Overall Opinion of Neighborhoods for Householders Below Poverty in the Columbus MSA

Overall Opinion of Neighborhoods for Householders Below Poverty in the Columbus MSA: 1991

Householders in the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) are generally satisfied with the overall quality of their neighborhoods, according to the American Housing Survey in 1991. On a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best), 69.1% of all householders rated their neighborhoods an 8, 9 or 10 (best) overall, and only 4.7% rated their neighborhoods a 1, 2 or 3 (worst). For specific sub-populations, however, variation in satisfaction exists. Householders below poverty were less satisfied with their neighborhoods than were all householders in general. Only 52.1% of householders in poverty rated their neighborhoods an 8, 9, or 10 (best), and while 13.7% rated their neighborhoods a 1, 2, or 3 (worst). This lower satisfaction reflects the higher incidence of neighborhood problems reported by householders in poverty; 50.7% reported a neighborhood problem in 1991, compared to 41.4% of all Columbus MSA householders. The most frequently reported problem was other people (20.9% of householders in poverty), followed by crime (17.7%).

Overall Opinion of Neighborhoods for Householders Below Poverty in the Columbus MSA: 1991

             Columbus MSA          Below Poverty

Rating     Households      %    Households       %


1 (Worst)      9,800     2.0         4,200     7.9 
2              5,900     1.2         1,100     2.0
3             10,500     2.1         2,100     3.9
4              8,000     1.6         1,500     2.8
5             41,200     8.3         7,700    14.4
6             27,800     5.6         3,500     6.6
7             54,400    11.0         4,000     7.5
8            108,500    21.9         8,700    16.3
9             72,500    14.6         6,400    12.0
10 (Best)    156,900    31.7        14,200    26.6

Total        495,500   100.0        53,400   100.0

Neighborhood Problems Reported by Householders Below Poverty in the Columbus MSA: 1991

               Columbus MSA         Below Poverty

Problem      Households      %    Households       %


None            271,300   54.8        25,900    48.6

With Problem    220,800   44.6        27,000    50.7
  Crime          31,400    6.3         5,400    10.1
  Noise          34,500    7.0         3,800     7.1
  Traffic        42,600    8.6         4,200     7.9
  Litter/Hous'g
  Deterioration  31,100    6.3         4,300     8.1
  Poor Public
    Services     11,700    2.4         1,000     1.9
  Undesirable
  Land Uses      11,900    2.4         1,400     2.6
  People         88,100   17.8        13,000    24.4
  Other          44,200    8.9         5,400    10.1
  Not Reported    4,100    0.8           700     1.3

Note: Totals will not add up to 100% because more than one kind of category may apply to a household.

Source: American Housing Survey for the Columbus MSA, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Bureau of the Census

Filename: PS-012

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