North Carolina Vital Statistics
Volume 1 - 2000
Geographic Patterns in Vital Statistics
This section contains nine maps depicting population and selected vital statistics for the state’s 100 counties. Data and population bases for the vital statistics rates are for the 5-year period 1996-2000. The range of data values indicated by the map legend was formed by a clustering routine from the SAS. This routine groups into five clusters counties that were “most like each other” with respect to the statistic being examined. This procedure may result in very large or very small groups, depending upon how counties differ from one another.
The nine maps display the county statistics listed below. Definitions and formulas are found in Section VI and maps displaying county names are printed on the reverse sides of region and county divider sheets. It should be noted that marriage and divorce rates are not mapped because these data are tabulated only by county of occurrence, not county of residence.
Although the vital statistics rates shown on the maps are 5-year rates, be careful when interpreting relatively high rates in sparsely populated counties. These counties usually have a small number of births and deaths, which may create a very unstable rate. Consult your respective county tables for the 2000 numbers involved before becoming concerned about relatively high county-level rates.
Vital Statistics Volume 1 - 2000
