SEAP DATA HUB
TRACKING DEMOGRAPHICS, ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Welcome to the data that powers the SEAP data dashboards! The dashboards contain demographic and economic information about, and for, people in the South. You can see highlights from each state in the interactive table below. Access each state’s dashboard by clicking the link at the bottom.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Alabama:
- Alabama’s Population Grew 5.1% Since 2010, Surpassing 5 Million
- Population – 5,024,279
- Housing Units – 2,288,330
- 1 in 5 Alabamians below the poverty line are without health insurance.
- As of May 2022, Alabama has fully vaccinated 2,517,102 people for COVID-19, roughly 51.3% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Arkansas:
- Arkansas Population Grew Topped 3 Million in 2020
- Population – 3,011,524
- Housing Units – 1,365,265
- 1 in 5 children under 18 years old live in poverty.
- As of May 2022, Arkansas has fully vaccinated 1,651,201 people for COVID-19, roughly 54.7% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Florida:
- Florida was Third-Largest State, in 2020, with a Population of 21.5 Million
- Population – 21,538,187
- Housing Units – 9,865,350
- Over 2.6 million Floridians are without health insurance.
- As of November 30, 2021, Florida has administered 38,559,025 COVID-19 vaccinations.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Georgia:
- Georgia Among Top Five Population Gainers Last Decade
- Population – 10,711,908
- Housing Units – 4,410,956
- 13.2% of Georgians are without health insurance.
- As of May 2022, Georgia has fully vaccinated 5,842,312 people for COVID-19, roughly 55% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Kentucky:
- Kentucky Population Topped 4.5 Million in 2020
- Population – 4,505,836
- Housing Units – 1,994,323
- Almost 1 in 5 children under 18 years old live in poverty.
- As of May 2022, Kentucky has fully vaccinated 2,573,305 people for COVID-19, roughly 57.6% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Louisiana:
- Population – 4,657,757
- Housing Units – 2,073,200
- 19% of Louisianians live in poverty.
- As of May 2022, Louisiana has fully vaccinated 2,495,167 people for COVID-19, roughly 53.7% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Mississippi:
- Mississippi’s Population Declined 0.2% in 2020
- Population – 2,961,279
- Housing Units – 1,319,945
- Over 1 in 5 Mississippians below the poverty line do not have health insurance.
- As of May 2022, Georgia has fully vaccinated 1,548,439 people for COVID-19, roughly 52% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for North Carolina:
- North Carolina Gained Around 900,000 in Population Last Decade
- Population – 10,439,388
- Housing Units – 4,708,710
- Over 1 million North Carolinians do not have health insurance.
- As of May 2022, Georgia has fully vaccinated 6,484,903 people for COVID-19, roughly 61.8% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for South Carolina:
- South Carolina Gained Almost Half a Million People Last Decade
- Population – 5,118,425
- Housing Units – 2,344,963
- 1 in 5 South Carolina residents below the poverty line are without health insurance.
- As of May 2022, South Carolina has fully vaccinated 2,951,390 people for COVID-19, roughly 57.3% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Tennessee:
- Tennessee Population Neared 7 Million in 2020
- Population – 6,910,840
- Housing Units – 3,031,605
- Nearly 1 in 10 Tennesseeans do not have health insurance.
- As of May 2022, North Carolina has fully vaccinated 3,738,091 people for COVID-19, roughly 54.7% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for Virginia:
- Virginia Adds More Than 600,000 in Population Since 2010
- Population – 8,631,383
- Housing Units – 3,618,247
- 15% of children under the age of 5 live below the poverty level.
- As of May 2022, Virginia has fully vaccinated 6,281,654 people for COVID-19, roughly 73.6% of the population.
Key state-level 2020 Census results for West Virginia:
- West Virginia’s Population Declined 3.2% from 2010 to 2020
- Population – 1,793,716
- Housing Units – 855,635
- 15% of children under the age of 5 live below the poverty level.
- As of May 2022, West Virginia has fully vaccinated 1,036,034 people for COVID-19, roughly 57.8% of the population.
ARP LOCAL FUNDS TRACKER
As part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) provides unprecedented direct assistance to every community in the US, totaling $130 billion. The SEAP developed this dashboard to collect real-time data tracking how local leaders plan for and spend SLFRF funds.
SURVEYS
Along with publishing its own surveys to collect various data, SEAP also partners with organizations across the South to canvass communities regarding current public policies within the region.
The poverty rate in Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee all exceed 14%, with Louisiana having the highest rate at nearly 20%. Helping to change this narrative are large Federal investments like the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). SEAP conducted a survey throughout February and March 2023 to gain insight into food-insecure residents’ challenges and how they would like their leaders to address them with federal funding. SEAP received more than 1,600 responses to our survey. This report builds on the SEAP 2021-2022 American Rescue Plan (ARP) Community Needs Survey, which SEAP promoted in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The results are similar, with affordable housing and utilities as top challenges, although food security is now a top concern for respondents.
The Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) is working to help communities access COVID recovery funding that is being distributed through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP). We want your input about what your community needs and where you want to see funds spent so that community leaders and elected officials hear your voice. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. All responses will be kept secure and anonymous (email not required).
In September 2021, Data for Progress, in collaboration with the Southern Economic Advancement Project and Groundwork Collaborative surveyed 2,222 registered voters in the Southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. We find that voters in these 12 states broadly support investments in health care and community services, and are concerned by climate change. We also find that the pandemic-related economic crisis and climate change have had a negative impact on workers and families throughout the South, illustrating how crucial these investments are to helping people recover from the pandemic and build healthier, more resilient communities.
PerryUndem, a nonpartisan research firm, commissioned a statewide survey to gain a deeper understanding of how Georgia residents feel about their state, challenges in their communities and on a personal level, and policy priorities. Conducted May–June 2022, the poll reveals widespread challenges and concerns among Georgians and their support for state policy actions that would expand opportunities.
PerryUndem, a nonpartisan research firm, commissioned a statewide survey to gain a deeper understanding of how North Carolina residents feel about their state, challenges in their communities and on a personal level, and policy priorities. Conducted May–June 2022, the poll reveals widespread challenges and concerns among North Carolinians and their support for state policy actions that would expand opportunities.
FAQS
SEAP has a number of different resources on demographics (data like age and race) and economic indicators (median income, health insurance coverage rates, and similar data), and visualizations to better understand American Rescue Plan spending at the local level. Some or all of this data is available for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Demographics and Economic Indicators can be found in our Tableau visualization.
- Details about the data and dashboard visualization is also available here.
- Demographic and economic indicator datasets are available here.
ARP Community Needs Survey – Launched in November 2021, the SEAP surveyed nearly 4,000 food insecure households in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana through the Propel application. SEAP’s findings revealed challenges for both individual residents and whole communities. Our team also gathered feedback on how respondents would like their local leaders to prioritize ARP funds in their communities. This information is available on our dashboards or you can view the full report.
ARP Spending Tracker – As part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) provides unprecedented direct assistance to every community in the US, totaling $170 billion. The ARP Local Funds Spending Tracker collects real-time data tracking how local leaders are planning for and spending SLFRF funds.
Data will be updated periodically, as sources are updated. Demographics are updated annually, while other indicators vary.
The ARP survey data is updated monthly.
If you’re following American Rescue Plan (ARP) engagement and spending, SEAP has data for you!
Our ARP Community Survey identifies challenges Southerners are experiencing as a result of the pandemic. In addition, the survey seeks to provide more insight into where residents want local leaders to prioritize ARP spending in their communities. Local activists and organizers can also use the data to bring the community’s voice to the table.
As part of the ARP, the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) provides unprecedented direct assistance to every community in the US, totaling $170 billion. The ARP Local Funds Spending Tracker collects real-time data tracking how local leaders are planning for and spending SLFRF funds.
No worries! SEAP has a data training that provides step-by-step instructions for our resources.
Email SEAP’s Data Director – info@theseap.org
OTHER RESOURCES
The Tableau Foundation continues to deliver on their commitment to support organizations that are working to do good. Now they have created a streamlined advocacy enablement tool for foundation grantees, small and medium sized non-profits, organizations, and individuals engaged in community and systems advocacy. This tool was produced as a response to a series of meaningful listening sessions that identified the challenges to finding, accessing, and using data.
If you’ve had challenges with locating or incorporating data into your storytelling, this tool will be a big help for you and your team. Have you ever wanted guidance on analyzing data? Need help activating data-driven advocacy? Want great visualizations that will impact and persuade your various audiences? It is now possible and free of charge. You can get started today.
Access it here.
P2P offers a comprehensive overview of the COVID-related impacts on our lives and livelihoods, governments, civic institutions, and overall well being.
History has shown that large-scale crises accelerate pre-existing trends, exacerbate inequities, and permanently change societies and civic life. Large scale disasters produce an enormous break in the status quo followed by continuous change. Crises drive up the demand for data as decision makers grapple with understanding rapidly changing conditions. Objective data is needed to ensure that recovery efforts in the months and years ahead lead to a more just and equitable society. Pandemic to Prosperity offers a comprehensive overview of the COVID-related impacts on our lives and livelihoods, governments, civic institutions, and overall well being.
https://www.pandemictoprosperity.org
A civic ecosystem has been burgeoning for decades in the South, and it offers a path to turn the tragedy of this pandemic into an opportunity to build prosperity and progress for all. Data and civic engagement will be critical. Together, the Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) — which works to lift up policies that address particular vulnerabilities in the South — and Fair Count — whose work focuses on strengthening pathways to continued civic participation — partnered with the National Conference on Citizenship to document the state of the South during the pandemic. State and local governments prioritizing projects for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) can use these findings to target disparities that ultimately undermine community resilience.
The Prosperity Now Scorecard is a comprehensive resource featuring data on family financial health and policy recommendations to help put all U.S. households on a path to prosperity. The Scorecard equips advocates, policymakers and practitioners with national, state and local data to jump-start a conversation about solutions and policies that put households on stronger financial footing across five issue areas: Financial Assets & Income; Businesses & Jobs; Homeownership & Housing; Health Care and Education.
Southeastern Affordable Housing Tracker
The availability of stable and affordable housing in quality neighborhoods can provide households the opportunity for economic mobility and resilience and be a competitive advantage for communities seeking to attract and retain employers. However, low- and moderate-income renters are limited in the rents they are able to afford and therefore, the housing choices they have. This tool provides estimates of the location and share of renter households that pay unaffordable rent across the Southeast. It can also be used to understand market-level gaps in available rental housing stock at various income levels and geographies.
Access the tracker here.
While poverty and economic insecurity are too high across the country, some parts of the nation fare better than others. Use the interactive map to learn more about the economic health of your state and congressional district across a variety of indicators.
Learn how the federal government has responded to the pandemic. PRAC shows data on where pandemic program funding money was spent. The committee of 21 Inspectors General, along with our other law enforcement partners, uses the data you’ll find on our website along with other data to detect and combat fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of any pandemic-related programs and funding.