Secondary 2018 WILKES COUNTY Data, Community COMMUNITY HEALTH Health NEEDS ASSESSMENT Survey and Stakeholder Survey Wilkes County Health Department, Report Wake Forest Baptist Health Wilkes Medical Center, and The Health Foundation, Inc. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables and Figures .........................................................................................................11 Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................16 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................17 Assessment Methodology .........................................................................................................18 Chapter One: Demographic Data .............................................................................................20 Population Characteristics .....................................................................................................20 General Population Characteristics ....................................................................................20 Population by Township .................................................................................................20 Population Growth ..........................................................................................................21 Birth Rate .......................................................................................................................22 Population Density .........................................................................................................22 Race and Ethnicity .............................................................................................................23 Race and Ethnicity by Township .....................................................................................23 Age ....................................................................................................................................24 Age Distribution of the Latino Population ........................................................................26 Age by Township ............................................................................................................26 Elderly Population ..............................................................................................................27 Population Speaking Limited English .................................................................................29 Linguistic Isolation ..........................................................................................................29 Special Populations ...........................................................................................................29 Military Veterans .............................................................................................................29 Blind/Visually Impaired Population ..................................................................................31 Special Needs Registry ..................................................................................................31 Civic Engagement .................................................................................................................32 Electoral Process ...............................................................................................................32 Registered Voters ...........................................................................................................32 Voter Turnout .................................................................................................................32 Community Services and Organizations ................................................................................33 Law Enforcement ...............................................................................................................33 Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office ........................................................................................33 Police Departments in Wilkes County .............................................................................33 Wilkesboro Police Department ....................................................................................33 North Wilkesboro Police Department ..........................................................................33 Fire Departments ...............................................................................................................35 Community Resources .......................................................................................................36 2 Chapter Two: Socioeconomic Data ..........................................................................................38 Economic Climate .................................................................................................................38 Tier Designation .................................................................................................................38 County Revenue Indicators ................................................................................................38 Income ...............................................................................................................................39 Employment .......................................................................................................................39 Employment by Sector ...................................................................................................40 Largest Employers .........................................................................................................41 Travel for Employment ...................................................................................................41 Modes of Transportation to Work....................................................................................42 Public Transportation in Wilkes County .......................................................................43 Unemployment ...................................................................................................................44 Poverty ..............................................................................................................................45 Poverty by Race .............................................................................................................45 Poverty by Age ...............................................................................................................46 Children Receiving Free or Reduced-price School Lunch ...............................................47 County Economic Service Utilization ..............................................................................48 Housing .................................................................................................................................50 Affordable Housing ............................................................................................................51 Homelessness ...................................................................................................................51 Households ...........................................................................................................................52 Single-Parent Families .......................................................................................................52 Grandparents Responsible for Minor Children ...................................................................53 Child Care .............................................................................................................................55 Child Care Facilities ...........................................................................................................55 Education ..............................................................................................................................56 Higher Education ...............................................................................................................56 Primary and Secondary Education .....................................................................................56 Schools and Enrollment ..................................................................................................56 Educational Attainment ...................................................................................................58 Educational Proficiency ..................................................................................................58 Educational Expenditures ...............................................................................................59 High School Drop-Out Rate ............................................................................................59 Graduation Rate .............................................................................................................60 School Crime and Violence ................................................................................................60 Crime and Safety ...................................................................................................................63 3 Crime Rates .......................................................................................................................63 Other Criminal Activities .....................................................................................................64 Juvenile Crime ...................................................................................................................65