Summary
Weld County has experienced rapid population growth in the last 10 years, which has brought increased diversity and community change and challenges. The assessment identified a number of community concerns including a lack of jobs and inadequate wages, overcrowded classrooms, air pollution, lack of affordable medical care, a shortage of affordable housing, a lack of cultural and recreational facilities, especially in rural areas, crime, racial and ethnic tensions, a lack of affordable child care, and inadequate transportation.
While many households reported only minor or moderate social and economic challenges, there were a number of households that were struggling with social and economic issues. The social and economic issues that a number of households reported dealing with included inadequate wages and not having enough money to buy household items, having a lot of anxiety and stress, not having enough money to pay for medical care, not having enough money to pay for rent and utilities, not being able to afford cultural or entertainment activities, not being able to afford legal help, not being able to get care for an elder or disabled adults, inadequate child care, and not being able to access public transportation. These are more likely to be major issues for households with low incomes and low levels of education, those of color, and in some instances in rural households.