Spring Hill Presbyterian Church
Community Profile 2003
1. The Ministry Area
Spring Hill Presbyterian Church has members living in rural Augusta County
and the city of Staunton.
2. Current Community Trends
Demographics:
Total Population & Expected Increase:
The total population in Augusta County is 65,615 people. The gender
breakdown for Augusta County is 50.3% male and 49.7% female. This is
close to the state’s breakdown.
There is a 1.5% to 2.5% population increase projected in the next year in
our ministry area by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative Planner Mr. Stogdale
and Augusta County Planner Becky Earhart. The North River District has
1500 registered voters and the Mt. Solon District has 2200 registered voters.
Age: 17.4% of Augusta County’s population is 35-44 years
of age
15.7% Ages 45-54
12.4% Ages 25-34
7.4% Ages 65-74
7.1% Ages 10-14
6.7% Ages 5-9
6.5% Ages 15-19
6.2% Ages 55-59
5.7% Ages Birth-4
4.9% Ages 60-64
4.6% Ages 20-24
4.1% Ages 75-80
Race: Augusta County has a substantially higher white
population and substantially lower African American, Asian, Hispanic, and
multiracial populations than Virginia as a whole.
One Race 99.4% of the population in Augusta County
White 95%…………………..compared with……………… 72%
in Virginia
Black or African American 3.6%
19.6% in Virginia
Asian .3%
3.7% in Virginia
Hispanic/Mexican .9%
4.7% in Virginia
Multiracial .6%
2.0% in Virginia
Education: In Virginia, there are 2.9 million high school graduates,
with 25,163 (less than .9%) living in Augusta County. In Virginia there
are 972,894 college graduates and 4,257 (less than .5%) of them live in Augusta
County.
Relationship in Household:
37.8 % live in single adult households
24.1 % live in households with two
adults married to each other
28.1% of households have one or more
children
(in 21.7% the child(ren) are under the age of 18)
3.6% of households contain other relatives
3.3% of households have non-relatives
Households By Type:
76.2% Family households
23.8% Non-family households
63.7% Married couple families, no children
26.2% Married couples w/children
20.1% Head of household living alone (8.1% over age 65)
8.6% Female head, no husband present 4.8%
Female head, children under 18
Home Ownership: 83.1% Augusta County
68.1% Virginia
Persons Below Poverty: 8.4% Augusta County
11.6% Virginia
Average Household Size: 2.56
Average Family Size: 2.94
Statistics by Economic Sector:
Industry # of Establishments
# of Employees Sales $
Retail Trade 214
1,925
310,783,000
Healthcare/Social Service 70
756
61,362,000
Manufacturing 66
5,372
1,312,385,000
Accommodation/Food 66
1,112
32,969,000
Professional/Scientific 56
280
15,643,000
Real Estate 48
200
15,966,000
Population by Income:
Household income is increasing. There are fewer households falling
in the “Under $25,000” categories than in 1990.
Amount Number
Percent
$150,000 or more 254
1.8
$100,000 to $149,999 522
3.6
$75,000 to $99,999 1,037
7.2
$50,000 to $74,999 2,665
18.5
$35,000 to $49,999 2,969
20.6
$25,000 to $34,999 2,253
15.7
$15,000 to $24,999 2,274
15.8
$5,000 to $14,999 1,897
13.2
Under $5,000 512
3.6
3. Community Changes Over Last Ten Years
Population:
U.S. Census Bureau General Demographic Characteristics for Augusta County:
The total population in Augusta County is 65,615 people. This is a
20.3% increase from the population figure in 1990. This growth rate
is also 6% higher than the state’s growth rate since 1990. See the chart
noting population by County Subdivision, especially North River and Staunton
Subdivisions.
Population Totals for Augusta County:
1990 1980 1970 1960
1950 1940 1930 1920
54,677 53,732 44,220 37,363
34,154 42,772 38,163
34,671
Income:
Amount Number
Percent % Increase Since 1990
$150,000 or more 254
1.8 .9
$100,000 to $149,999 522
3.6 2.6
$75,000 to $99,999 1,037
7.2 4.5
$50,000 to $74,999 2,665
18.5 7.1
$35,000 to $49,999 2,969
20.6 2.1
$25,000 to $34,999 2,253
15.7 -3.7
$15,000 to $24,999 2,274
15.8 -4.6
$5,000 to $14,999 1,897
13.2 -7.1
Under $5,000 512
3.6 -2.4
Household income is increasing. There are fewer households falling
in the “Under $25,000” categories than in 1990.
4. Church’s Identity in the Community
These answers came from the Community Profile Questionnaire presented to
Spring Hill Presbyterian Church: We are expected to help those in need.
Most people in the community speak kindly of us and consider us trusted, generous,
kind, and hard-working people. Most think highly of Spring Hill church,
but those living closest to the church think very little of us. We
are seen as having a lot of money and property – things they believe a church
should not have. Some feel that Spring Hill needs more long-term goals
than simply obtaining a full-time minister.
5. Size and Identity of Community’s Churches
There are six churches within five miles of Spring Hill Presbyterian Church:
Church
Ave. Sunday Attendance
Membership
Salem Lutheran 130
350
Pleasant View Lutheran 100
375
Zetta Chapel Presbyterian 25
30
Moscow Church of Brethren 100
172
Mt. Pisgah United Methodist 95
173
Lebanon Church of Brethren 128
187
6. Needs Within the Community
These needs were reported on a Community Profile Questionnaire presented
to Spring Hill Presbyterian Church:
The elderly and homebound need home visits and help with household tasks
and transportation. The church should be more attentive to the elderly.
Those who are sick or grieving need visits from the pastor and members.
Persons and families need financial support to pay bills (including food
and clothing) and to provide gifts for their family members at Christmas time.
Families need help when experiencing a disaster.
School-aged children need clothing and school supplies.
College-aged youth need financial help.
Children need an after-school supervised program.
Visits should be made to people in communities in our ministry area.
Bible studies are needed. The church needs to be effectively witnessing.
Spring Hill needs to get more involved with other churches (softball, basketball,
community clean-up) and community groups (Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross,
Ruritans, etc.).
Within the last 80 years, the community of Springhill has gone from having
a school, post office, two blacksmith shops, a general merchandise store,
a car garage, a nearby flour mill, several churches, and a thriving housing
development to having one church, one main thoroughfare, and a small collection
of homes. With this change, Spring Hill Presbyterian Church is now the
only community focal point. The church’s older members have fond memories
of when the community was thriving. When they are homebound or feel
neglected, they feel a deep sense of alienation from their church and community.
Spring Hill Church takes the lead in holding the community together, keeping
the sense of community alive for those who live here.
Within the same period of time, Augusta County has been steadily moving
from the once-predominant family farm industry to a variety of manufacturing
industries. Steadily, land is being sold for industrial parks and housing
developments, and more and more people are being employed by manufacturers
and in retail trade. Those in the Springhill community involved in
farming are challenged to make their operations thrive as the era of the
family farm is diminishing.