There’s a new website for central New Yorkers to find all types of regional data, from healthcare costs to public safety.
The Central New York Community Foundation is behind the development of CNY Vitals. It consolidates and analyzes data in a five-county region using interactive visualizations and big, bright colorful charts that measure anything from lead exposure among children to what percentage of people rent versus own in a neighorhood. Foundation Vice President Frank Ridzi says neighborhoods are defined by census track, and essentially the website provides a snapshot at a given time, as well as trends.
“So whether you want to see how you are doing compared to last year, or maybe look to find opportunities to volunteer to address some of the issues going on, this is a great place to come," Ridzi said. "It’s also a great place if you are a grant writer, or policy maker or want to launch an initiative in your community.”
The website also offers a specialized arm called CNY Vitals Pro, which allows for more in-depth research. Ridzi says this one stop shop is part of the nationwide community indicators movement.
"That allows us to spend less of our time trying to measure things, and more of our time as communities trying to move the needle forward," He said.
