HomeMy Public PortalAboutCHAPTER THREE SOCIAL & ECONOMIC FACTORS CHAPTER THREE
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS
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Social and Economic Factors
Demographics:
When planning for parks and recreation, you need to know about the people who use them to
better understand the recreation issues facing your community. (IDNR: Outdoor Rec. 1999
Master Plan Guide.)
Population: Existing Characteristics
The City's population is a figure that directly influences the level of recreational opportunities
that should be available. The age composition, education levels, and incomes for the local
populace are also important factors that local park and recreation advocates need to be aware
of when compiling their plan goals and objectives. In conjunction with demographic data, the
geographic distribution of the population helps identify where recreation opportunities should
be placed to complement the influences augmented by the community.
Table 1-1-Po.ulation Trends
1990 2000 /, 2003 2007 %
Change Estimate Estimate Change
1990- 2000-
2000 2007
Greencastle 8,984 9,880 10% 10,180 10,494 6.2%
Greencastle 11,416 12,491 9.4% 12,830 13,299 6.5%
Township
Source:U.S.Census of Population:1990,2000;Greencastle Comprehensive Plan,
Indiana Business Research Center 1998;Gove Associates Inc.2002.
Table 1-1 identifies the population trends of the City of Greencastle. The population of the
Greencastle Township is included, to provide thorough information on the entire user area,
since the plan is more concerned with the geographic distribution of the population and
serving the needs of it's users, rather than municipal boundaries. This will allow for a realistic
assessment of park system trends and usage.
In 1990 Greencastle had a population of 8,984, accounting for 79% of the Township's
population. Between 1990 and 2000 the City's population increased by 10%, bringing the
count to 9,880 persons. An increase in population occurred in both the Township (9.4%
increase) and County (18.8% increase) during that time, indicating that families have been
relocating to Greencastle as a response to change in the market opportunity of the surrounding
area's industries and quality of life.
Population Forecasts
Population projections are necessary to determine whether adequate recreational facilities exist
to serve the area in the future, or whether additional amenities and services will be required.
Current and projected populations for the Recreation Service Area are described in Table 1-1.
The Indiana Business Research Center conducted the population projection for Greencastle
Township. As Table 1-1 indicates, both Greencastle Township and the City of Greencastle are
expected to increase in population over the next 5 years. The economic impacts of an
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increasing population indicate that more residents will require recreation facilities and
services, leading to a need for new improvements to the park system. Overall, the Recreational
Service Area including the Township is expected to increase by at least 6% percent by the year
2007.
Age
Everyone belongs to a particular stage of life at any one point in time. Each stage of life tends
to lead to a different set of needs and desires than the preceding stage. The age demographic
analysis assists greatly in determining projected and future growth in the community and an
associated stage of life recreational activity need. Census statistics in Table 1-2 show that
within the City's community make-up, the largest age group, 24%, is comprised of the 18-24
year olds. The student population at DePauw University proportionally accounts for this age
category to be larger than that of any other.
Table 1-2 A:e/Stage of Life—Greencastle
2000
Population Stage of Life Example Needs and Desires
City %of
Total
0-4 616 6.3% Pre-School Toys,infant and toddler needs
5-17 1682 17.1% School-AgeTosporting
orti bicycles,movie %v equipment,
stores
18-24 2404 24.3% College Age Clothing,bookstore,nightclub,
music store,party store
25-44 2195 22.2% Youn FamilyClothing,grocery,computer store,
sporting goods,restaurants
45 54 903 9.1% Established Clothing,grocery,auto dealers
Family
55-64 665 6.7% Mature Family Formal restaurants,jewelry,
bookstore,auto dealers
65+ 1415 14.3% Retired Inexpensive restaurants,drug store,
medical center
100%
Source:2000 U.S.Census of Population;Gove Associates Inc.
Comparatively the remaining categorical age distributions are similar to the demographic
make-up of most communities of similar size to Greencastle, with exception of the senior
citizen population. A larger proportion and seemingly growing number of citizens fall into
this 55-64-yrs and 65+yrs age categories. These figures indicate that the current and future
need should strongly emphasize both youth orientated activities, and retiree aged recreational
user group needs.
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Table 1-3-Household Characteristics as a .ercenta:e of Total Households-2000
Non-family households Family Households
# of Non-family One Person One- Total Househol Female Non- Persons
Househol Household Household person Family ds w/ Single married Per
ds s Household Household Children Parent familie Household
over 65yrs s under 18 s
age
Greencastle 3,352 39.2% 34.3% 13.9% 60.8% 32.2% 8.3% 6.4% 2.28
% of
Households
Putnam County 12,374 26.3% 22.4% 9.4% 73.7% 36.5% 5% 6.3% 2.56
Indiana 2,336,306 31.4% 25.9% 9.5% 68.6% 35.7% 6.9% 8.1% 2.53
%of 100%
Households
Households
Different types of households can place different demands on recreational facilities within a
service area. A high percentage of single-headed family households might indicate a need for
after-school recreational programming, or a retirement household community will likely
require a high percentage of ADA accessible and passive recreation facilities and
programming.
Table 1-3 depicts the distribution of households in Greencastle, Putnam County, and Indiana.
In 2000, within the City of Greencastle, approximately 61 percent of all households were
family households, the smallest percentage share of the three statistical areas, each of which
consists of married couples with or without children, single-female headed households, with
!'N, or without children, and non-traditional families such as single-male headed households.
About 39 percent of households were non-family oriented, those that are either one-person
households or have non-related persons occupying the same home. Of the non-family one-
person households in each area, Greencastle has a higher percentage of one-person
households. It also has a higher percentage share of one-person households held by a person
age 65years+, comprising 41% of the City's total count of one-person households. An
additional 13% of City households have persons over the age of 65yrs, residing in either non-
family quarters or family households.
These numbers indicate that over 1/4th of Greencastle's households require recreation services
to meet the needs of seniors, specifically single seniors. These numbers are at a moderately
higher percentage than that of the County and State, and may realistically be higher, if the
proportional shift brought by the DePauw University Student housing stock were discounted
from the community's demographic snapshot. Despite this, Greencastle does house the
majority of the County's retirement and assisted living facilities, making it an ideal area for the
over 65yrs age group.
Conversely, Greencastle holds a smaller percentage of family households with children under
the age of 18, 32% of total households. But, Greencastle also holds a larger percentage of
single-female headed households with children. Overall Greencastle also holds a
proportionally larger percentage of non-family households than that of the surrounding areas.
Much of this information indicates a probable recreational need in the community to focus not
only on traditional recreation activities but also on providing amenities that meet the interests
of an aging, non-traditional adult population in conjunction with those needs typically sought
by children of single-parent headed households.
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r', Education
The level of education attained by individuals within the Greencastle Area can have a
significant impact upon his or her decision-making habits. Specifically, higher levels of
education typically provide opportunities for the introduction of a wider variety of
recreational activities, presented by academic and athletic/ leisure programs. As the
education level increases, so does exposure, effectively influencing a more diverse demand for
variety in recreation services and the immediate interests of the community. Further, level of
education is closely associated with level of income. In general: the higher a person's level of
educational attainment, the greater their income earning power. An analysis of educational
background, along with income earning capacity, will provide insight into which recreational
services might be familiar or affordable to residents of the Area.
Of those residents of the City 25 years of age or older, 84% percent are high school graduates
or have been to college. About 10% percent have some type of post-high school degree, of
which 75 percent (7.8% of Greencastle's population)hold a four-year college degree or higher.
Based on these figures, in theory, a large percentage of the City's population should have
ample exposure and interest in several of the more traditionally school taught, and group
orientated recreation activities such as:baseball, tennis, swimming and basketball;but many
may not be familiar with specialized and many times more cost intensive activities such as
Taekwondo, Yoga, Handball, or Futbol, which are often only offered by a specialized or
university forum. Some of the latter, less traditional recreational activities, if offered would be
more attractive to many members of the community and help to engage a broader level of
participation in the recreation system as a whole. Extra efforts should therefore be encouraged
to offer non-traditional activities and programs in the Park System to expand familiarity and
increase exposure and opportunities that will meet all ages and backgrounds within the
community user base.
Income
A moderately influential factor in determining recreation patterns is income. The money a
household has left over after fixed expenditures, such as housing, utilities, taxes, and
transportation,is available for spending on "discretionary" items. The purchase of
discretionary items, such as entertainment, appliances, automobiles, furniture, and so forth, is
made with that left over "discretionary income." Of the items listed above, the entertainment
category is typically the recipient of the largest amount of discretionary income. Recreation is
considered an entertainment activity, making discretionary income a factor in determining the
capacity, or level of service and interest, in recreating in a community.
Discretionary income figures are obtained by subtracting annual payroll deductions, housing,
transportation costs, and savings from household incomes. Although it is not possible to
obtain a precise account of the total discretionary income of the residents of the City, an
analysis of the figures researched provides a broad indication of the amount of money
available for recreation and purchases in the City. Income estimates calculated by the Indiana
Business Research Center propose that Greencastle residents should have an average amount
of discretionary income at their disposal, indicating that the community should not be greatly
restricted in its pursuit of reasonable recreational spending options.
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Summary
The population of Greencastle has experienced a steady increase over the past 10 years, and is
anticipated to continually increase over the scope of this Plan's implementation schedule,
2003-2007. Recreational activities should be targeted to emphasize the predominant age
categories of young children, empty nesters, and retirees, with a special emphasis on children
of single-parent headed households, nontraditional family needs, and those of the single-
elderly population. Educational attainment and discretionary income hold average
percentages in the community, indicating that opportunities to pursue both traditional and
nontraditional recreation activities and programs should be encouraged. The overall
demographic trends underscore the importance that recreation will have toward the future
efforts of the City to enhance the quality of life in the Greencastle area, in providing a
community recreation system that should meet a wide array of user needs.
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