Community Assessment: Bayville, NJ

Abstract

This paper provides a windshield survey of Bayville, NJ, and identifies useful statistics and data helpful in understanding the characteristics of the community as they pertain to community health. The community of Bayville is coastal with many opportunities for outdoors recreation in the summer months, from boating to playing in the parks or fields. It has numerous churches for various religious affiliations, which offer organizations and programs for members and non-members alike. The community is below the national average in terms of physicians to residents, but health care access is available in the surrounding greater township. The average worker commutes thirty minutes to work each day, which can add to the strain of labor. Additionally, unemployment in Bayville has risen year over year, and this is not a negligible threat to the mental and physical health of the community, as there is a direct link between the socio-economic health of a community and its mental and physical health.

Keywords: windshield survey, Bayville, NJ, community health

Introduction

Bayville is a quaint, picturesque community on the coast of New Jersey. It is approximately 50 miles east of Philadelphia and 50 miles south of Long Island. It is an unincorporated community in Berkeley Township of Ocean County, and while it is a small community with just shy of 7,000 people, up until recent times it could have been considered affluent, as the median income was over $100,000 (US Census Bureau, 2020). Since COVID, however, those numbers have declined somewhat and the current median household income stands at $78,000, which is still higher than the national average (Best Places, 2021). The percentage of people in Bayville who live in poverty is under 4%. 96% of the population has a high school diploma or higher level of education, and less than 3% of the population lives without health insurance. The median home value is over $500,000, which is well north of anything comparable in other parts of the nation in which a community is situated near an industrial center (Currie et al., 2017). Because of the communitys relative affluence, there is little to no urban sprawl, which makes it especially attractive from an aesthetic point of view (Terando et al., 2017).

Assessment

Physical Environment

The physical environment is very green and coastal. The immediate community has at least one park but greater Berkeley Township has several. Because the community is coastal, it has a great deal of physical and natural beauty and appeal as well as excellent water access. However, Bayville has a water quality index of just 1/100, which is the worst it can be (the national average is 55). This low water quality is due to the measure of its watershed quality, which according to the EPA directly correlates with drinking water quality (Best Places, 2021). The air quality is good with an index of 77/100, well above the national average of 58 (Best Places, 2021). Housing is excellent with more than 2,500 housing units; sewage and waste disposal are properly functioning. Animal control is provided and the community is relatively pest-free. Still, many workers in Bayville commute more than 30 minutes a day for work, and commuting can take a toll on the health of the worker (Kunn-Nelen, 2017).

The windshield survey reveals that people are active in the community; during summer months people can be seen abundantly in the coastal region enjoying the outdoors. The parks are frequently visited by families, and games are played on fields. People walk dogs and ride bikes. The community does not appear to be distressed by litter or rundown or neglected. This may be why crime is not rampant,...

Negative Influence

Factors that may have a negative influence on the community include the rise in unemployment since the lockdowns of 2020. The community still has not recovered from the strict shuttering of businesses, and school closings may have also affected the mental health of young and old (Hoffman & Miller, 2020). This has hurt the standard of living and has lowered the household median income year over year (Best Places, 2021). This is not the kind of trend that a community like Bayville likes to see, and it may lead to higher turnover in the community if more families begin leaving for communities that offer better job opportunities. Turnover is indicative of instability in the social and economic sense and can further destabilize a community, leading to less safe neighbors, which in turn impact mental and physical health (Rogerson, 2019). So far, the turnover is not substantial but there do appear to be more homes for sale than in recent years. Additionally, the lack of access to health care in the immediate community serves as a negative influence, as it means residents must drive to the greater township for their health needs. While this commute is not too great, it does put pressure on people in terms of serving as a time and space barrier to health care.

Conclusion

Bayville is a mostly affluent community on the coastal shores of New Jersey, with many green spaces and well-kept properties. The community is conservative and ordered toward recreation and religious services with an abundance of outlets for each. The lockdowns of 2020, however, have caused an employment slump and workers who already have to commute an average of 30 minutes to work each day have some concern. Should unemployment continue to rise, Bayvilles quality of life may decline. It is…