The 2006 Community Assessment

Periodically, United Way facilitates a process that provides a snapshot of our area's health. Health is defined broadly as a state of complete well being -- physical, social and mental -- and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The extensive use of data from original and secondary sources makes this assessment the only compendium of health and human care issues for our region.

United Way's volunteers use the results as the basis for funding decisions, with programs that specifically address issues highlighted in the Community Assessment being favored. Non-profit agencies use the assessment in developing grant proposals and strategic plans, and community service clubs use it to help set priorities for annual projects.

United Way of Greater Nashua intends to work collaboratively with others to create a "community agenda", selecting a number of issues to focus on over several years and make a measurable impact. This work will involve developing new and innovative partnerships spanning the non-profit, for-profit, government and faith sectors. The first "community initiative", Workforce Housing, began in early 2005 with the formation of the Greater Nashua Workforce Housing Coalition.

Individuals, groups, agencies and collaborations are again encouraged to use the findings of this report. Only through comprehensive collaborative action can the necessary forces and resources be marshaled to impact the pressing issues of our area.

Select from the menu below for more detailed information:

	How was the assessment compiled?
	What is a healthy community?
	Community Issues
	Personal/Family Issues
	Summary of Findings
		Affordable Housing/Homelessness Highlights
		Population and Poverty Highlights
		Childcare and Education Highlights

Get a copy of the full report

For a copy of the 2006 Community Assessment,
"Greater Nashua Measures Up" contact:
United Way at 603/882-4011

INFO@unitedwaynashua.org

You also may download the report by clicking here.
(PDF 425k)
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How was the assessment compiled?

The 2006 Community Assessment, "Greater Nashua Measures Up," was compiled using several techniques.

• Regional Household Survey: An extensive set of questions was posed to 500 area residents over the telephone in November 2004. Survey respondents came from a randomly selected sample representative of households from the 11 towns in the region.

• Human Services Provider Survey: Area health and human service agencies were asked to complete the community issues portion of the household survey. Fifty questionnaires were returned and analyzed separately from the household responders.

• Focus Groups: Four focus groups of service recipients, including Hispanic-speaking and Portuguese-speaking groups, and teen representatives from the Mayor's Taskforce on Youth in Nashua contributed their thoughts and ideas to the assessment.

• Analysis of Data Developed by Others: Statistics collected from many sources were studied to help document local health and social trends. These include the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority's Annual Residential Rental Cost Survey, the Mayor's Task Force on Housing, Nashua Continuum of Care's point-in-time counts of the homeless, Southern New Hampshire Services' 2004-2007 assessment of the needs of low-income individuals, and state and local government data on education, employment, crime, and health status.
  
  A 22-member Community Assessment Committee guided the assessment process from its inception. The committee would like to extend its appreciation to St. Joseph Hospital, Southern NH Medical Center, and United Way of Greater Nashua for supporting the assessment process. In addition, the committee would like to thank BAE Systems for printing assistance. The assessment could not have been completed without the support of all these organizations.

What is a healthy community?

A healthy community:

• Values growth and diversity of its population.
• Ensures that the basic human/physiologic needs are met.
• Fosters respect for oneself, each other and the community as a whole.
• Provides a safe, secure and stable environment for its residents.
• Cares for one another and the community as a whole.
• Supports education and personal growth along the entire spectrum of life.

Community Issues

(Note: percentages listed in all surveys reflect respondents' rating of an issue as a "major problem.")

Top 10 Issues Identified by Household Survey

Personal/Family Issues

Top 10 Issues Identified by Household Survey

Summary of Findings

As also reported in the 2002 and 1999 assessments, providers ranked affordable housing as the Number One community issue (tied with affordable medications and affordable dental care). Household survey respondents ranked affordable housing as the second-greatest community concern. Health related issues-- affordable medical and dental insurance, and affordable medications, medical care, and dental care are also among the top concerns. Here are some highlights:

• Affordable housing. The median rental cost for a two-bedroom unit in 2005 was $1,056 per month. The median home purchase price for a home in Greater Nashua increased from $117,500 in 1996 to $270,000 in mid-2005.
• Health insurance. 9% of respondents to the household survey did not have health insurance; 29% did not have dental insurance.
• Domestic violence. Reported domestic violence and sexual abuse victims increased 33.5% and 47.7%, respectively, between 2000 and 2004. Also during that period, the number of nights of shelter increased 26.3%.
• Substance abuse. Nationwide, New Hampshire ranks third in adult binge drinking and 16th among high school students. The state's teens rank first in the nation in the use of marijuana .
• Population trends. In Hillsborough County, the 65+ age group is expected to increase 137.8% between 2000 and 2020, contrasted with a 26.7% increase among the general population.

Affordable Housing/Homelessness Highlights

The high housing prices cited above have ripple effects on the community.

• Employees are forced to seek more affordable housing outside of their employment area, resulting in longer commuting time, which often affects employee performance and detracts from time spent with family.
• The number of nights of shelter provided to homeless persons in the two area shelters increased 25.4% between 2000 and 2004, while the number of clients declined 11.7%.
• A one-day count on January 26, 2005, identified 561 people as homeless in Greater Nashua. Of these persons, 336 were living on the street or in structures considered unsuitable for habitation. The remaining 225 were residing in emergency shelters and transitional housing.

Population and Poverty Highlights

In addition to an increasing elderly population, Greater Nashua also is becoming more diverse. Low-income residents report difficulty meeting everyday expenses.

• As of October 2005, 78% enrolled in the Nashua School District were White (not Hispanic), 12% were Hispanic, 5% were Asian, 3% were Black, and 2% were from other racial groups. In October 2001, 82% of school district students were White (not Hispanic). Fourteen languages are spoken by students attending Nashua schools.
• One in five female-headed households (no husbands present) that have children live in poverty. More than one in four students in the Nashua School District participate in the free or reduced rate lunch program.
• Service recipient focus groups in Milford and Nashua - many who were unemployed or in low-paying jobs - reported they had trouble affording housing, food, and health care, and difficulty finding jobs with benefits and transportation.

Childcare and Education Highlights

• Weekly costs for facility-based childcare range from $160 for preschoolers to $215 for infant care.
• Nashua School District's estimated four-year cumulative dropout rate (2001-2004) was 17.5%.
• Other local cumulative dropout rates are lower than Nashua's rate: Wilton-Lyndeborough 15.1%; Merrimack 13.6%; Hudson 11.8%; Milford 9.6%; Litchfield 6.2%; Souhegan 2.8%; and Hollis-Brookline 1%.