As a component of the study, the 2002, 2010 and 2012Â Charlotte Quality of Life Studies were utilized for analyzing NSA trends. An eight-year analysis timeframe was selected in order to allow for adequate trends in the data. A shorter timeframe risks missing slower developing neighborhood change along with more abrupt changes related to city-wide economic distress. It may also capture isolated adjustments in data that should be treated as trends.
At the center of the analysis was a comparison between the two time periods for each variable used in the quality of life analysis. Fourteen common variables employed in both periods were examined. Significant changes, either improvements or declines in variable scores, were recorded. Each NSA was subsequently grouped into one of three categories based upon the cumulative variable performances. NSAs experiencing significant improvement in individual variable performance and cumulative positive change in variable scores are labeled Trending Up. Those NSAs showing modest or slight changes in individual and cumulative variable scores, either improving or declining, are labeled No Change. Finally, the NSAs where individual variables and cumulative variable performance are declining are labeled Trending Down.
Use the first two columns to find the Trending Analysis PDF. The last column is the link to the corresponding PDF.