Published monthly, Story Behind the Numbers articles explore the North Central Region by delving into regional and national databases on a variety of topics  – providing another way to see and understand our region.
Image of a family of hands of different again wrapped around each other. Wording on the banner reads, "Research Brief"

The Age-Dependency Ratio in the North Central Region: Implications for Regional and Community Development / Research Brief

Posted on January 18th, 2024

By Roberto Gallardo, Associate Professor, Agricultural Economics Department, Purdue University Background The federal government invests in place-based policies, such as…
Areal view of a rural community in the North Central Region.

The impact of health disparities on the subjective well-being in rural communities / Research Brief

Posted on December 15th, 2023

By Zuzana Bednarik Executive Summary The relationship between the place where people live, their health, and subjective well-being represents a…
African Woman Video Conference Business Call

How COVID-19 Changed Workforce Participation Preferences in the North Central Region

Posted on September 18th, 2023

By Ivanna Carrillo-Siller Workplace preferences before and after the COVID-19 pandemic As the world began to shut down at the…
view of the outside of a hospital with a sign pointing to the Emergency entrance.

Unraveling Local Living: A Peek into the Diverse Preferences of Family Households with and without Children

Posted on September 18th, 2023

By Alejandra Armesto Gómez The significance of certain amenities within the local community cannot be overstated. Beyond the provision of…

How often do households in the North Central Region run out of food?

Posted on June 5th, 2023

By Antara Chowdhury The NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey includes a section related to community food security in the North Central Region…
female warehouse worker in cab of forklift

Perception of Equal Employment Opportunities in Communities of the North Central Region

Posted on June 2nd, 2023

By Ivanna Carrillo-Siller The NCR-Stat Baseline Survey includes several questions related to perception of diversity, equity, and inclusion in North…
Image of a balanced seesaw that has five balls with persoon icon applied distributed evenly to imply treating people fairly.

Does your local community treat all residents fairly? Perspectives from the North Central Region

Posted on May 31st, 2023

By Alejandra Armesto Gómez In the 2022 NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey, the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) included…
illustration of a group of diverse people all standing in profile.

How does the North Central Region perceive residents from different cultures and belief systems?

Posted on April 25th, 2023

By Alejandra Armesto Gómez In the 2022 NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey, the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) included…

How happy are people in the North Central Region?

Posted on April 17th, 2023

By Zuzana Bednarik, Ph.D. A better understanding of what makes people happy means identifying determinants of happiness. Research on happiness…
High school students taking test - see a woman's hand holding a pencil

Perception of Equal Access to Education in Communities of the North Central Region

Posted on March 22nd, 2023

By Ivanna Carrillo-Siller In the 2022 NCR-Stat Baseline Survey, the NCRCRD examined people’s perception of diversity, equity, and inclusion in…

Protecting Environment in the North Central Region

Posted on March 14th, 2023

By Antara Chowdhury The 2022 NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey includes two questions related to environmental protection. [1]  Survey participants in the…
African psychologist put hand on shoulder of addicted man (close up rear view) supporting him. Diverse people gathered at rehab group, psychological assistance drugs alcohol addiction treatment concept

Community awareness of substance use disorder programs in the North Central Region

Posted on February 22nd, 2023

By Zuzana Bednarik, Ph.D. Substance abuse includes underage drinking, alcohol dependency, non-medical use of prescription drugs, abuse of over-the-counter medications,…
Distressed woman with arm in a sling holding a piece of paper while talking on phone.

Who cannot afford to pay medical bills in the North Central Region?

Posted on January 12th, 2023

By Zuzana Bednarik, Ph.D. and Renee D. Wiatt This article provides information from the North Central Region Household Data (NCR-Stat):…
Image with paper cut outs of a family (two children and two adults) under an open umbrella. Umbrella has the words "Health Insurance Coverage" printed on it.

Exploring Health Insurance Coverage in the North Central Region at the Intersection of Location, Employment, Gender, Race, and Ethnicity

Posted on December 5th, 2022

By Renee D. Wiatt The 2022 NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey measured whether individuals had health insurance along with other variables such…
Image of a generic health insurance card and stethoscope laying on a test results spreadsheet

Health insurance and health coverage plans in the North Central Region

Posted on November 4th, 2022

By Zuzana Bednarik, Ph.D. In the 2022 NCR-Stat Baseline Survey, the NCRCRD examined the state of health insurance and health…

Story Behind the Number Archive