This section is provided to help you make the most of the ACT Rochester website. There are three topics that can be reached by clicking on the headlines below:

Guide to the ACT Rochester Website.

About the Data.

Glossary of Terms.


1. Guide to the ACT Rochester Website

The ACT Rochester website is rich with information. Many of the indicators are provided in both text and graphic format. Detailed information and trend summaries also are available. Some users will want quick reference information, while others will want more detail. Spending a few minutes reviewing this section may aid your work and help make your visit to the ACT Rochester website a more satisfying experience.


Organization of the Site

Most of the information on this site can be accessed from one of two locations: the orange tabs along the top of the page or the purple tabs that extend across the entire page just below the ACT Rochester logo.

The orange tabs contain overview information relating to ACT Rochester, including:

 

The purple tabs relate to the 12 topic areas used in ACT Rochester. These are arranged alphabetically across the page. By clicking on any of these tabs, you will be taken to the main page for that topic area. This page is the launching pad for your review and research. 

On the topic page you will find a brief description of the topic and our general approach to measurement. Along the left side of the page is the "Indicators at a Glance" box. Clicking on any of the indicators will transport you to detailed information about that specific measure, including a description of what is measured, why it is important and how the region is performing. To the right of this description, you will see one or more graphs that illustrate the data. These may seem small, but clicking on any graph will enlarge it and improve visibility.

From the topic page or from any of the specific indicator pages, you can also access additional information by clicking on the olive-colored tabs located directly beneath the topic name. These provide the following types of information:

Data Updates              Used only when there are updates that are not yet reflected in the 
                                      indicators and trend summaries.
                                      Data updates are announced through the News section on the Home Page.


Navigating the Site

Here are several additional tips for navigating the ACT Rochester website:

Submitting and Reviewing Comments 

You can submit comments by clicking on "Add Comment" in the Comment boxes, which appear on all of the main topic pages.

You can review comments by clicking on "View All Topic Comments" in the Comment boxes, which appear on all of the main topic pages.


Participating in Polls

Polls are presented at the bottom of the topic pages. You can particpate by selecting among the available options in the poll box. Once you submit your response, the current results of the poll will be displayed, and you will not be able to vote again.

2. About the Data.

Accurate, timely and independent data is central to the ACT Rochester program and website. The following is a description of the data used; how it is presented; how it was developed; and how it will be updated. 

What is being measured?

ACT Rochester uses about 130 indicators that measure economic, environmental, social or cultural conditions over varying periods of time. The indicators were selected to provide an accurate assessment of our region's well-being in 12 program categories.

How are the indicators expressed?

The indicators are usually expressed as a rate or percent, such as the infant mortality rate, the unemployment rate or the air-quality index. 

What are the sources of data?

The data is drawn from highly reliable sources, usually government or private sources with extensive experience in data measurement and reporting. The Center for Governmental Research (CGR) conducted research to develop the indicators. In some instances, CGR conducted independent calculations or combined data sources to achieve the best available indicator, but in all cases, the information derived from independent, authoritative sources.  

Is this the most recent data?

Yes. Some sources update data more frequently than others, but in all instances the most updated information from authoritative sources is used.  

Will the data be updated?

Yes. It is the intent of ACT Rochester to conduct two types of updates:

1. Periodic updates of specific items will be placed in the Data Updates tab in the appropriate program categories whenever such information becomes available. However, these periodic updates will not be reflected in the charts, graphs and trend summaries. 

2. On an annual basis, a systematic update will be made to incorporate any new information that is available.

Both the periodic and annual updates will be announced in the News section on the home page. 

 
Where do I find the indicators?

On the ACT Rochester home page there are 12 purple tabs that relate to the 12 program areas. These are arranged alphabetically across the page. By clicking on any of these tabs, you will be taken to the main page for that topic area. This page is the launching pad for your review and research.

On the topic page you will find a brief description of the topic and our general approach to measurement. Along the left side of the page is the Indicators-at-a-Glance box. Clicking on any of the indicators will transport you to detailed information about that specific measure, including a description of what is measured, why it is important and how the region is performing. 

Can I get additional details about the data sources?

Yes, you may obtain the "Indicator Summary and Technical Reference," a report that contains additional detail on data sources, current and base years, the geographic coverage of each indicator, and other information about each indicator. Click here for a PDF version.

Are there comparisons or benchmarks?

Yes. Most indicators include comparisons over time, as well as benchmarks with New York state averages. In many cases, comparisons to national benchmarks also are noted. Where meaningful, comparisons among specific counties (or with the City of Rochester if available) are highlighted. Individual data sets may be viewed and downloaded for those wishing to do additional analysis and comparisons. Directions for doing this are contained in "Guide to the ACT Rochester Website" (above).

Are there any summaries?

Yes, several summaries are available. From the ACT Rochester home page, you may click on the Our Community tab (along the top). Here, you will find a Regional Overview with demographic information for the seven-county ACT Rochester region. Also, summary information is available for each individual county. The county-specific information includes basic demographic data, as well as a summary of each county's profile using the 12 program categories of ACT Rochester (not all counties have information in all 12 program categories, but to the extent that the data does exist, it is highlighted in the county summary).

On the topic page for each of the 12 program categories, you may access the Trends tab. In this section, you may view a trend summary and analysis of that program category. This section, developed by the Center for Governmental Research, includes both technical information and interpretations of the data. Each trend summary includes a "Snapshot" chart that summarizes key indicators, our community' progress and a comparison with New York state as a whole.

Periodically, ACT Rochester will issue summary reports or bulletins. These will be announced on the Project News box on the home page. Currently, the 2009 Snapshot Report is available. This report contains highlights and summary information for each of the 12 program categories.  Click here for a PDF version of that report.


Who selected the indicators?

The ACT Rochester program was developed following an extensive community engagement and professional research process. This process was overseen by a joint task force of the United Way and Community Foundation. The task force researched other communities and vetted a wide range of alternatives before settling on the design of ACT Rochester.

In selecting the indicators, 12 focus groups were established, one for each program category. These focus groups consisted of private, governmental, academic, and nonprofit leaders. The focus groups brainstormed possible indicators and responded to candidate indicators developed by the Center for Governmental Research. The focus groups provided invaluable advice on which indicators were most useful and which indicators should be avoided. More than 100 individuals participated in this process.

Following the focus group process, the Center for Governmental Research conducted extensive research to determine which indicators most appropriately reflected community well-being, had solid, credible sources, had a data history that would be useful in understanding trends, and would be able to be updated in the future. From this effort, about 130 indicators were approved by the joint task force.


3. Glossary of Terms:  

Term	Definition/How used in the ACT Rochester website
Indicator	An indicator is a measure that helps to describe an economic, environmental, social, or cultural condition over time. An indicator usually is expressed as a rate or percent, such as the infant mortality rate, the unemployment rate or the air-quality index.  ACT Rochester uses indicators throughout this website. For each of the 12 program categories, the indicators are accessed from the main page, or topic page. A detailed definition of each measure is available by clicking on "Indicators-at-a-Glance" for a specific indicator.
Inflation Adjusted	This refers to an actual value that is adjusted to account for inflation. The changes in a series of actual values over time reflect several factors, including inflation. But if the series is inflation adjusted, the changes then reflect only the other factors. For example, the Median Household Income in our region (Financial Self-Sufficiency) declined by 16% since 1990 — when adjusted for inflation. The actual income values declined by less, but by using inflation adjusted numbers, this indicator shows the loss of purchasing power of our area incomes. Whenever data is inflation adjusted it is labeled as such. In the example of median household income, the data is labeled as "2007 dollars," meaning the value for 2007 is actual and the other data in the series is adjusted. Usually, data is adjusted to the most recent year in the series.
Mean	The mathematical average of several values. For example, the Average Airfare (Transportation) is calculated by adding all of the fares paid to airlines at the Greater Rochester International Airport, and dividing that amount by the number of tickets sold.
Median	The median refers to the mid-point of a set of values. For example, our region's Median Household Income (Financial Self-Sufficiency) is $49,200. This means that an equal number of households earn more than $49,200 as earn less.
Percent	The portion of the whole represented by any given value. The whole is 100 percent, and the percent of any given value is its relationship to 100 percent. For example, our whole seven-county region has a population of 1,130,549 people (2007). With a population of 730,215, Monroe County represents 65 percent of the region. Mathematically, the percent is derived by dividing the given value (Monroe County in this example) by the value of the whole (the seven-county region); and then multiplying the result by 100 to express the result as a percent of 100.
Percentage	The same meaning as percent.
Per capita	Per person (literally, "per head"). This measure is particularly useful in comparing activity among units of differing sizes. For example, if the gross cost of Monroe County government is compared with the surrounding counties (Economy), the comparison is not meaningful. But, by comparing Monroe County's per-capita cost ($1,968 in 2006) with that of the surrounding counties ($1,641 in 2006), it can be said that the surrounding counties spend 17% less than Monroe on a per-capita basis.
Poverty Level	The United States government uses two principal methods to measure poverty: the poverty thresholds established by the Census Bureau and the poverty guidelines used by the Department of Health and Human Services. Basically, the Census Bureau approach is used to determine how many people live in poverty and the Health and Human Services data is used for various benefit programs, such as eligibility for food stamps. In some applications, eligibility for federal assistance programs is based on multiples of the poverty guidelines (such as 125% or 165% of the poverty level).The difference in these measures is not major. For a comparison of the two approaches, click here.
Rate	The relationship between two values. For example, when driving, the rate of speed is measured by the distance traveled (miles) in a certain amount of time (hours). Hence, the rate of speed is expressed as miles per hour.   Rates can be expressed in a variety of fashions. ACT Rochester strives to use rates that are understandable. Some examples are: the number of art teachers per 1,000 students (Arts, Culture and Leisure); the number of serious crimes per 10,000 residents (Public Safety); and the number of doctors per 10,000 residents (Health). In the last example, the supply of doctors is expressed as 27 per 10,000 residents. This rate could have been listed accurately as .0027 doctors per resident. But that expression is harder to understand.
Region	As used here, region refers to the seven-county ACT Rochester area: Genesee; Livingston; Monroe; Ontario; Orleans; Wayne; and Wyoming. If a different basis is used to define the region, it is described.  The Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is established by the US Census Bureau and it consists of five counties: Livingston; Monroe; Ontario; Orleans; and Wayne. The term greater Rochester does not have a specific definition. It refers generally to the City of Rochester and the surrounding developed area.

 

Banner photo provided by Peter "Skippy" Bushnell