In early 2014, Lincoln philanthropic organizations, the business community, the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County commissioned a report called Lincoln Vital Signs. The purpose was to create a shared understanding of our city, both its strengths and its challenges. Since its introduction, Vital Signs has been updated with two additional years of accumulated data. Three overarching findings continue to emerge from the report:
1. Lincoln does many things exceptionally well. These successes should be nurtured. Lincoln is in an enviable position with its strong economy, highly educated workforce, strong public education system, high well-being, good health outcomes and effective civic services.
2. A growing proportion of Lincoln’s population faces real need. The number of people living below the poverty line has increased and median household incomes have declined. The increase is primarily due to families falling into poverty, not people in poverty moving here.
3. Lincoln’s children are particularly vulnerable. The face of poverty in our city is the face of a child. More than 12,000 of our children, or 20%, live in poverty—the largest percentage of any age group. We have a higher rate of children in foster care than the national rate.
For additional information on the report used as the basis for Prosper Lincoln visit Lincoln Vital Signs.