Research methods and data standards
How Westchester Youth Economics chooses sources, labels estimates, handles different ACS periods, and separates data from interpretation.
Primary source hierarchy
1) U.S. Census Bureau / American Community Survey
2) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3) New York State Department of Labor
4) Official UN framework pages for SDG labels
Why Census Reporter appears
Census Reporter presents ACS tables in a readable profile format. The underlying data is American Community Survey data; each local profile is linked.
1-year vs 5-year
ACS 1-year estimates are available for larger populations and are more current. ACS 5-year estimates pool more observations and are commonly used for smaller places. WYE labels the period on local profiles.
Margins of error
Small-community estimates can have large margins of error. Rankings should not be treated as precise when uncertainty overlaps.
Inflation
The NY–Newark–Jersey City CPI-U is a regional index. WYE does not describe it as a Westchester-only price index.
Simulators
Affordability, ROI, and policy tools are educational scenario models. Their assumptions are visible and outputs are not professional financial advice or empirical forecasts.
Source directory
| Source | Used for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Census / ACS | Income, poverty, housing, education, population, commute | County profile ↗ |
| Census QuickFacts | County benchmark rent, income, home-value comparisons | QuickFacts ↗ |
| BLS | NY-area CPI-U | CPI release ↗ |
| NYS DOL | Westchester private-sector job growth | Hudson Valley labor stats ↗ |
| United Nations | SDG names / framework | UN Goals ↗ |