People and Society in the NSJV

Key findings for this section include the following:

• NSJV population grew 1.39% between 2016 and 2017, equating to another 21,400 new residents. The NSJV population is now 1.57 million.
• In 2017, both net domestic and international migration in the NSJV were positive for the fourth consecutive year.
• Over the next 45 years, we project NSJV population growth will average 0.92% annually. The NSJV population will exceed 2.3 million in 2060.
• NSJV birthrates dropped for the 11th consecutive year with a 3.3% decline between 2016 and 2017 alone.
• Sustained improvement in numerous indicators of human capital development, including higher educational attainment, rising 3-4 year old’s school enrollment, third-grade reading proficiency, and third-grade math proficiency. College readiness of NSJV high school graduates is also continuing to improve, but less than 35% of NSJV high school graduates meet admissions criteria for California’s CSU/UC system.
• The rate of adult and juvenile felonies per capita continues to decline and property crime rates have dropped although trends in the violent crime rate are somewhat more mixed.
• NSJV population grew 1.18% between 2015 and 2016, equating to another 18,000 new residents. The NSJV population is now more than 1.54 million.
• In 2016, both net domestic and international migration in the NSJV were positive for the third consecutive year.
• Over the next 45 years, we project NSJV population growth will average 1.02% annually. The NSJV population will exceed 2.4 million in 2060.
• Educational attainment in the NSJV is improving. Between 2010 and 2015 the NSJV had the second highest growth in human capital among 15 regions in California. However, the NSJV still ranks second lowest in human capital State-wide.
• There has been sustained improvement in numerous indicators of human capital development, including rising 3-4 year old’s school enrollment, high school graduation rates, third-grade math proficiency as well as proficiency in basic algebra. College readiness of NSJV high school graduates is also continuing its significant improvement during the past several years, but only a third of NSJV high school graduates are considered college ready.
• Despite intra-regional variations, recent sustained increases in the region’s violent crime rate is an issue of concern.