BRADD Social Vulnerability and Hazard Mitigation

A story map highlighting social vulnerabilities within the BRADD Hazard Mitigation Region

Overview

This story map utilizes demographic data to emphasize social vulnerabilities and the impact they have on hazard recovery and response within the BRADD region.


Population Density

The BRADD region includes a total of 25 cities within 10 counties in the state of Kentucky- Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren. A total of almost 300,000 people live within these 10 counties- an average of around 339.1 people per square kilometer. Warren county is the largest county in the region with an estimated population of 126.4k people (42.19% of total region population). The least populated area is Metcalfe County, which has roughly 10k people.


Age

The BRADD region can be characterized by its growing population of seniors and young children. Both of these age groups are more vulnerable to certain hazards.

Older Adults:

Pockets of higher concentrations of seniors are located across the BRADD region. The highest concentration of seniors is located in Butler County with 33.1% of the population being seniors. Warren County has the lowest senior population (0.4% of the total population) as well as a much smaller concentration of seniors in general. This area primarily appeals to younger generations as Western Kentucky University is located in the city of Bowling Green (Warren County).

Seniors are particularly more vulnerable to hazards because they are often dependent on other people due to disabilities. They are also more reliant on certain resources such as transportation and health services. These resources can be limited in times of disaster, causing troubling times for older generations.

Children:

Barren County has the highest concentration of youth with 34.6% of the total population being under the age of 18. In addition to having the lowest senior population, Warren County also has the lowest concentration of youth- 2.6%.

Much like seniors, the youth population is often reliant on other people. Their access to resources such as food, transportation, and shelter depends on the support of their guardian. They are also more susceptible to the emotional stress associated with hazards.


Disability

There are six different types of disabilities identified by the American Community Survey- hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, cognitive disability, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, and independent living difficulty. Individuals with a hearing disability are deaf or struggle to hear. In order to be classified as having a vision difficulty, an individual must have difficulty seeing, even with glasses. A cognitive disability involves struggling with concentration and recollection. Difficulty walking indicates an ambulatory difficulty. Self-care difficulties involve a struggle with daily habits such as bathing and dressing. An individual who is unable to perform tasks alone such as visiting a doctor is classified as having an independent living difficulty.

Individuals with a disability are more dependent and may have the inability to evacuate during natural disasters. Their disabilities may also limit their ability to access certain resources such as food or shelter.

The majority of disabled residents within the BRADD region are 35-64 years old. In general, more residents above the age of 64 have a disability than residents below the age of 35. There is no consistent pattern or significant gap in relation to the percentage of disabled males and females.


Poverty

An individual's response to any hazard is largely dependent on their income. Those with financial burdens experience a greater difficulty adapting to and recovering from natural disasters/hazards. For instance, low-income individuals often face the burden of increased utility costs during extreme winters and summers. They also do not have the financial stability to rebuild or move after severe storm/weather events.

The percent of the population in the BRADD region with an income below the federal poverty level ranges from 2.8% to 57.8%- with Warren County having both the highest and lowest percent. The majority of residents below the poverty level are within the age range of 18-59 years. A significant amount of younger children (under the age of 18) are also faced with financial burdens as they rely on the income of their parents/guardians.


Race and Ethnicity

Minorities are often faced with environmental injustices as they tend to live in less desirable neighborhoods. Examples of these injustices include unsafe infrastructure, lack of reliable healthcare, and close proximity to sources of pollution and other environmental hazards. These factors, as well as others, leave minorities more vulnerable to hazards

While most of the residents within the BRADD region identify as white, there is still a diverse range of minorities. Warren County in particular has a more diverse range of races as it is a center for refugees. Excluding Hispanic/Latino and White races, a significant amount of the population across the region identify as two or more races. Those who identify as Black or African American alone are also predominant throughout the BRADD region.


Food Insecurity

The linked document, authored by Mason Tomko, analyzes food insecurity in the BRADD region. It critiques the industrialization of agriculture for reducing access to healthy, affordable, local foods, particularly in rural and low-income areas. Using GIS tools and data from sources such as the USDA and BRADD, a vulnerability assessment was conducted for the region. Factors including access to food, public health, and socioeconomic conditions were analyzed, with weighted scores assigned to identify the most vulnerable communities. The study aims to provide decision-makers with insights to address inequities in food access and emphasizes systemic challenges rooted in social and environmental injustices. Click below to learn more:


About

The data displayed in this story map is sourced from American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2014-2018 and 2017-2021.

For more information on hazard and mitigation planning, visit BRADD's  Hazard Mitigation Portal .

To learn more about BRADD, visit BRADD's  website .