HOUSTON? We have a Problem

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by IcedCowboyCoffee

Comparisons between Dallas and Houston using their counties really need to be controlled for Harris's size.

A comparison of this stat using each MSA's combined counties (which I suspect that particular comparison did) would be more reflective than zeroing in on a county that represents 32% of its local population and comparing it with a county that represents 63% of its own.
Either that or comparing Harris against a combined Dallas+Tarrant to get an equivalent land area and population size.

Amazing how percentages are great when talking about population growth or some positive statistic but somehow unfair when the statistic is not so positive. Adjusting for Harris County's greater population just means there are more uninsured people in Harris County than in Dallas County AND there more insured people as well.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by mhays

For those who are merely stating that Houston is like other cities, I agree.

I also think it's possible that Houston has more healthcare jobs than other cities in proportional terms, but we're awaiting evidence of that.

Again, no one is measuring Houston against other cities. It was a comment about healthcare's impact on local economic diversity. Not a dick measuring contest who's medical sector is bigger, has more NIH funding or has less uninsured.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by mhays

For those who are merely stating that Houston is like other cities, I agree.

I also think it's possible that Houston has more healthcare jobs than other cities in proportional terms, but we're awaiting evidence of that.

For what it's worth, I found this at some credit builder website called Self.inc. They have Houston as the large metro with the 10th fewest healthcare workers per capita. Interestingly, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles and yes, even San Francisco, have fewer per capita than Houston. But not by much.

Large Metros With the Fewest Healthcare Workers Per Capita



https://www.self.inc/blog/healthcare-workers-by-city

[IcedCowboyCoffee]

Originally Posted by bilbao58

Amazing how percentages are great when talking about population growth or some positive statistic but somehow unfair when the statistic is not so positive. Adjusting for Harris County's greater population just means there are more uninsured people in Harris County than in Dallas County AND there more insured people as well.

We're talking about something which is heavily influenced by distribution of wealth and income levels.

Both Dallas and Houston experienced the same flight to the suburbs away from their downtowns during the same time period.
So if you cast a net centered over Dallas, then cast a net twice as big centered over Houston, of course you're going to catch more of that flight from inner Houston compared to that from inner Dallas. That's going to influence how these numbers come out because insured rates are so influenced by wealth.

Shrink Harris's borders to an area the size of Dallas County's to compare, but using Harris County's lines to compare against Dallas County's lines, for anything really, is as arbitrary as if I had picked a 10 sq mile area over Dallas to compare against a 5 sq mile area over Houston. The county lines don't really signify much once both regions have grown beyond them.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by IcedCowboyCoffee

We're talking about something which is heavily influenced by distribution of wealth and income levels.

OK, I averaged the 11 counties in Dallas-Fort Worth and the 9 counties in Greater Houston and... the winner is...

D-FW 14.8%
Houston 17.2%

Difference of 2.4% D-FW less than Houston Metro whereas the difference between Harris and Dallas counties was 1.4% Harris less than Dallas.