The Gini Coefficient of Formal Care measures how formal care jobs are geographically distributed across the U.S. among those individuals at risk of needing care. A Gini Coefficient of 0 would indicate perfect equality, meaning formal care jobs are evenly located in areas where at-risk individuals reside. A higher Gini Coefficient signals a greater mismatch in the availability of care by location. A Gini Coefficient usually measures income inequality, but here we use it to measure spatial inequality of care services to the population most at-risk of needing those services.

The Care Ratio compares the number of individuals needing care—children, disabled, & elderly adults—to the number of available able-bodied adult caregivers in both the formal and informal economy. A Care Ratio of one means there is one caregiver for every person in need. A ratio below one indicates a higher number of people in need of care for each available provider. A ratio above one is a higher number of people available to provide care than those needing care.

The Sandwich Generation Population tracks the number of adults balancing the responsibilities of caring for both a child under 10 and an elderly adult.

Daily Caregiving Hours estimates the number of hours per day that Sandwich Caregivers spend providing care.