City Identification and Characteristics
The current geographical profile is created for the city of Horn Lake, Mississippi, which is located in the southwest of the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau (2019), the city occupies an area of 16.02 square miles, with a population density of approximately 1,627 per square mile (para. 14). The city is governed by Mayor Allen Latimer, who has been in office since 2013 (“City of Horn Lake Mississippi,” n. d.).
The overall population of the city is 27,127 individuals; 50.7% of them are white, and 42.8% are black or African American. The demographic characteristics of the population demonstrate that the majority of the citizens are in the age between 18 and 65, the majority of the population is constituted of female individuals (52%) (United States Census Bureau, 2019). Also, there is a higher rate of citizens younger than 18 years in comparison to those aged 65 and more.
The information on employment and opportunities demonstrates the economic characteristics of the community. Approximately 70% of all population is employed in the civilian labor force; 1,772 business entities are registered in the city (United States Census Bureau, 2019). Median household income is estimated at approximately $47,200 (as of 2018), while the rate of poverty in Horn Lake is 16.2% (United States Census Bureau, 2019). The opportunities are conditioned by the organizations that operate in the city. They include engagement at multiple facilities, such as manufacturing of food, service industry, education, recreation, health care, and others.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Considering the provided data about the city, several strengths and weaknesses of the geographical unit might be presented. Firstly, the city’s strong aspects include its prevalent young employable population, as well as the overall institutional perspectives for social improvements as provided by the government of the city (“City of Horn Lake Mississippi,” n. d.). However, there are numerous weaknesses that impose a number of problems for the City of Horn Lake. They include a significantly high level of poverty, low insurance rates, where 13.4% of the population do not have health coverage, and insufficient resources for food security (United States Census Bureau, 2019). Due to the weaknesses identified in the analyzed geographical unit, there might be several social problems that are relevant to the citizens.
Social Problems that Impact the City
One of the issues that are based on economic factors is food insecurity. Since many people live in poverty and do not have the means to access nutritious products, the problem of food security reaches a high level of significance. Also, the issues of health care tend to be prevalent due to the significant number of people without insurance, and those with disabilities (United States Census Bureau, 2019). The provision of care to particular population groups might need improvement in terms of accessibility and quality. Also, the issue of drug abuse and violence is of great significance in the city due to the high number of underprivileged populations.
Particular measures aimed at the control of crimes and substance abuse are required to be implemented across the city. Also, interventions and policies aimed at the improvement of the situation with food accessibility and health care provision for children and underprivileged populations need to be introduced. Also, culturally relevant social work is highly relevant in the city due to the prevailing rate of non-white residents.
References
City of Horn Lake, Mississippi. (n. d.). Web.
United States Census Bureau. (2019). Horn Lake city, Mississippi. Web.