community needs assessment annual updatecommunity wide strategic planning and needs assessment was...

2020

Community Needs Assessment Annual Update

Grant, Iowa, Lafayette and

Richland Counties, Wisconsin

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 3

Purpose and Methodology ................................................................................................................... 3

Geography and Location ....................................................................................................................... 4

Summary of Data Findings .................................................................................................................... 9

ELIGIBILITY ................................................................................................................................... 14

DEMOGRAPHICS .......................................................................................................................... 15

Population and Growth ...................................................................................................................... 15

Primary Language ............................................................................................................................... 15

Race and Ethnicity ............................................................................................................................... 16

Family Structure .................................................................................................................................. 17

ECONOMIC WELL-BEING............................................................................................................... 18

Employment and Income .................................................................................................................... 18

Poverty ................................................................................................................................................ 20

Federal Assistance .............................................................................................................................. 24

HOUSING ..................................................................................................................................... 25

HOMELESSNESS ........................................................................................................................... 26

EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................. 27

DISABILITIES ................................................................................................................................. 28

EARLY CHILDHOOD: BIRTH – FIVE ................................................................................................. 29

Four-Year-Old Kindergarten ............................................................................................................... 29

Child Care ............................................................................................................................................ 30

CHILD WELFARE ........................................................................................................................... 31

Child Abuse and Neglect ..................................................................................................................... 31

Out-of-Home Care Placement ............................................................................................................ 32

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ............................................................................................................... 33

Health Insurance ................................................................................................................................. 33

Obesity ................................................................................................................................................ 34

Birth Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 35

Substance Abuse ................................................................................................................................. 36

FOOD AND NUTRITION ................................................................................................................. 37

Food Insecurity .................................................................................................................................... 37

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ........................................................................ 38

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) ................................................................................................. 38

TRANSPORTATION ....................................................................................................................... 39

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 40

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PURPOSE AND METHODOLOGY

Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (SWCAP) conducts a comprehensive Community

Assessment during each five-year period, and annually reviews and updates the Assessment to reflect

significant changes in Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland counties in Wisconsin. A comprehensive

Community Wide Strategic Planning and Needs Assessment was conducted in 2016; this 2020 Annual

Update, compiled by Spiridis Consulting LLC, serves as an addendum. Quantitative data includes local,

state, and federal data resources, including the 2014-2018 American Community Survey estimates.

Key findings of the Community Assessment and Annual Updates are used for program planning to build

on community strengths and resources, and to assist in reducing identified barriers to self-sufficiency for

families living in poverty. SWCAP utilizes such findings to make informed decisions regarding:

Determination of long- and short-range program goals, objectives, and priorities;

Types of services most in need for families living in poverty;

Recruitment areas that will be served by the program, if limitations in the amount of resources makes

it impossible to serve the entire service area;

Location of Head Start and Early Head Start locations, as well as EHS Child Care Partners; and

Criteria that defines the special populations of children who will be given priority for recruitment and

selection for program services.

Per HSPPS Standard 1302.11, updates to the following information have been included:

• The number of eligible infants, toddlers, preschool age children and expectant mothers, including their

geographic location, race, ethnicity, and languages they speak.

• Children in foster care, children experiencing homelessness, and children with disabilities, including

types of disabilities and relevant services and resources provided to children by community agencies;

• The education, health, nutrition, and social service needs of eligible children and their families,

including prevalent social or economic factors that impact their well-being;

• Typical work, school, and training schedules of parents with eligible children;

• Other child development, child care centers, and family child care (FCC) programs that serve typical

work, school, and training schedules of parents with eligible children;

• Child development, child care centers, and FCC programs that serve eligible children, including home

visiting, publicly funded state/ local preschools, and approximate number of eligible children served;

• Community resources available to address the needs of eligible children and their families; and

• Strengths of the community.

GEOGRAPHY AND LOCATION

Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (SWCAP) receives federal funding to operate the

Head Start and Early Head Start Programs within four of the state’s 72 counties, including Grant, Iowa,

Lafayette, and Richland counties in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is in the upper mid-west region of the United

States. The state is bordered by Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east;

by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. Wisconsin covers 54,375 square miles

and is home to nearly 5.8 million residents.

GRANT COUNTY is located in the southwest corner of Wisconsin. The county is bordered to the north

by Crawford County; to the northeast by Richland County; to the east by Iowa and Lafayette counties; to

the southeast by Jo Daviess County, Illinois; to the south by Dubuque County, Iowa; and to the west by

Clayton County, Iowa.

Grant County covers 1,183 square miles, of which just 36 square miles are water. The county seat is

Lancaster and the most populous city is Platteville, Wisconsin. Grant County’s most recent population

estimate is 51,828.

IOWA COUNTY is located in southwest Wisconsin. The county is bordered to the northeast by Sauk

County; to the east by Dane County; to the southeast by Green County; to the south by Lafayette County;

and to the west by Grant County.

Iowa County covers 768 square miles, of which just 5.4 square miles are water. The county seat and most

populous city is Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Iowa County’s most recent population estimate is 23,654.

LAFAYETTE COUNTY is located in southwest Wisconsin. The county is bordered to the north by

Iowa County; to the east by Green County; to the southeast by Stephenson County, Illinois; to the

south by Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and to the west by Grant County.

Lafayette County covers 635 square miles, of which just one square mile is water. The county seat is

Darlington and the most populous city is Shullsburg, Wisconsin. Lafayette County’s most recent

population estimate is 16,735.

RICHLAND COUNTY is located in southwest Wisconsin. The county is bordered to the north by

Vernon County; to the east by Sauk County; to the southeast by Iowa County; to the southwest by

Grant County; and to the west by Crawford County.

Richland County covers 589 square miles, of which just 3.1 square miles are water. The county seat

and most populous is Richland Center, Wisconsin. Richland County’s most recent population

estimate is 17,539.

SUMMARY OF DATA FINDINGS

DEMOGRAPHICS

• Changes in population between 2010 and 2018 are as follows: Grant County (51,828/1.2% increase);

Iowa County (23,620/-.2% decrease); Lafayette County (16,735/-.5% decrease); Richland County

(17,539/-2.7% decrease), compared to Wisconsin (1.6% increase) and the United States (4.6%

increase). Refer to Economic Well-being for population of children under 5.

• As of 2018, the racial composition was predominately White (95.5 – 97.1 percent) in the four-county

service area. All other races were less than 1.5 percent in all counties. The estimated Hispanic

population was as follows: Grant County (1.6 percent); Iowa County (1.7 percent); Lafayette County

(3.7 percent); and Richland County (2.2 percent), compared to Wisconsin at 6.7 percent.

• As of 2018, between 92.6 and 96.4 percent of the population ages 5 years and older spoke English in

the four-county service area. The Spanish-speaking population ranges between 1.5 and 3.1 percent.

The Indo-European language is spoken by 4 percent of the population in Lafayette County. During

the 2018-2019 program year, Head Start/Early Head Start families spoke the following primary

languages: 95.4 percent English; 4.3 percent Spanish; and 3 percent East Asian languages.

• Following are the single-parent households in each county: Grant (25 percent); Iowa (23 percent);

Lafayette (27 percent); and Richland (29 percent), compared to Wisconsin (32 percent) and the U.S.

(33 percent). During the 2018-2019 program year, 45.7 percent of enrolled Head Start/Early Head

Start families were two-parent households and 54.3 percent were single-parent families.

ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment claims began to rise in March 30,2020. As of this

report, April 2020 and beyond unemployment rates are unavailable and, therefore, do not accurately

reflect the impact of the pandemic. March 2020 not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates were

as follows: Grant County (3.6); Iowa County (3.7); Lafayette County (3.1); and Richland County (3.5).

• Of family households, the median family income is highest in Iowa County at $62,785 and lowest in

Richland County at $51,335, compared to Wisconsin at $59,209.

• Wisconsin's 2020 state minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour. A full time minimum wage worker in

WI will earn $58.00 per day, $290 per week, and $15,080 per year. The 2020 federal poverty line for

a family of two is $17,240 per year and $26,200 per year for a family of four.

• The living wage ($29.44 in the four-county area) is the hourly rate that an individual must earn to

cover day-to-day expenses if the person is the sole provider and is working full-time. A single adult

with one child who is earning minimum wage makes only 24.6 percent of the living wage.

• Poverty rates for the general population are as follows: Grant County (14.8 percent); Iowa County

(7.7 percent); Lafayette County (10.8 percent); and Richland County (13.8 percent). However, the

poverty rates of children under the age of five are significantly higher: Grant County (18.9 percent);

Iowa County (9.6 percent); Lafayette County (18.8 percent); and Richland County (18.3 percent).

Grant and Lafayette counties have slightly higher poverty rates than Wisconsin (18.4 percent).

• Of the Hispanic/Latino population, 24.3 percent in Grant County; 10.2 percent in Iowa County; 20.4

percent in Lafayette County; and 44 percent in Richland County are living in poverty.

• An estimated 6,090 children under age 5 reside within the 4-county area, with 1,022 (16.8 percent)

of these children experiencing poverty. An estimated 613 (60 percent of children under age 5) are

infants/toddlers living in poverty and approximately 409 preschoolers are experiencing poverty.

HOUSING

• A cost burdened household has housing costs that exceed 30 percent of total household income.

Data (below) includes the cost of monthly housing expenses for both owners and renters. The rates

of cost burdened households in Grant (24 percent); Iowa (23.5 percent); Lafayette (23.6 percent);

and Richland (25.6 percent) counties are lower than the state of Wisconsin (27.7 percent).

• Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is lowest in Grant, Lafayette, and Richland

counties ($700) and is highest in Iowa County ($791). To afford a two-bedroom apartment without

assistance in Grant, Lafayette, and Richland counties a family needs to earn $13.46/hour ($28,000

annually) or work 74 hours at minimum wage and a family in Iowa County needs to earn $15.21/hour

($31,637 annually) or work 84 hours at minimum wage.

HOMELESSNESS

• As of January 2019, Wisconsin had an estimated 4,538 experiencing homelessness on any given day,

Of that total, 592 were family households, 359 were Veterans, 200 were unaccompanied young

adults (aged 18-24), and 533 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Approximately 8

people per 10,000 people are experiencing homelessness.

• Public school data shows that 18,854 students in the state were homeless per the McKinney Vento

Act during 2017-2018. Of these, 1,092 children experiencing homelessness were preschoolers. Of

homeless students, 80.1 percent were doubled up with other families due to financial constraints.

• During 2018-2019, Head Start enrolled 18 families (5.6 percent) who were experiencing

homelessness. Of homeless families, 4 (22.2 percent) acquired housing during the year.

EDUCATION

• Percentages of adults age 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher are as follows: Grant

(92.3 percent); Iowa (94.9 percent); Lafayette (90.2 percent); Richland (90 percent), compared to

Wisconsin at 91.9 percent.

• During 2018-2019, 6.5 percent of enrolled Head Start/EHS families had less than a high school

diploma; 16.8 percent had only a high school diploma or G.E.D; 60.9 percent had an A.A. Degree or

some college; and 15.8 percent had a Baccalaureate or Advanced Degree.

DISABILITIES

• A total of 215 children, ages birth to 3 participated in Early Intervention in 2017, including 22 children

in Grant County; 13 children in Iowa County; 14 children in Lafayette County; and 166 in Richland

County (in 2015 there were only a reported 16 infants/toddlers served in Richland County).

• Of WI children, 56.9 percent of 3-5-year olds were identified as having a speech or language delay

during 2016-2017; nearly 27.9 percent were identified as having a significant developmental delay.

EARLY CHILDHOOD BIRTH TO FIVE

• During 2019-2020, K4 child enrollment was as follows: Grant County (465); Iowa County (201);

Lafayette County (190); and Richland County (97). [In 2016-2017, K4 child enrollment was as follows:

Grant County (439); Iowa County (228); Lafayette County (211); and Richland County (116).]

• Following are the licensed family child care and center-based child care slots by county: Grant County

(1,176); Iowa County (305); Lafayette County (201); and Richland County (85).

• Wisconsin Shares is the child care subsidy program available to low-income working families. The

average number of children receiving subsidies in each month of 2019 was as follows: Grant County

(100); Iowa County (27); Lafayette County (18); and Richland County (11).

• Currently, there are 53 child care providers in Grant County; 16 in Iowa County; 16 in Lafayette

County; and just 9 in Richland County. Of child care providers in the service area, only 29.8 percent

have a quality rating of three stars or more.

CHILD WELFARE

• In 2018, substantiated child abuse and neglect cases were as follows: Grant County (59); Iowa County

(20); Lafayette County (19); and Richland County (15).

• The 2018 numbers of children in foster care were as follows: 19 in Grant County; 14 in Iowa County;

11 in Lafayette County; and 25 in Richland County. The following percentages of children in OHC

placement were under the age of five: Grant County (42.1 percent); Iowa County (42.9 percent);

Lafayette County (18.2 percent); and Richland County (38.9 percent). In 2018, caretaker drug use

was listed as a removal reason for 28.6 percent of Wisconsin children, up from 10 percent.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

• As of 2018, it was estimated that of children age 18 and under, 7.1 percent in Grant County; 4 percent

in Iowa County; 8.4 percent in Lafayette County; and 6.7 percent in Richland County were uninsured.

• As of 2018, Wisconsin's adult obesity rate was 32 percent, up from 19.4 percent in 2000 and 11.8

percent in 1990. Of youth ages 10 to 17, 14.2 percent have obesity, giving the state the 23

highest/lowest obesity rate in the nation for this age group. Of enrolled Head Start children during

2018-2019, 63 percent of children had a healthy weight. Of the remaining 37 percent of children, 4.1

percent of children were underweight; 20.2 percent were overweight; and 12.7 percent were obese.

BIRTH OUTCOMES

• In 2018, 556 children were born in Grant County; 262 in Iowa County, 221 in Lafayette County; and

165 in Richland County. A total of 1,204 babies were born in the four-county service area,

representing the approximate number of expectant mothers in 2018. Of those births, 291 births were

paid for by Badger Care.

• 2018 rates of babies born with a low birth weight (under 5.5 lbs.) are as follows: Grant County (4

percent); Iowa County (4.6 percent); Lafayette County (5 percent); and Richland County (9.1

percent). The goal of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Healthy People 2020) is to

have low birth weight rates to 7.8 percent or less by 2020.

• It is the goal of Healthy People 2020 to have the infant mortality rate to 6 or fewer deaths for every

1000 live births. Infant mortality rates per every 1000 live births in 2018 were as follows: Grant

County (5.4); Iowa County (N/A); Lafayette County (13.6); and Richland County (N/A).

• Live births per 1000 females to girls ages 15-19 are as follows: Grant County (5.4 per 1000 births);

Iowa County (11.3 per 1000 births); Lafayette County (13.6 per 1000 births); and Richland County

(10.9 per 1000 births).

FOOD AND NUTRITION

• 2017 data estimated child food insecurity at 16.4 percent in Grant County; 14.1 percent in Iowa

County; 15.3 percent in Lafayette County; and 17.1 percent in Richland County. However, the recent

Survey of Mothers with Young Children found that 40.9 percent of mothers nationwide with children

ages 12 and under reported household food insecurity since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The number of FoodShare recipients decreased between 2017 and 2019: Grant County (-8 percent);

Iowa County (-13.5 percent); Lafayette County (-14.3 percent); and Richland County (-13.8 percent).

• The percent of children receiving WIC decreased between 2016 and 2018 as follows: -13.1 percent

in Grant County; -18.2 percent in Iowa County; -24 percent in Lafayette County; and -17.5 percent in

Richland County. In 2018, the numbers of children ages 0-4 receiving WIC were: 786 in Grant County;

274 in Iowa County; 218 in Lafayette County; and 268 in Richland County.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• In 2018, drug overdose deaths were as follows: Grant County (1); Iowa County (2); Lafayette County

(2); and Richland County (2), for a total of 7 deaths. This was a decrease from 20 deaths across the

four-county area in 2016.

• Between 2016 and 2018, the number of opioid-related hospitalizations with evidence of abuse or

dependence increased in Grant County (from 48 to 51) and decreased in Iowa, Lafayette, and

Richland counties.

TRANSPORTATION

• The estimated percentages of households with no vehicle are: 5.5 percent in Grant County; 3.8

percent in Iowa County; 5.2 percent in Lafayette County; and 5.4 percent in Richland County; all

counties have lower rates of households with no vehicle than Wisconsin (6.8 percent) and the U.S.

(8.7 percent).

ELIGIBILITY

During 2018-2019, children at SWCAP were eligible for Head Start/Early Head Start enrollment as

follows: 73.9 percent Income Eligible; 15.9 percent receiving Public Assistance; 1.4 percent in Foster

Care; 3.5 percent identified as experiencing Homelessness per the McKinney Vento Act; 1.6 percent

from families considered Over Income; and 3.7 percent with family income between 100 and 130 percent

of the federal poverty line.

73.9%

15.9%

1.4% 3.5% 1.6% 3.7%

69.1%

9.8%2.7%

5.2% 6.9% 6.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Income Eligible Public Assistance Foster Child Homeless Over Income 100-130 Poverty

Enrollment by EligibilitySource: 2018-2019 PIR

Program National

DEMOGRAPHICS

POPULATION AND GROWTH

Changes in population between 2010 and 2018 are as follows: Grant County (51,828/1.2% increase);

Iowa County (23,620/-.2% decrease); Lafayette County (16,735/-.5% decrease); Richland County

(17,539/-2.7% decrease), compared to Wisconsin (1.6% increase) and the United States (4.6% increase).

PRIMARY LANGUAGE

Population by Primary Language

English Spanish Indo-European languages

Asian and Pacific Islander

Other

Grant County 95.1% 1.5% 2.9% .4% .1%

Iowa County 96.4% 1.7% 1.6% .3% .1%

Lafayette County 92.6% 3.1% 4.0% 0.0% .2%

Richland County 95.3% 2.0% 2.2% .4% 0.0%

Wisconsin 91.3% 4.6% 1.9% 1.8% .4%

United States 78.5% 13.3% 3.6% 3.5% 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

As of 2018, between 92.6 and 96.4 percent of the population ages 5 years and older spoke English in the

four-county service area. The Spanish-speaking population ranges between 1.5 and 3.1 percent. The

Indo-European language is spoken by 4 percent of the population in Lafayette County.

During the 2018-2019 program year, Head Start/Early Head Start families spoke the following primary

languages: 95.4 percent English; 4.3 percent Spanish; and 3 percent East Asian languages.

2018 Population Estimates1

2010 Population 2018 Population Pop. Change 2010-2018

Grant County 51,208 51,828 1.2%

Iowa County 23,687 23,620 -.2%

Lafayette County 16,836 16,735 -.5%

Richland County 18,021 17,539 -2.7%

Wisconsin 5,686,986 5,778,394 1.6%

United States 308,745,538 322,903,030 4.6%

RACE AND ETHNICITY

According to 2018 estimates, the racial composition was predominately White (95.5 – 97.1 percent) in

the four-county service area. All other races were less than 1.5 percent in all counties. The estimated

Hispanic population was as follows: Grant County (1.6 percent); Iowa County (1.7 percent); Lafayette

County (3.7 percent); and Richland County (2.2 percent), compared to Wisconsin at 6.7 percent.

Population by Race

White Black African-

American

Asian Native American

Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Other Multiple Races

Grant County 96.5% 1.4% 1.0% .1% 0.1% .2% .8%

Iowa County 96.6% .8% .7% .2% 0.1% .7% .9%

Lafayette County 97.1% .6% .4% .4% 0.0% .9% .5%

Richland County 95.5% .6% .3% .3% 0.1% 1.8% 1.2%

Wisconsin 85.6% 6.4% 2.8% .9% 0.1% 2.0% 2.4%

United States 72.8% 12.7% 5.4% 0.8% 0.2% 4.9% 3.2%


Population by Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino Population (Absolute)

Population Hispanic or Latino (Percent)

Non-Hispanic Population (Absolute)

Population Non-Hispanic (Percent)

Grant County 831 1.6% 50,997 98.4%

Iowa County 411 1.7% 23,209 98.3%

Lafayette County 625 3.7% 16,110 96.3%

Richland County 393 2.2% 17,146 97.8%

Wisconsin 385,779 6.7% 5,392,615 93.3%

United States 57,517,935 17.8% 265,385,095 82.2%

FAMILY STRUCTURE

As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, a family household is any housing unit in which the householder

is living with one or more individuals related to him or her by birth, marriage, or adoption. Following are

the percentages of single-parent households in each county: Grant (25 percent); Iowa (23 percent);

Lafayette (27 percent); and Richland (29 percent), compared to Wisconsin (32 percent) and the United

States (33 percent).2

During the 2018-2019 program year, 45.7 percent of enrolled Head Start/Early Head Start families were

two-parent households and 54.3 percent were single-parent families.

Children in Single-Parent Households Source: countyhealthrankings.com

Total Households

Grant County 25%

Iowa County 23%

Lafayette 27%

Richland County 29%

Wisconsin 32%

United States 33%

45.7% 54.3%

2018-2019 Head Start/EHS

Family Structure

Two-Parent Single-Parent

http://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/tech_docs/subject_definitions/2015_ACSSubjectDefinitions.pdf#page=75&zoom=auto,78,370

ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment claims began to rise in March 30,2020. As of this report,

April 2020 and beyond unemployment rates are unavailable and, therefore, do not accurately reflect the

impact of the pandemic. March 2020 not-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates were as follows:

Grant County (3.6); Iowa County (3.7); Lafayette County (3.1); and Richland County (3.5).4

Of family households, the median family income is highest in Iowa County at $62,785 and lowest in

Richland County at $51,335, compared to Wisconsin at $59,209.

Unemployment Claims3

Week 1 (January 1, 2020

Week 14 (March 30, 2020)

Week 18 (May 2. 2020)

Grant County 423 1114 1,710

Iowa County 223 843 1,411

Lafayette County 101 341 456

Richland County 136 452 685

Wisconsin 48,287 206,546 312,182

Mean/Median Household Income

Total Households Average (Mean) Income Median Income

Grant County 19,401 $64,487 $52,958

Iowa County 9,835 $81,455 $62,785

Lafayette County 6,679 $70,488 $59,629

Richland County 7,626 $61,592 $51,335

Wisconsin 2,343,129 $77,687 $59,209

United States 119,730,128 $84,938 $60,293

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. 2014-18.

Wisconsin's 2020 state minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour, the same as the current Federal Minimum

Wage rate. The Wisconsin minimum wage was last changed in 2008, when it was raised $0.75 from $6.50

to $7.25. A full time minimum wage worker in Wisconsin working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year will

earn $58.00 per day, $290 per week, and $15,080 per year. The 2020 federal poverty line for a family of

two is $17,240 per year and $26,200 per year for a family of four.

The living wage is the hourly rate that an individual must earn to adequately support the family and

cover day-to-day expenses if the person is the sole provider and is working full-time (2080 hours per

year). The living wage per hour needed to support a single adult and one child in the four-county service

area averages $29.44. A single adult with one child who is earning minimum wage makes only 24.6

percent of the living wage.

Living Wage Calculation

1 Adult 1 Child

1 Adult 2 Children

2 Adults (Both Working)

2 Children

2 Adults (1 Working)

1 Child

2 Adults (1 Working) 2 Children

Grant $24.28 $29.29 $15.98 $21.73 $24.28

Iowa $24.88 $29.89 $16.28 $22.33 $24.88

Lafayette $24.28 $29.29 $15.98 $21.73 $24.28

Richland $24.28 $29.29 $15.98 $21.73 $24.28

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2019

POVERTY

Estimated poverty rates for the general population are as follows: Grant County (14.8 percent); Iowa

County (7.7 percent); Lafayette County (10.8 percent); and Richland County (13.8 percent). However,

the poverty rates of children under the age of five are significantly higher: Grant County (18.9 percent);

Iowa County (9.6 percent); Lafayette County (18.8 percent); and Richland County (18.3 percent). Grant

and Lafayette counties have slightly higher poverty rates than Wisconsin (18.4 percent).

Race and Poverty (Absolutes)


American


Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander


Grant County 6,731 260 33 4 0 25 82

Iowa County 1,717 17 11 2 19 0 40

Lafayette County 1,717 19 10 4 0 17 15

Richland County 2,036 50 38 25 0 156 72

Percent of Race in Poverty


American


Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander


Grant County 14.4% 64.8% 7.1% 6.9% 0.0% 20.0% 20.9%

Iowa County 7.6% 10.1% 6.6% 3.7% 100.0% 0.0% 18.8%

Lafayette County 10.7% 21.1% 15.4% 5.8% No data 12.5% 16.9%

Richland County 12.4% 79.4% 45.5% 45.5% 0.0% 51.7% 34.0%

Wisconsin 9.4% 32.9% 25.9% 25.9% 21.5% 25.7% 21.9%

United States 11.6% 24.2% 11.6% 25.8% 18.3% 22.6% 17.5%


18.9%

9.6%

18.8% 18.3% 18.4%14.8%

7.7%10.8%

13.8%11.9%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

Grant County Iowa County Lafayette County Richland County Wisconsin

Poverty by CountySource: American Community Survey, 2014-2018

Under Age 5 General Population

Of the Hispanic/Latino population, 24.3 percent in Grant County; 10.2 percent in Iowa County; 20.4

percent in Lafayette County; and 44 percent in Richland County are living in poverty.

An estimated 6,090 children under age 5 reside within the 4-county area, with 1,022 (16.8 percent) of

these children experiencing poverty. An estimated 613 (60 percent of children under age 5) of these

children are infants/toddlers living in poverty. In addition, there are approximately 409 preschoolers

experiencing poverty.

Population in Poverty by Ethnicity

Hispanic/Latino in Poverty (Absolute)

Hispanic/Latino in Poverty (Percent)

Non-Hispanic/Latino in Poverty (Absolute)

Non-Hispanic/Latino in Poverty (Percent)

Grant County 176 24.3% 6,959 14.7%

Iowa County 42 10.2% 1,764 7.7%

Lafayette County 124 20.4% 1,658 10.4%

Richland County 167 44.0% 2,210 13.2%

Wisconsin 85,596 22.8% 582,624 11.1%

United States 11,849,315 21.0% 32,408,664 12.5%


Estimated Children under Five in Poverty by Age Group5

Children Under 5

Estimated Population Under 5

in Poverty

Infants and

Toddlers*

Infants and

Toddlers in Poverty

3 and 4 Year Olds*

3 and 4 Year Olds

in Poverty

Grant County 2,785 18.9% 526 1,671 316 1,114 210

Iowa County 1,319 9.6% 127 791 76 528 51

Lafayette County 1,089 18.8% 205 653 123 436 82

Richland County 897 18.3% 164 538 98 359 66 *Based on estimated breakdown by age in 0-4 age group: infants/toddlers (60%); 3 and 4 Year olds (40%) of total children under 5

Grant County: Estimated Children under Five in Poverty

Children Under 5

Under 5 in Poverty (Percentage)

Under 5 in Poverty (Count)

Bagley 14 14.3% 2

Bloomington 48 18.8% 9

Blue River 16 25.0% 4

Boscobel 126 4.8% 6

Cassville 61 62.3% 38

Cuba City 131 6.1% 8

Dickeyville 109 11.0% 12

Fennimore 205 2.4% 5

Glen Haven 0 0.0% 0

Hazel Green (in two counties) 82 30.5% 25

Lancaster 225 10.2% 23

Livingston 27 29.6% 8

Montfort 84 29.8% 25

Mount Hope 6 0.0% 0

Muscoda 106 5.7% 6

Patch Grove 6 16.7% 1

Platteville 478 31.8% 152

Potosi 23 8.7% 2

Sandy Hook 40 20.0% 8

Tennyson 7 0.0% 0

Grant County Total 2,785 18.9% 526 Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. 2014-18.

Iowa County: Estimated Children under Five in Poverty

Children Under 5



Arena 58 10.3% 6

Avoca 37 21.6% 8

Barneveld 115 1.7% 2

Blanchardville (in two counties) 41 0.0% 0

Cobb 21 4.8% 1

Dodgeville 253 15.4% 39

Highland 57 15.8% 9

Hollandale 12 7.0% 1

Linden 47 40.4% 19

Livingston 27 29.6% 8

Mineral Point 174 5.2% 9

Rewey 24 0.0% 0

Ridgeway 77 26.0% 20

Iowa County Total 1,319 9.6% 127

Lafayette County: Estimated Children under Five in Poverty

Children Under 5



Argyle 56 16.1% 9

Belmont 104 28.8% 30

Benton 60 8.3% 5

Blanchardville (in two counties) 41 0.0% 0

Darlington 200 21.0% 42

Elk Grove 36 5.6% 2

Gratiot 43 46.5% 20

Hazel Green (in two counties) 82 30.5% 25

Shullsburg 37 10.8% 4

South Wayne 32 12.5% 4

Wiota 4 0.0% 0

Lafayette County Total 1,089 18.8% 205

Richland County: Estimated Children under Five in Poverty

Children Under 5



Boaz 9 88.9% 8

Cazenovia 20 5.0% 1

Gotham 19 0.0% 0

Ithaca 25 0.0% 0

Lone Rock 28 10.7% 3

Richland Center 357 13.2% 47

Rockbridge 40 17.5% 7

Sextonville 16 37.5% 6

Viola 10 33.2% 3

Willow 15 26.7% 4

Richland County Total 897 164 18.3%

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

TANF

Wisconsin Works (W-2) is Wisconsin’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. W-2 is

a time-limited program that provides temporary cash assistance and case management services to low-

income parents and pregnant women.

W-2 participants have declined significantly between 2015 and 2019 to an average of just 24 cases in

Grant County; 10 cases in Iowa County; 2 cases in Lafayette County; and 6 cases in Richland County.6

EITC

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax benefit for working people with low to moderate income.

As of December 2019, there were 351,000 EITC claims in Wisconsin; the average EITC amount per family

was $2266.7

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pays monthly benefits to

people with limited Income and resources, including those who

are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. Children who are disabled

may also get SSI. Effective January 1, 2020, the federal benefit rate

is $783 for an individual and $1,175 for a couple.8

Of enrolled Head Start/Early Head Start families, 17.1 percent (55

families) received SSI benefits during 2018-2019.

W-2 Participants

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Grant County 62 52 31 21 24

Iowa County 14 10 6 7 10

Lafayette County 12 3 5 2 2

Richland County 34 19 11 6 6

Source: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

17.1%82.9%

Head Start Families

Receiving SSISource: 2018-2019 PIR

HOUSING

A cost burdened household has housing costs that exceed 30 percent of total household income. Data

(below) includes the cost of monthly housing expenses for both owners and renters. The rates of cost

burdened households in Grant (24 percent); Iowa (23.5 percent); Lafayette (23.6 percent); and Richland

(25.6 percent) counties are lower than the state of Wisconsin (27.7 percent).

Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a modest two-bedroom apartment in the four-county service area is lowest

in Grant, Lafayette, and Richland counties ($700) and is highest in Iowa County ($791). To afford a two-

bedroom apartment without assistance in Grant, Lafayette, and Richland counties a family needs to earn

$13.46/hour ($28,000 annually) or work 74 hours at minimum wage. To afford a two-bedroom

apartment without assistance in Iowa County a family needs to earn $15.21/hour ($31,637 annually) or

work 84 hours at minimum wage.9

Cost Burdened Households

Occupied Housing Units

# of Cost Burdened Households

% of Cost Burdened Households

Grant County 19,401 4,654 24.0%

Iowa County 9,835 2,306 23.5%

Lafayette County 6,679 1,577 23.6%

Richland County 7,626 1,954 25.6%

Wisconsin 27.7%

United States 31.6% Source: American Community Survey, 2014-2018

2019 Fair Market Rent

Efficiency One-Bedroom

Two-Bedroom

Three-Bedroom

Four-Bedroom

Grant County $537 $556 $700 $928 $1,230

Iowa County $570 $598 $791 $991 $1,278

Lafayette County $450 $538 $700 $877 $960

Richland County $450 $533 $700 $940 $946

Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2019

HOMELESSNESS

As of January 2019, Wisconsin had an estimated 4,538 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as

reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of

that total, 592 were family households, 359 were Veterans, 200 were unaccompanied young adults (aged

18-24), and 533 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.10 Approximately 8 people per

10,000 people are experiencing homelessness.

Public school data reported to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shows that 18,854

students in the state were homeless per the McKinney Vento Act during 2017-2018. Of these, 1,092

children experiencing homelessness were preschoolers. Of homeless students, 80.1 percent were

doubled up with other families due to financial constraints.11

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of Wisconsin homeless popul

ation statis

tic

During 2018-2019, Head Start enrolled 18 families (5.6 percent) who were experiencing homelessness.

Of homeless families, 4 (22.2 percent) acquired housing during the year.

19,663

18,39018,592

19,264

18,854

17,000

18,000

19,000

20,000

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

Homeless Student Enrollment in Wisconsin 2013-2018

2,257

15,105

316 1,176

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000Homeless Student Nighttime Residence Data 2017-2018

Shelter Doubled Up Unsheltered Hotel

EDUCATION

Percentages of adults age 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher in the four-county service

area are as follows: Grant (92.3 percent); Iowa (94.9 percent); Lafayette (90.2 percent); Richland (90

percent), compared to Wisconsin at 91.9 percent.

nt

During 2018-2019, 6.5 percent of

enrolled Head Start/EHS families

had less than a high school

diploma; 16.8 percent had only a

high school diploma or G.E.D;

60.9 percent had an Associate

Degree or some college; and 15.8

percent had an Advanced Degree

or Baccalaureate.

Education Levels

Population Age 25+

No High School Diploma

(Absolute)

No High School Diploma (Percent)

High School Diploma or

Higher

Bachelors/ Advanced

Degree

Grant County 31,805 2,448 7.7% 92.3% 23.0%

Iowa County 16,524 839 5.1% 94.9% 24.3%

Lafayette County 11,349 1,116 9.8% 90.2% 18.9%

Richland County 12,323 1,236 10.0% 90.0% 18.9%

Wisconsin 8.1% 91.9% 29.5%

United States 12.3% 87.7% 31.5% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2014-2018

Persons with No High School Diploma by Race/Ethnicity

White Black/ African

American

Some Other Race Multiple Races Hispanic/Latino

Grant County 7.2% 42.1% 28.0% 21.4% 35.1%

Iowa County 4.9% 14.1% 45.5% 3.3% 20.6%

Lafayette County 9.3% 29.2% 55.5% 13.3% 32.1%

Richland County 9.2% 31.6% 77.2% 1.8% 61.5%

Wisconsin 6.7% 17.2% 40.8% 10.4% 32.3%

United States 10.4% 14.6% 38.1% 12.0% 32.3%


6.5%16.8%

60.9%

15.8%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

Less than HighSchool Diploma

High SchoolDiploma/G.E.D.

Associate Degree orSome College

Baccalaureate orAdvanced Degree

Level of EducationHead Start/EHS Parents

Source: 2018-2019 PIR

DISABILITIES

The Birth to 3 Program is Wisconsin’s early intervention program for infants and toddlers with

developmental delays or disabilities; this is the Part C system of the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA). The Birth to 3 Program is for children ages birth to 36 months. Eligibility is based

on a diagnosed disability or 25 percent delay in one or more areas of development.12

A total of 215 children, ages birth to three participated in Early Intervention in 2017, including 22 children

in Grant County; 13 children in Iowa County; 14 children in Lafayette County; and 166 in Richland County

(in 2015 there were only a reported 16 infants/toddlers served in Richland County). 13

Of children statewide, 56.9 percent of 3-5-year olds were identified as having a speech or language delay

during 2016-2017; nearly 27.9 percent were identified as having a significant developmental delay.14

Source: American Community Survey, 2014-2018

Primary Disability of 3-5 Year Olds in Wisconsin Disability Percent Disability Percent

Autism 1,029 Other Health Impairment 612

Deaf-Blind 0 Orthopedic Impairment 122

Emotional-Behavioral 67 Significant Learning Delay 4.110

Hearing Impairment 196 Speech or Language Delay 8,398

Intellectual Disability 126 Traumatic Brain Injury 25

Specific Learning Disability 26 Visual Impairment 36

Population with Disabilities Under 18 18 - 64 65 +

Grant County 3.5% 8.1% 32.1%

Iowa County 5.0% 10.8% 27.4%

Lafayette County 3.2% 9.8% 32.1%

Richland County 2.6% 10.5% 29.9%

Wisconsin 4.2% 9.6% 31.2%

United States 4.2% 10.3% 35.0%

EARLY CHILDHOOD: BIRTH – FIVE

FOUR-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTEN

During 2016-2017, K4 child enrollment was as follows: Grant County (439); Iowa County (228); Lafayette

County (211); and Richland County (116).

During 2019-2020, K4 child enrollment was as follows: Grant County (465); Iowa County (201); Lafayette

County (190); and Richland County (97).

Pre-K Enrollment, 2019-2020 (as of Sept. 2019)

County School District 4K Enrollment

Program Description Setting

Grant Boscobel Area 56 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant Cassville 16 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant Cuba City 29 Half day: 4 days/week Public School

Grant Fennimore Community 47 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant Lancaster Community 64 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant Platteville 102 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant Potosi 19 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Grant River Ridge 29 Full day: 5 days/week Public School, HS, Child Care

Grant Riverdale 58 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Grant Southwestern WI 45 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Grant County Total 465

Iowa Barneveld 29 Half day: 4 days/week Public School

Iowa Dodgeville 64 Half day: 4 days/week Public School

Iowa Highland 18 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Iowa Iowa-Grant 50 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Iowa Mineral Point Unified 40 Half day: 4 days/week Public School

Iowa County Total 201

Lafayette Argyle 27 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Lafayette Belmont Community 25 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Lafayette Benton 13 Half day: 4 days/week Public School

Lafayette Black Hawk 29 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Lafayette Darlington Community 64 Half day: 4 days/week Private School/Public School

Lafayette Pecatonica Area 23 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Lafayette Shullsburg 9 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Lafayette County Total 190

Richland Ithaca 21 Full day: 5 days/week Public School

Richland Richland 76 Full day: 2 or 3 days/week Public School

Richland County Total 97

CHILD CARE

Following are the licensed family child care and center-based child care slots by county, as of December

2018: Grant County (1,176); Iowa County (305); Lafayette County (201); and Richland County (85).15

Wisconsin Shares is the child care subsidy program available to low-income working families. The

numbers below represent the average number of children receiving subsidies in each month of 2019:

Grant County (100); Iowa County (27); Lafayette County (18); and Richland County (11).16

Currently, there are 53 child care providers in Grant County; 16 in Iowa County; 16 in Lafayette County;

and just 9 in Richland County. Of child care providers in the service area, only 29.8 percent have a quality

rating of three stars or more.17

Child Care Centers/Family Child Care Homes Star Ratings (includes Head Start)

County Family Child Care Homes

Child Care Centers

Not Participating

in Stars

1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars

Grant 19 24 10 0 17 9 1 6

Iowa 8 8 6 0 6 0 1 3

Lafayette 10 6 8 0 6 1 0 1

Richland 5 4 3 0 3 1 0 2

Total 42 42 27 0 32 11 2 12

1176

305201

850

500

1000

1500

Grant County Iowa County Lafayette County Richland County

Licensed Child Care SlotsSource: Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, December 2018

100

27 18 11

0

50

100

150


Children Receiving Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidies

CHILD WELFARE

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

In 2018, substantiated child abuse and neglect cases were as follows: Grant County (59); Iowa County

(20); Lafayette County (19); and Richland County (15).

46

1115

23

64

23

32

15

59

20 1915

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


Substantiated Child Abuse and Neglect, 2016-2018Source: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

2016 2017 2018

OUT-OF-HOME CARE PLACEMENT

Out-of-home care (OHC) placement is the temporary removal of children from their homes due to abuse,

neglect or dependency and can include foster care, home-of-relative care, group home or institution. As

of December 2018, a total of 7,832 children in Wisconsin were in an OHC placement, an increase of 349

children from December 2016. Of children in OHC placement, 14.3 percent were 0-1-year olds and 22.4

percent were 2-4 year olds.

The numbers of children in foster care in 2018 were as follows: 19 in Grant County; 14 in Iowa County;

11 in Lafayette County; and 25 in Richland County. The following percentages of children in OHC

placement were under the age of five: Grant County (42.1 percent); Iowa County (42.9 percent);

Lafayette County (18.2 percent); and Richland County (38.9 percent).

In 2018, caretaker drug use was listed as a removal reason for 28.6 percent of Wisconsin children, up

from 10 percent.18

5

21 1

3 4

1

6

19

14

11

18

0

5

10

15

20


Children in Out-of-Home Placement

Source: Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, 2018 Annual Report

0-1 Year Old 2-4 Years Old Under 18

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HEALTH INSURANCE

Wisconsin’s Children's Health Insurance Program, known as BadgerCare provides health care coverage

for uninsured infants, children, and pregnant women in Wisconsin. Children are eligible for BadgerCare

if a family’s income meets federal guidelines. In February 2020, the following were enrolled in

BadgerCare: 2,678 children and 117 expectant women in Grant County; 1,287 children and 43 expectant

women in Iowa County; 1,072 children and 54 expectant women in Lafayette County; and 3,774 children

and 167 expectant women in Richland County.19

Uninsured children who meet Medicaid eligibility standards must be enrolled in Medicaid, not

BadgerCare.20 In January 2018, Congress passed reauthorization of CHIP, renewing the program for

another six years.

As of 2018, it was estimated that of children age 18 and under, 7.1 percent in Grant County; 4 percent

in Iowa County; 8.4 percent in Lafayette County; and 6.7 percent in Richland County were uninsured.

5.7%4.6%

7.0%5.5%6.2%

3.9%

11.7%

6.5%7.1%

4.0%

8.4%6.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%


Uninsured Children 18 and UnderSource: Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE)

2016 2017 2018

OBESITY

Overweight is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th

percentile for children and teens of the same age and gender. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above

the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and gender. Obese children are more likely

to become obese adults and develop chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

As of 2018, Wisconsin's adult obesity rate was 32 percent, up from 19.4 percent in 2000 and 11.8 percent

in 1990, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America. Of youth ages 10 to

17, 14.2 percent have obesity, giving the state the 23 highest/lowest obesity rate in the nation for this

age group.

From 2010 to 2016, the national rate of obesity dropped from 15.9 percent to 13.9 percent; the decline

was statistically significant among all racial and ethnic groups studied: White, Black, Hispanic, American

Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander, black, Hispanic. As of 2016, the WIC obesity rate was

14.3 percent in Wisconsin.21

Of enrolled Head Start children during 2018-2019,

63 percent of children had a healthy weight. Of the

remaining 37 percent of children, 4.1 percent of

children were underweight; 20.2 percent were

overweight; and 12.7 percent were obese. 4.1%

63.0%

20.2%

12.7%

2018-2019 Body Mass Index (BMI)

Head Start ChildrenSource: PIR

Underweight

Healthy Weight

Overweight

Obese

BIRTH OUTCOMES

BIRTHS (EXPECTANT MOTHERS)

In 2018, 556 children were born in Grant County; 262 in

Iowa County, 221 in Lafayette County; and 165 in

Richland County. A total of 1,204 babies were born in

the four-county service area, representing the

approximate number of expectant mothers in 2018. Of

those births, 291 births were paid for by Badger Care. 22

LOW BIRTH WEIGHTS

2018 rates of babies born with a low birth weight (under

5.5 lbs.) are as follows: Grant County (4 percent); Iowa

County (4.6 percent); Lafayette County (5 percent); and

Richland County (9.1 percent).23 The goal of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (Healthy

People 2020) is to have low birth weight rates to 7.8

percent or less by 2020.

INFANT MORTALITY

It is the goal of Healthy People 2020 to have the infant

mortality rate to 6 or fewer deaths for every 1000 live

births by 2020. Infant mortality rates per every 1000 live

births in 2018 were as follows: Grant County (5.4); Iowa

County (N/A); Lafayette County (13.6); and Richland

County (N/A).24

TEEN BIRTHS

Live births per 1000 females to girls ages 15-19 are as

follows: Grant County (5.4 per 1000 births); Iowa County

(11.3 per 1000 births); Lafayette County (13.6 per 1000

births); and Richland County (10.9 per 1000 births).25

4.0% 4.6% 5.0%

9.1%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

Grant Iowa Lafayette Richland

Low Birth Weight

6.8 7.39.0

10.8

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0


Infant Mortality

132 58 50 51

556

262 221 1650

200

400

600

800


Births

Births Paid byBadger Care

5.4

11.313.6

10.9

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0


Teen Births

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

In 2018, drug overdose deaths were as follows: Grant County (1); Iowa County (2); Lafayette County (2);

and Richland County (2), for a total of 7 deaths. This was a decrease from 20 deaths across the four-

county area in 2016.26

Between 2016 and 2018, the number of opioid-related hospitalizations with evidence of abuse or

dependence increased in Grant County (from 48 to 51) and decreased in Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland

counties.

2

6

0

2

65

3

6

12 2 2

0

2

4

6

8


Drug Overdose Deaths

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services

2010 2016 2018

3327

8

5648

56

20

4651

25

11

32

0

20

40

60


Opioid Related Hosptalizations with Evidence of Opioid Abuse or Dependence

Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services

2010 2016 2018

FOOD AND NUTRITION

FOOD INSECURITY

Food insecurity refers to the USDA’s measure of lack of access to a sufficient amount of food for an

active, healthy life for all household members, and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally

adequate foods. Food-insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all the time. Food insecurity

may reflect a household’s need to make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or

medical bills, and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods.

The most recent 2017 data estimated child food insecurity at 16.4 percent in Grant County; 14.1 percent

in Iowa County; 15.3 percent in Lafayette County; and 17.1 percent in Richland County. Grant and

Richland counties have child food insecurity rates higher than Wisconsin’s rate of 15.4 percent. Of food

insecure children, 31 percent in Grant County; 45 percent in Iowa County; 20 percent in Lafayette

County; and 22 percent in Richland County are likely ineligible for food assistance.27 However, the Survey

of Mothers with Young Children found that 40.9 percent of mothers nationwide with children ages 12

and under reported household food insecurity since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.28

11.0%8.5% 8.3%

9.9% 10.0%

16.4%14.1% 15.3%

17.1%15.4%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

Grant County Iowa County Lafayette County Richland County Wisconsin

Food InsecuritySource: Feeding America

General Population Children Under 18

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

FoodShare Wisconsin (SNAP) is intended to supplement the monthly food budgets of eligible, low income

households and raise nutritional levels, causing an improvement in general health. The 2019 average

monthly SNAP benefit in Wisconsin was $113 per person and $349 per household with children.29

The number of FoodShare recipients in the four-county service area decreased between 2017 and 2019

as follows: Grant County (-8 percent); Iowa County (-13.5 percent); Lafayette County (-14.3 percent); and

Richland County (-13.8 percent).

WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC)

WIC is a supplemental nutrition program serving infants to children 5 years of age, pregnant women,

breastfeeding women who had a baby in the past 12 months, and women who have had a baby in the

last 6 months. The average benefit per person in WI decreased from $38.15 in 2017 to $37.30 in 2018.30

The percent of children receiving WIC decreased between 2016 and 2018 as follows: -13.1 percent in

Grant County; -18.2 percent in Iowa County; -24 percent in Lafayette County; and -17.5 percent in

Richland County. In 2018, the numbers of children ages 0-4 receiving WIC were: 786 in Grant County;

274 in Iowa County; 218 in Lafayette County; and 268 in Richland County.

904

335 287 325

829

320250 300

786

274218

268

0

200

400

600

800

1000


Children Receiving WICSource: Wisconsin Department of Human Services

2016 2017 2018

4148

20091416

2301

3878

18681300

2103

3814

17371213

1983

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000


FoodShare (SNAP Recipients)Source: Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services

2017 2018 2019

TRANSPORTATION

For families living in poverty without a reliable personal vehicle and limited public transit, the lack of

transportation can be a significant barrier to achieving self-sufficiency. The estimated percentages of

households with no vehicle are: 5.5 percent in Grant County; 3.8 percent in Iowa County; 5.2 percent in

Lafayette County; and 5.4 percent in Richland County; all counties have lower rates of households with

no vehicle than the state of Wisconsin (6.8 percent) and the United States (8.7 percent). Public

transportation in the four-county service area is limited, as evident below.

5.5%

3.8%5.2% 5.4%

6.8%

8.7%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

Grant County Iowa County Lafayette County Richland County Wisconsin United States

Percentage of Households with No VehicleSource: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2014-2018

REFERENCES

1 US Census Bureau, American Community Survey. 2013-17. 2 Countyhealthrankings.org, 2014-2018, Community Survey Estimates 3 Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Initial and Weekly Claims Filed - Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance. Dwd.wisconsin.gov. (2020). Retrieved 9 May 2020, from https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uistats/. 4 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/ 5 American Community Survey, 2014-2018 Table S1701 6 W-2 Participation Counts: WI Dept of Children and Families: https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/w2/researchers/stats/placements 7 Statistics for tax returns with eitc | Earned Income Tax Credit. Eitc.irs.gov. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.eitc.irs.gov/eitc-central/statistics-for-tax-returns-with-eitc/statistics-for-tax-returns-with-eitc. 8 https://www.ssa.gov 9 Out of Reach: Wisconsin. National Low Income Housing Coalition. (2019). Retrieved 4 May 2020, from https://reports.nlihc.org/oor/wisconsin. 10 Homeless in Wisconsin Statistics 2018. Homeless Estimation by State | US Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/wi/ 11 Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Data. (2020). Retrieved from https://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/data 12 Birth to 3 Program: Program Eligibility. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/birthto3/family/eligibility.htm 13 Kidscount.org; rates are from unpublished data from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Bureau of Developmental Disabilities, Birth-to-Three Program. 14 IDEA Child Count 2016-17. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2017). Retrieved 3 May 2020, from https://dpi.wi.gov/sped/idea-child-count-2016-17. 15 Kids Count, provided by Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Bureau of Early Care Regulation 16 Kids Count, provided from report titled "Shares Children Served by Local Agency," available from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, 2019 17 Wisconsin Child Care Search. Childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov. (2020). Retrieved 4 May 2020, from https://childcarefinder.wisconsin.gov/Search/Search.aspx?type=b&YoungStarProviders=true. 18 Dcf.wisconsin.gov. (2018). Retrieved 4 May 2020, from https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/files/cwportal/reports/pdf/ohc.pdf. 19 Wisconsin Department of Health Services, February 2020 20 https://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/1331 21 Obesity Rates: WIC Participants Ages 2-4. (2019). Retrieved 9 December 2019, from https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/wic/ 22 Resident birth certificates, Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 2018. 23 WISH Query: Low Birthweight Module. Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2018). Retrieved 2 May 2020, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/wish/lbw/form.htm. 24 WISH Query: Infant Mortality Module. Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2018). Retrieved 7 May 2020, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/wish/infant-mortality/form.htm. 25 Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 2015 26 WISH Query: Drug Overdose Deaths. Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2018). Retrieved 2 May 2020, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/wish/opioid/mortality.htm. 27 Gundersen, C., A. Dewey, A. Crumbaugh, M. Kato & E. Engelhard. Map the Meal Gap 2017: Food Insecurity and Child Food Insecurity Estimates at the County Level. Feeding America, 2017. 28 Bauer, L. (2020). The COVID-19 crisis has already left too many children hungry in America. Brookings. Retrieved 8 May 2020, from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/05/06/the-covid-19-crisis-has-already-left-too-many-children-hungry-in-america/.

29 A Closer Look at Who Benefits from SNAP: State-by-State Fact Sheets. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2019). Retrieved 1 May 2020, from https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/a-closer-look-at-who-benefits-from-snap-state-by-state-fact-sheets#Wisconsin. 30 United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 2017

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