Beech Tree News Network

While looking through some information my daughter recently used in a college class, I saw a couple of interesting websites that contained lots of information about Morgantown. Some of that information is listed below.

Food Environment Statistics:
•    Adult diabetes rate – Butler County, 10.6%; Kentucky 11.0%.
•    Adult obesity rate – Butler County, 31.3%; Kentucky 30.0%.
•    Low income preschool obesity rate – Butler County, 22.0%; Kentucky 15.9%.

Morgantown statistics compared to Kentucky state average:
•    Median household income significantly below state average.
•    Median house value below state average.
•    Black race population percentage significantly below state average.
•    Hospice race population percentage significantly above state average.
•    Foreign-born population percentage below state average.
•    Renting percentage above state average.
•    Number of rooms per house below state average.
•    Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average.
•    Number of college students below state average.
•    Percentage of population with a bachelor’s degree or higher significantly below state average.

Morgantown’s most common industries in 2008-2012 (%):
•    Manufacturing (59%)
•    Administrative and support and waste management services (9%)
•    Retail trade (9%)
•    Educational services (6%)
•    Public administration (6%)
•    Construction (5%)
•    Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (2%)

Other information:
•    Estimated median household income – Butler County, $22,052; Kentucky, $41,576; National Average, $51,914
•    Mean travel time to work (commute): 20.3 minutes
•    Unemployment in July 2013: Butler County, 9.1%; Kentucky, 8.5%
(Retrieved from: http://www.usacityfacts.com/ky/butler/morgantown/economy/; http://www.city-data.com/city/Morgantown-Kentucky.html#b)

Author Frank A. Clark said, “Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots.” These statistics show some of the needs in our county. Our population may not have the financial resources available to them that others have, but our county and city are great places to live and raise children.