San Angelo Social Health & Social Capital Index - 2009

Community Development Initiatives at ASU is pleased to present the 2009 Edition of The San Angelo Social Health and Social Capital Index.  You can download your copy by clicking here.

We offer the publication annually to the local community as a means of tracking various dimensions of social progress.  We follow 18 different indicators and use a 100-point rating scale to assess progress in San Angelo.

Last year’s results on the Social Health Index revealed a community with a glass half-full outlook at the end of 2007.  The summary score of the 18 social health indicators was 52 on our 100-point rating scale.  The 2009 Edition shows improving quality of life conditions for San Angelo.  Using the same 100-point rating scale from 2007, the community rated 56 at the end of 2008.

This year’s edition adds 10 new indicators to the report to create the San Angelo Social Capital Index.  These indicators follow factors that either encourage citizens to join with the community in solving problems, or push some parts of the community into isolation and non-participation.  In the midst of positive community gains, San Angelo may be raising some obstacles that tend to isolate segments of citizens from participation in efforts to find solutions to community problems.  The community’s social capital score at the end of 2008 was 47 on the 100-point scoring system.  This was down from a score of 65 in 2005.

We know that many citizens make important contributions to helping San Angelo maintain its strengths while moving toward improvement.  We hope that our study adds to your efforts by giving some helpful information and insight.

Thank you for taking some time to review the study.

Please share your thoughts and reactions with us.