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December 2013 DIVER Geo Scores ReleasedSTAMFORD, Conn. --(Business Wire)-- The DIVER Geo Score results are in for December. The DIVER Geo Score represents a relative score of the economic health of a U.S. State, county or city. Based on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the best, this data is updated monthly and is calculated from multiple economic and demographic factors related to three primary data categories-employment, income and housing. Here are the latest results through December 31, 2013: GEO SCORE: BY STATE Highlights: Maryland and Massachusetts Drop Out of the Top 10 and are Replaced by Minnesota and South Dakota; California and Minnesota are Most Improved For December, Maryland, which had a monthly decline of 1.6 for its Geo Score, fell from the top ten, suffering from declining Wages and an increase in Poverty. Massachusetts saw a less significant decline of 0.2 but also relinquished its place in the top ten, while Minnesota, with an increase of 1.4, and South Dakota (+0.8) were added to the top ten. North Dakota and Washington, D.C. continue with the top Geo Scores amongst the States while California gets the prize for the most improved State year-over-year. California's significant improvement, from 2.0 to 3.8, is attributed to a significant decrease in Unemployment and Foreclosure Rates and an increase in its Housing Prices. Also noteworthy is the significant Geo Score increase for Colorado and (+1.4), Arizona (+1.2) and Montana, Kansas, Utah, West Virginia and Nevada (+1.0).
Mississippi, South Carolina and Georgia come in with the lowest Geo Scores while Delaware suffered the steepest decline in its score (-3.2). Delaware's steep decline was driven primarily by a decline in wages and an increase in their poverty and foreclosure rates. This was followed by Maryland (-1.6) and New Mexico and Arkansas (-1.4). States suffering the most significant declines in their Geo Scores saw a decline in their Labor Force Participation Rate and Wages.
GEO SCORE: BY COUNTY Highlights: New York and Colorado Counties (Two Each) Join California-Dominated List of Most Improved; Five of the 10 Biggest Decliners Hail from the Mid-Atlantic States Nine of the top ten Geo Score counties come from the Roughrider State of North Dakota. Counties with the most significant increases in their Geo Score came from New York, Colorado and California, which all experienced positive trending decreases in Unemployment, Poverty and Foreclosure rates, as well as positive trending Housing Price Indices.
Eight of the top ten counties with the greatest decline experienced a decrease in wages and seven saw a decrease in their Labor Force Participation Rate. Five counties in this group also saw a rise in their Poverty Rate.
GEO SCORE: BY CITY Highlights: California Dominates the Top Ten Cities and Nine of the Ten Biggest Increases This month's top ten city Geo Scores saw Midland, TX retake the number one spot. For the Top Ten Geo Score increases at the city level, all saw an increase in their Housing Price Index as well as a decline in Foreclosure Rates, and all saw declines in Unemployment. California had 15 of the 25 top movers for cities driven primarily by declining Unemployment, Poverty and Foreclosure Rates and an increase in Housing Prices.
Significant turnover occurred in the Worst ten cities, with the following new entrants of Rockford, IL, Toledo, OH, Yuma, AZ and Yuba, CA. For cities with the steepest declines in Geo Scores, declining Wages and Labor Force Participation played a significant factor while increased Poverty and Foreclosure Rates plagued six of the bottom ten.
For more information or to see a full list of DIVER Geo Scores for the current month, please visit our website at www.lumesis.com/our-solutions/diver-geo-score. About Lumesis Lumesis is a cloud-based financial technology company dedicated to delivering simple-to-use powerful technology for the Municipal Marketplace. Lumesis has three products in its DIVER solution offering-DIVER Advisor, DIVER Analytics, and DIVER Data Services-which offer software solutions and comprehensive data on more than 54,000 municipal issuers. DIVER Advisor is a comprehensive compliance and information delivery platform serving Financial Advisor networks, helping them address the Time of Trade Disclosure (MSRB Rule G-47) obligations. DIVER Analytics is a suite of powerful analytical and visualization tools serving Credit Analysts and Portfolio Managers. DIVER Data Services matches user data and information needs with comprehensive data, analytical and delivery expertise. To learn more about Lumesis, please visit www.lumesis.com or contact us at [email protected].
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