Measuring Quality Of Life In The Treasure Valley Region

11 August 2006 - 11:47am

A report by Institute for Urban & Regional Planning at Boise State University looks at competitiveness and quality of life of the Treasure Valley.

"A total of 49 indicators were analyzed in order to compile a clear picture of the area. The Boise MSA was then compared to 14 other metropolitan regions in the West in areas ranging from population density to crime rates to the number of library books checked out annually. Each section of the report defines the indicator, explains why it matters and gives a snapshot of regional performance."

"You can't manage what you don't measure," said Michael Blankenship, dean of the College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs at Boise State. "We had a little trend data, but we would like to continue into the future so we can look at the trends that are emerging in the Treasure Valley."

Source: Boise State University Public Policy Center, August 10, 2006
Bookmark and Share
So, what can planners do to make best use of the ACS without succumbing to its pitfalls? We need to become more sophisticated communicators of the quality of the data we present, not just its apparent meaning.