About Indicators

Creating Issue Awareness

Community indicators are measures used for tracking data on issues we value as a community, and allow for comparison of measures over time. Forsyth Futures first started tracking community indicators in 2008 with the release of the first Making Progress Report (MPR). Indicators included in the first MPR were selected by the community to measure progress in five results areas: Economic Self Sufficiency, Educational Success, Engaged Community, Mental and Physical Health, and Safety.  The second Forsyth Futures’ indicator report was released as “Making Progress 2009: A Catalyst for Change.”

Since 2009, the MPR has evolved into a series of Making Progress Reports for each results area, published throughout the year. Forsyth Futures has also added a sixth results area, Sustainable Environment. 

The Indicator section on the website provides residents an opportunity to browse all sectors, indicators, and measures found within the Making Progress Reports, as well as additional measures related to the selected community indicators.

Forsyth Futures has the following intentions for the release of community indicators:

• Raise awareness of current issues, conditions and trends in the six different results areas.
• Determine where the community is making progress and where more efforts are needed.
• Help residents of Forsyth County understand data and use it more effectively to guide community change.
• Allow organizations to develop new practices and partnerships to address community issues.