How are benchmarks calculated?

Benchmarks in IP3 ASSESS provide reference points for interpreting data. They include:

• National Benchmarks – An average of all available values across the U.S.
• State Benchmarks – An average of values within a given state.

Regional Benchmarks can also be added—contact your IP3 team member for details.

Calculating Benchmarks

• Individual Indicators: Benchmarks are calculated by averaging all geographic areas (e.g., census tracts or counties) within the benchmark area. The data source determines whether tract or county values are used.
• Domain Benchmarks: Calculated using a mean of means—the average of all indicators within a domain.

Check out this blog post to learn why using benchmarks for comparison is a useful tactic. Custom or regional benchmarks are an optional feature. Contact us to learn more!