In order to identify subprime populations and the characteristics of their communities, Penta Group collated county- and state-specific data from sources including The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and The Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED). Below is an overview of the data sources and methodology used in building the Center for the New Middle Class’ Consumer Credit Digital Tool.

POPULATION

• Description: Total household population
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

ADULTS WITH CREDIT SCORES BELOW 660 (%)

• Description: Percentage of subprime population. The percentage of adults in a given county with credit scores below 660 was multiplied by the adult population of each county to estimate the number of adults with credit scores below 660 in that county.
• Source: Equifax/FRED
• Year: Q1 2022
• Link: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=409&eid=297904&od=2022-01-01#

  ZIP CODES

• Description: Zip codes in County
• Source: US Census Tiger
• Year: N/A (unchanged)
• Link: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/zctas.html

GEOMETRY FOR MAP

• Description: Polygon shape vectors for rendering in GIS tools
• Source: US Census
• Year: 2022
• Link: https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-line-file.html

MEDIAN INCOME (COUNTY)

• Description: Median household income per county
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

Median Income (state and national)

• Description: Median household income per state
• Source: FRED
• Year: 2021 CPI-U-RS Adjusted Dollar
• Link: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?eid=259515&rid=249

UNBANKED

• Description: Percentage of respondents in a given county that do not have a bank checking/savings account
• Source: US Census – FDIC survey
• Year: June 2019
• Link: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/techdocs/cpsjun19.pdf
• Notes: Question: HEB20. Do you (or anyone else in your household) have a checking or savings account now?

POPULATION WITH BACHELOR’S DEGREES

• Description: Population who have earned at least a bachelor’s degree. The percentage was calculated by dividing the number of people by the total population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

UNEMPLOYMENT

• Description: Percent unemployed. Total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (official unemployment rate). County-level percentages were calculated based on population data.
• Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Year: Jul/Aug 2022
• Link: https://www.bls.gov/lau/ (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs)
• Notes: (For Kusilvak Census Area, AK; Valdez-Cordova Census Area, AK; and Kalawao County, HI, data is from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2019)

POPULATION BY RACE (ASIAN)

• Description: Total Asian Population. The Asian population percentage was calculated as Total Asian population / Population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY RACE (BLACK)

• Description: Total Black Population. The Black population percentage was calculated as Total Black population / Population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY RACE (HISPANIC)

• Description: Total Hispanic Population. The Hispanic population percentage was calculated as Total Hispanic population / Population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY RACE (OTHER)

• Description: Total Population of Other or Mixed Ethnicity. The Other population percentage was calculated as Total Other population / Population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/
• Note: “Other” includes American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, persons of two or more races, and others.

POPULATION BY RACE (WHITE)

• Description: Total White Population. The White population percentage was calculated as Total White population / Population.
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY AGE (0-18)

• Description: Total population aged 0 to 17. The percentage was calculated as the Total Population aged 0 to 17 / Population
• Source:PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY AGE (18-25)

• Description: Total population aged 18 to 25. The percentage was calculated as Total Population aged 18 to 25 / Population
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY AGE (25-45)

• Description: Total population aged 25 to 45. The percentage was calculated as Total Population aged 25 to 45 / Population
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY AGE (45-65)

• Description: Total population aged 45 to 65. The percentage was calculated as Total Population aged 45 to 65 / Population
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/

POPULATION BY AGE (65+)

• Description: Total population over 65. The percentage was calculated as Total Population aged over 65 / Population
• Source: PopStats
• Year: Q4 2021
• Link: https://synergos-tech.com/popstats/