Cost of Living
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
- End extreme poverty, including hunger.
- Promote economic growth and decent jobs within planetary boundaries.
- Ensure effective learning for all children and youth for life and livelihood.
- Improve agricultural systems and raise rural prosperity.
- Empower inclusive, productive, and resilient cities.
- Curb human-induced climate change and ensure sustainable energy.
- Secure biodiversity and ensure good management of water, oceans, forests, and natural resources.
- Transform governance and technologies for sustainable development.
“The World We Want 2015” Priorities:
- Affordable and nutritious food
- Reliable energy at home
- Better job opportunities
- Protecting forests, rivers and oceans
How does our community compare to other communities
of similar size in:
- Food availability and distribution
- Housing availability and affordability
- Transportation availability and safety
- Utilities availability and consistency
- Healthcare availability, equity and quality
(Note that for the U.S., you can make this comparison on several website calculators such as Best Places: Cost of Living)
Employment Rate/Job Opportunities
- What is the current and projected employment rate
- in our community?
(Note: For those in the U.S. on the Bureau of Labor website, you can find statistics by county and metro area)
- Are local businesses involved in offering paid and unpaid internships to students and other groups (i.e., homeless, women and other marginalized groups)?
- How does our community encourage the development of new jobs?
Poverty and Income Equality
In our community:
- What portion of the population lives in poverty?
- What is the income distribution among our population?
(Note: Information on population demographics, housing, income, poverty, and businesses, are available on the U.S. Census Bureau website. Wikipedia offers similar information for most countries along with notes and references.)
- Are wages paid by local businesses adequate to support individuals and families?
- How does our community address income inequality?
Local Business
- Are the businesses in our community thriving?
(For those in the U.S. see U.S. Census Bureau for statistics. Wikipedia offers similar information under "Economy" for most countries.)
- How would our community define a “compassionate economy?”
- Are there businesses in our community that strive to put “people first” instead of focusing exclusively on bottom line profits?
- Are businesses encouraged to support the good of the whole community?
- Do businesses sponsor opportunities to learn about business ethics?
- Are there programs that support dialogue about such topics as how the economy is related to the “common good,” the concepts of “conscious capitalism,” and alternatives such as Genuine Progress Indicators (GPI) or Gross National Happiness (GNH) for measuring economic success?
