Foster the Region's Business Climate and
Prospects for Sustainable Growth

Total Number of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Sites on the Lower Connecticut River and Tributaries

Description:

As quoted from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, “Combined sewer overflows, or CSOs, were built as part of sewer collection systems that were designed to carry both sewage and storm water in the same pipe. When there is not a lot of storm water, this mix is transported to a wastewater treatment plant where it is processed. However, after heavy rainfall or snowmelt, storm water and sewage overload the system. Without CSOs, this mix would back up into homes, businesses, and public streets.  Combined sewer systems have regulator structures that allow overloaded systems to discharge into rivers, lakes and coastal areas subjecting them to higher pollutant loads. This can compromise a water body's uses and lead to water quality violations in the receiving waters.”  Throughout the Pioneer Valley, the total number of CSO sites on the Connecticut River has decreased from 68 to 59 between 2007 and 2008, representing a 13.2% reduction.  Between 2006 and 2007, Hampshire County eliminated its remaining CSOs.  Between 2007 and 2008, Franklin County eliminated its remaining three CSOs, and Hampden eliminated six CSOs.

Data Source: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating -13.2%

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Amount of Non-School Local Aid Per Capita Received by the Region's Cities and Towns

Description:

The amount of non-school local aid includes all aid that a town receives for purposes other than education.  This includes the following sources: Lottery, Additional Assistance, Local Share of Racing Taxes, Regional Public Libraries, Police Career Incentive, Urban Revitalization, Veteran’s Benefits, Exemptions for Veterans, Blind and Surviving Spouses, Exemptions for the Elderly, State Owned Land, and Public Libraries.  In the Pioneer Valley, the per capita non-local school aid remained the same between 2008 and 2009.  Hampden County saw no change, while Franklin County had an increase of 1.2% and Hampshire County experienced a slight decrease of 0.9 percent.

Data Source: Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Cherry Sheets

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating 0.0%

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Rate of Property and Violent Crimes Reported

Description:

Property and violent crimes consist of the following crimes: Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter, Forcible Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny-Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson.  The rate of property and violent crimes reported in the Pioneer Valley decreased between 2007 and 2008 from 3.6 to 3.5 crimes reported per 100 people representing a -2.8% change.  This improvement was not found universally across the region.  While Hampshire and Franklin counties actually both experienced significant increases (4.5% and 15.0% respectively), Hampden County decreased by 4.7 percent.

Data Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating -2.8%

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Percentage of Housing Units that are Owner-Occupied

Description:

Percentage of Housing Units that are Owner-Occupied includes all types of housing units and is calculated by dividing the number of owner-occupied housing units by the total number of housing units in the region.  Between 2007 and 2008, the percentage of housing units in the Pioneer Valley that were owner-occupied increased by 1.6% (from 64.4 to 66.0 percent).  This increasing trend of ownership was true across all three counties with Franklin County experiencing the largest increase (2.2 percent).

Data Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 and 2008 American Community Survey

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating 1.6%

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Percentage of Owners with Mortgages Paying more than 30% of Their Income on Selected Monthly Owner Costs

Description:

According to many government agencies, people who pay more than 30% of their income on housing costs are considered to be housing cost burdened.  The U.S. Census Bureau provides estimates on this statistic based on a survey of a sample of the population with the American Community Survey.  Data for this indicator includes all home owners who have mortgages.  Monthly owner costs include payment for mortgages, real estate taxes, various insurances, utilities, fuels, mobile home costs, and condominium fees.  Between 2007 and 2008, the percentage of home owners in the Pioneer Valley who were housing cost burdened increased from 24.7% to 38.1% (representing a 13.4% change).  This significant increase in the percentage of home owners who were housing cost burdened was consistent in all three counties with Hampden County seeing the smallest increase (12.6%), while Hampshire County and Franklin County saw more significant increases of 14.7% and 15.4% respectively.

Data Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 and 2008 American Community Survey

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating 13.4%

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Percentage of Renters Paying more than 30% of Their Income on Rent

Description:

According to many government agencies, people who pay more than 30% of their income on housing costs are considered to be housing cost burdened.  The U.S. Census Bureau provides estimates on this statistic based on a survey of a sample of the population with the American Community Survey.  Between 2007 and 2008, the percentage of renters in the Pioneer Valley who were housing cost burdened increased from 50.9% to 53.8% (representing a 2.9% change).  This trend of increasing housing cost burden was true in Hampden County which had a 5.8% increase.  However, both Hampshire and Franklin counties showed an opposite trend; they experienced decreases in the percent of renters who were housing cost burdened with changes of -3.5% and -3.6% respectively.

Data Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 and 2008 American Community Survey

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating 2.9%

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Median Sale Price of a Single Family Home

Description:

Single family home sales include all transfers over $1,000 classified by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue with a 101 use code.  Between 2008 and 2009, the median sale price of a single family home in the Pioneer Valley decreased 4.7% from $192,301 to $183,342.  This decreasing trend was found throughout the region with all three counties experiencing decreases. Hampden and Franklin counties experienced the most significant decreases (5.3% and 4.4% respectively) while Hampshire County’s decrease in median sale price was slightly smaller representing a drop of 3.1 percent.

It would be remiss not to note that while the decrease in the cost of home sales is a positive trend long term in the context of an economic development desire for more affordable housing in the region, the marked decrease in home sale prices in 2009 is indicative of the negative occurrence of a major crisis in the housing market nationally.  In the short term, of course, this might be more likely to be interpreted as a negative trend.  Indeed, this year, when examining the previous two indicators referring to renter and homeowner affordability, this extreme drop in home prices has corresponded with a larger percentage of residents in the region being housing cost burdened.  As one might expect, after two years of extreme declines in home sale prices, this increase in housing cost burden is especially true with homeowners.

Data Source: The Warren Group

Indicator Trend Percent Change Rating -4.7%

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Building Permits Issued for New Residential Construction

Description:

Between 2007 and 2008, the number of buliding permits issued for new residential construction in the Pioneer Valley decreased 32.3% from 705 to 481 permits.  This decreasing trend was found throughout the region with all three counties experiencing decreases. Hampshire and Franklin counties experienced the most significant decreases (63.0% and 42.7% respectively) while Hampden County’s decrease in number of building permits issued for new residential construction was slightly smaller, representing a drop of 21.8%.

Data Source:

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