1. Population
Overview
According
to
the
U.S.
Census
Bureau,
in
2010
the
City
of
Dawson
Springs
reported
the
following
demographic
information.
Population
Distribution
for
the
City
of
Dawson
Springs
Subject
Number
Percent
Population
3,409
100.0
Under
the
Age
of
5
311
9.1
Ages
5
to
9
254
7.5
Ages
30
to
34
244
7.2
Population
over
Age
65
538
15.8
Median
Age
34.4
-­‐-­‐
*Table
1
The
data
reflects
the
largest
population
group
in
the
city
is
categorized
by
“Under
the
age
of
five.”
Also,
the
“Ages
5
to
9”
represents
the
second
largest
portion
of
the
city’s
population,
as
cataloged
by
the
U.S.
Census.
Perhaps
this
trend
suggests
population
growth,
or
perhaps
other
underlying
factors
are
affecting
the
data.
The
data
also
shows
an
increase
in
population
category
for
the
“Ages
30
to
34”
group.
This
group
is
most
likely
linked
to
the
population
under
the
age
of
ten;
meaning,
the
“Ages
30-­‐34”
group
are
the
most
likely
population
to
have
children
under
the
age
of
ten.
To
follow
this
line
of
thought
further,
the
U.S.
Census
Bureau
also
studies
the
types
of
households
in
a
city.
The
findings
of
this
survey
are
provided
in
Table
2.
Types
of
Households
in
Dawson
Springs
Subject
Number
Percent
Total
Households
1,329
100.0
Family
Households
906
68.2
with
children
under
age
18
400
30.1
(of
total
household)
Nonfamily
Households
423
31.8
*Table
2
The
term
“household”
is
defined
by
the
Census
Bureau
as
a
householder
plus
one
or
more
occupants
related
to
the
householder
by
marriage,
birth,
or
adoption.
The
data
reflects
the
type
of
citizen
base
in
the
city.
A
large
portion
of
the
population
consists
of
“families”
(again,
as
the
Census
Dawson Springs Demographic Overview

2. defines
the
term).
Further,
“young”
households
are
prevalent;
nearly
half
of
the
households
include
children
under
the
age
of
eighteen.
While
reviewing
this
data,
the
number
of
single-­‐parent
households
seemed
high.
In
Dawson
Springs,
the
percentage
of
single-­‐parent
households
represented
11.6%
of
total
households.
The
most
recent
average
produced
by
the
Bureau
to
compare
this
statistic
was
in
2005;
in
the
study,
the
agency
found
that
since
1995
the
national
average
for
single-­‐family
households
had
remained
constant
at
9
%.
While
this
is
not
a
“red
flag”
statistic,
the
result
is
somewhat
surprising.
As
for
home
occupancy,
the
City
reported
a
2.2
Homeowner’s
Vacancy
Rate,
which
is
defined
as
portion
of
homeowner’s
property
that
is
vacant
for
sale.
This
average
was
not
significantly
different
from
the
national
average
for
that
year
(2010).
However,
the
renter
vacancy
was
different
from
the
average.
While
the
Census
reported
the
Rental
Vacancy
Rate
approximately
10.2,
the
City
of
Dawson
Springs
reported
a
4.7
approximate
for
this
rate.
This
may
reflect
less
“movement”
among
the
renting
population
of
Dawson
Springs
relative
to
the
nation.
Perhaps
most
renters
tend
to
remain
at
the
residence
rather
than
move
to
another
rental
property.
Also,
this
may
indicate
low
movement
from
the
renting
to
owning;
perhaps
most
renters
in
Dawson
Springs
remain
renters.
Because
the
city’s
average
for
Homeowner’s
Vacancy
is
low,
the
residents
are
most
likely
not
moving
from
a
status
of
owner
to
renter.
Education
The
2006-­‐2010
American
Community
Survey
also
provided
data
concerning
the
educational
enrollment
and
attainment
of
the
citizens
for
the
City
of
Dawson
Springs.
School
Enrollment
Subject
Estimate
Percentage
Population
enrolled
in
school
661
19.4
Through
8th
Grade
395
59.8
High
School
178
26.9
College
or
Graduate
School
88
13.3
*Table
3
The
data
in
Table
3
reflects
current
educational
enrollment.
Nearly
20%
of
the
population
is
currently
(as
of
the
2010
study)
enrolled
in
an
educational
program.
The
largest
enrollment
group
is
“Through
8th
Grade.”
This
is
not
surprising,
because
the
category
represents
1)
a
larger
group
of
citizens
and
2)
a
mandate
that
these
age
groups
are
legally
required
to
attend
school.
The
next
step
in
understanding
the
educational
prospect
of
the
community
is
to
consider
what
levels
of
education
the
population
has
obtained.
Table
4
reflects
the
data
for
attainment.

3. Educational
Attainment
for
Ages
25
and
Greater
Subject
Estimate
Percentage
Total
Population
Greater
than
25
1,766
-­‐-­‐
Less
than
9th
Grade
194
11.0
Grades
9th
through
12th,
no
diploma
263
14.9
High
School
Diploma
or
Equivalency
729
41.3
Some
College,
no
degree
296
16.8
Associate’s
Degree
158
8.9
Bachelor’s
Degree
74
4.2
Graduate
or
Professional
Degree
52
2.9
*Table
4
The
data
seems
to
reflect
lower
attainment.
However,
this
data
should
be
coupled
with
the
estimate
that
nearly
16%
of
the
population
is
over
the
age
of
sixty-­‐five.
Younger
generations
tend
to
have
higher
overall
level
of
education
attainment
and
this
may
have
skewed
the
results
in
this
study.
Employment
Based
on
the
2006-­‐2010
American
Community
Survey,
the
City
of
Dawson
Springs
reported
1,034
people
over
the
age
of
16
were
in
the
labor
force;
conversely,
the
city
reported
1,060
citizens
were
not
in
the
labor
force.
The
caveat
of
the
data
is
the
inclusion
of
individuals
who
are
incapable
of
working
at
the
time
of
the
survey.
The
U.S.
Census
Bureau
defines
the
variable
“not
in
the
labor
force”
as:
All
people
16
years
old
and
over
who
are
not
classified
as
members
of
the
labor
force.
This
category
consists
mainly
of
students,
homemakers,
retired
workers,
seasonal
workers
interviewed
in
an
off
season
who
were
not
looking
for
work,
institutionalized
people,
and
people
doing
only
incidental
unpaid
family
work
(less
than
15
hours
during
the
reference
week).
The
employment
rate
is
represented
in
Graph
A.

4. Dawson
Springs
Employment
for
16
Years
Old
and
Higher
In
Labor
force
Not
in
Labor
force
*Graph
A
Placing
this
data
in
perspective,
the
state
of
Kentucky
reported
that
of
the
3,437,562
residents
of
the
age
of
16
and
older,
2,073,873
are
in
the
work
force
and
1,363,689
residents
are
outside
of
the
work
force.
State
of
Kentucky
Employment
for
16
Years
Old
and
Higher
In
Labor
force
Not
in
Labor
force
*Graph
B

5. This
data
speaks
to
the
age
trend
of
Dawson
Springs.
Nearly
16%
of
the
city
is
over
the
age
of
sixty-­‐
five.
This
data
reflects
a
barrier
of
entry
if
the
city
where
to
try
to
recruit
industry;
currently,
the
city’s
labor
force
may
not
have
the
labor
capital
necessary
to
support
a
much
business
expansion.
However,
the
aging
population
does
hint
to
an
increasing
need
for
healthcare
in
the
area.
Focusing
first
on
what
Dawson
Springs
currently
offers
in
employment,
the
Census
produced
the
following
statistics:
*Graph
C
The
Graph
above
demonstrates
the
distribution
of
occupations
in
the
city.
The
occupations
listed
are
all
relatively
equal
in
distribution.
However,
Sales
&
Office
does
represent
the
greatest
portion
of
the
workforce,
followed
closely
by
the
category
Production,
Transportation,
&
Material
Moving.
The
lowest
represented
occupation
is
Natural
Resources,
Construction,
&
Maintenance.
To
better
explain
the
distribution,
a
review
of
the
different
work
environments
in
Dawson
Springs
helps
shed
light
on
the
city’s
employment
outlook.

6.
*Graph
D
Graph
D
shows
that
the
Education
&
Health
Care
and
Social
Assistance
Industry
has
the
greatest
represenation
in
the
city.
Perhaps
the
Census
data
would
have
been
clearer
if
the
categories
were
seperated
further;
for
example,
looking
at
the
most
populated
industry,
the
analysis
does
not
clarify
whether
1)
Education,
2)
Health
Care
or
3)
Social
Assistance
has
the
most
employees.
Next,
Graph
E
demonstrates
the
smaller
industries
in
Dawson
Springs.
*Graph
E

7. Graph
E
was
scaled
to
the
same
value
incriments
as
Graph
D
in
order
to
compare
the
two
reports.
These
four
indsutries
have
less
than
40
workers
each.
Also,
the
industy
“Professional,
Scientific,
and
Management
&
Waste
Management
Services”
is
not
reported
because
1)
the
categorical
classification
is
too
convoluted
and
2)
the
industry
only
represents
4
employees.
Perhaps
these
smaller
industries
need
assistance
in
acquiring
more
(or
any)
labor
force.