What is meant by "comparison"?
The types of available comparisons depend on the source and methodology of the data. If the data comes from a national source collected at the county level, Santa Cruz County’s value will typically be compared to a distribution of all U.S. counties or to a national average, as well as a distribution of California's counties and California's average value. If the data is collected at the state level, Santa Cruz County's value will be compared to a distribution of all counties or county-equivalents in the state, or compared to a state average or value. If the distribution or average data is not available, Santa Cruz County's value will typically be compared to the Prior Value. Sometimes there will also be a Healthy People 2020 target for a comparison, when the definitions of the indicator aligns with those national goals.