America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

Government agencies, including the U.S. Census Bureau, have many ways to measure whether areas are deprived or vulnerable ? important indicators of an area?s ability to withstand disasters and other challenges.

The Census Bureau analyzed two commonly used measures, the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Multidimensional Deprivation Index (MDI), and found both showed the same 526 counties? mostly in the South ? were most distressed.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been producing the SVI since 2000 to determine the social vulnerability of census tracts and counties. The Census Bureau for the past several years has released the MDI to assess the level of deprivation in sub-state areas.

Both measures use the Census Bureau?s American Community Survey (ACS) data. So how do they differ?

Continue reading?to learn more about:

• An overview of two measures of distress and deprivation
• Which counties rated high or low by both measures
• County size and location

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