confront poverty in Skagit County; and
- Present a locally significant and reliable study for use by local communities and funders and to attract resources necessary to combat poverty in Skagit County.
Community Condition Dashboard: Examining Homelessness in Washington
Housing and Homeownership is a critical condition that shapes the well-being of people in Washington. Housing instability contributes to high levels of stress as well as difficulty securing and maintaining employment. Unaffordable housing may also contribute to homelessness or overcrowding.
Homelessness is the lack of safe and stable housing. Trends and disparities in homelessness are important in order to understand the magnitude of our state, as well as the characteristics of people experiencing homelessness.
View the full report here.
National Low Income Housing Coalition: Out of Reach Housing Wage Gap
Out of Reach documents the significant gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing across the United States. The report’s central statistic, the Housing Wage, is an estimate of the hourly wage a full-time worker must earn to afford a modest rental home at HUD’s fair market rent (FMR) without spending more than 30% of his or her income on housing costs, the accepted standard of affordability. The FMR is an estimate of what a family moving today can expect to pay for a modestly priced rental home in a given area.
View the full report here.
COVID-19 Vulnerable Communities Data Tool
North Sound ACH has a new data tool to identify areas where individuals may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, and who may be more impacted by social isolation orders. This data dashboard was created to share information that organizations can use to ensure health equity, by focusing resources toward communities that may be more vulnerable due to health, social, or economic conditions.
The dashboard includes the five North Sound counties and the tribal nations in the region. Data included on groups at higher risk for severe illness due to age, health conditions, and pregnancy, and data about socioeconomic conditions, including income, healthcare access, and behavioral health
Peace Health 2022-2025 Community Health Needs Assessment
Every three years, each PeaceHealth location conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) as required by the 2010 Patient Care and
Affordable Care Act. Tax-exempt hospitals like Peace Health use the Community Health Needs Assessment to report current community needs, statistics and activities. They are also expected to develop an implementation strategy outlining their plans to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
2020-2021 Community Health Assessment
Data and our community feedback regarding the state of health in Skagit County..
Affordable Housing: A Priority for a Healthy Population
The availability, affordability, and accessibility of housing directly impacts the health of all Skagit County residents.
First 1,000 Days: A Call to Action
A child’s brain grows very quickly during the First 1,000 Days of life, starting before birth. Children raised in stable,supportive environments do better in school and grow into healthier, more productive adults.
Opioid Summary Report & Reccomendations
A public health crisis has hit our nation and our local community. Opioid-related deaths have now surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death. Former President Obama, the US Surgeon General and Governor Inslee have called for funding, policy development, planning, education and action to turn the tide. Skagit County has taken this moment, and the momentum created by national and state leadership, to analyze, collaborate and ultimately solidify a team of community leaders dedicated to taking steps to address this epidemic
Skagit Housing Inventory and Transportation Analysis Report
Expanding housing opportunities and creating more affordability is a growing concern in Skagit County. In 2010, the Skagit County Board of County Commissioners established an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to develop and recommend an affordable housing plan. The plan – Building a Skagit County Affordable Housing Strategy – was completed in 2012 and updated in 2016.
The Housing Inventory and Transportation Analysis, completed in 2017, is intended to build on the efforts of jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations to prove a more in-depth understanding of the local housing characteristics and affordability issues countywide
Reports & Tools from our Partners
United for ALICE
United For ALICE calculates the cost of household essentials for all counties in Washington. These costs, outlined in the Household Survival Budget, are calculated for various household sizes and compositions.
What is 2Gen?
Two-generation (2Gen) approaches build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and the adults in their lives together. The approach recognizes that families come in all different shapes and sizes and that families define themselves..
What is the Living Wage Calculator?
Families and individuals working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to meet minimum standards given the local cost of living. We developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region based on typical expenses. The tool helps individuals, communities, and employers determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living.