Community Asset Mapping
for Lincoln City
Pollywog’s Community Asset Mapping Project
The Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Linco proudly supports the families in our region with and information about early childhood learnin development. We believe that by working tog as a collective of agencies and service provid can increase family stability, improve kinderga readiness, and ensure service coordination th equitable, and culturally and linguistically com
A crucial component of our coordinated work about the families in our region and the social of health, i.e. the conditions in which we are b and age, that affect their lives. Quantitative co is useful for understanding the context of socia population of a town or the median househol how social determinants of health factor into we must ask community members, and we m
With this directive in mind, Pollywog and the E Mapping Project in 16 rural communities. Asse community-based participatory research, and with this project we seek to engage and center the voices and experiences of families raising young children in rural communities
Rural communities, in particular, face deep disparities in the resources that families need to raise happy and healthy children, and this inequity isn’t always related to geography. With each Asset Mapping session, we ask direct questions about families’ experiences in accessing resources and services in their community and beyond. Their answers show where families encounter gaps in needed support and will translate into data that will inform program funding plans across our region
The selected communities were chosen because they are similar in size (under 20,000 residents) and have two of these existing assets - a grocery store that sells fresh meats and produce, a library, and a health care clinic.
The 16 communities are: Brownsville, Halsey, Harrisburg, Lebanon, Mill City, Scio, and Sweet Home (Linn County); Alsea, Monroe, and Philomath (Benton County); Depoe Bay, Lincoln City, Newport, Siletz, Toledo, and Waldport (Lincoln County).
What is Asset Mapping?
Asset Mapping, or the process of creating a map of community assets, is a handson experience that centers the participants’ experiences and opinions. Over-sized aerial maps of a community are the canvas for community members to share their perspectives on their community and its resources. We hope to learn more about the community that we can’t learn from just looking at a map ourselves.
Asset mapping is unique and valuable because it is strength-focused. We want to know about the places in a community that are valuable to families. To collect this information, we provide stickers with icons of various types of assets and participants are asked to place the stickers on the map to note the physical location. We also ask participants to write the name of the asset and any comments they have, positive or negative or neutral. If an asset doesn’t exist in their town, we ask for stickers to be placed on the edge of the map, indicating that families must go outside their town for that asset.
After placing their stickers on the map, each participant is given a short survey that asks about other aspects of their community, like internet access, banking availability, and laundry facilities We also ask what makes their community unique, what concerns they have, and what they love about their community. The survey questions are open and have space for answers in their own words.
Pollywog’s Asset Mapping Project is funded through Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Equity Grant Program, which seeks to eliminate health inequities by 2030. Our work is funded by the Acute and Communicable Disease division, where we hope our gathered data can contribute to greater access to health care in rural communities To that end, we have been tasked with collecting information about these additional community assets: Annual Exam Providers, Emergency Health Care, Sexual Health & Testing, and Vaccine Providers.
Lincoln City, Oregon
LincolnCityisknownforoversevenmilesofbeachesandoneoftheshortestrivers intheworld,theDRiver.Thecommunityhasapopulationof9,815(2020census) andwasoriginallyfivesmallercommunitiesthatjoinedtogetherin1965.LincolnCity iswell-knownforkiteevents,andisoftencalledtheKiteCapitaloftheworld.
PriortothearrivalofEuropeansettlersinthelate1700's,Oregon’sindigenous peoplethrivedalongthecentralcoast,whichispartoftheancestralterritoryfor over30bandsandtribes.Assimilation,oppression,andforcedrelocationtothe SiletzReservationalmostsucceededineliminatingOregon’scoastalNative Americans.
However,theyorganized,united,andenduredastheConfederatedTribesofSiletz Indians.TodaytheSiletzTribeandtheChinookWindsCasinoisthelargestemployer inLincolnCountyandtheSiletzTribalCharitableContributionFundsupports numerouscommunityneedswithdonationsandgrantfunds.
(Info from chinookwindscasino.com and explorelincolncity.com)
Lincoln City Partners
Information and data for this report was gathered at two Asset Mapping sessions in Lincoln City and combined for an overall picture of community assets. We are grateful to these partners for their assistance with our project in Lincoln City.
Conexion Fenix serves and supports Latino families in Lincoln County through education, counseling, and health-related topics. Community members participated in our Asset Mapping project at a community health information event held in September, 2024 that included music, food, and community information tables.
Lincoln County Public Health and Lincoln City Parks & Recreation invited families to the Spring Festival in May, 2025 Community members participated in Asset Mapping at this bilingual event that included live music, crafts, community information, and family fun.
State of Oregon
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Lincoln City
Community Strengths
What do you love about Lincoln City? What makes Lincoln City unique?
Community Concerns
What concerns do you have about Lincoln City?
Community Strengths and Concerns
Overall, families in Lincoln City love the natural beauty and tranquility of their coastal community. They value their community’s location and the variety of outdoor recreation available at nearby beaches, lakes, rivers, and forests. Lincoln City residents have many outdoor spaces to explore, including 26 parks, 9 hiking trails, and 28 beach access points across 7 miles of beaches.
Lincoln City families stated that they appreciate their friendly neighbors and the community support available in a small town. They feel Lincoln City celebrates diversity and many Latinx residents have found a united Latino community where they can belong.
Those who live in Lincoln City have much to love about their community, but mapping participants also shared their concerns including the high cost of living, the overall state of the local economy, and not enough activities for children and teens.
The primary industry of Lincoln City, like many coastal Oregon communities, is tourism. And while tourist-facing businesses bring thousands of jobs to Lincoln City, it also means higher costs for housing, groceries, and other basics.
Housing in Lincoln City is costly and more than 37% of households are considered cost-burdened, where housing costs (rent/mortgage and utilities) are more than 30% of household income. This is higher than Oregon’s overall rate (35%). For comparison, California has the nation’s highest rate (41.1%).
When housing costs 30% or more, families have less money for other needs, like food and healthcare, or to build savings. Costburdened households often have higher levels of stress and are more vulnerable to financial upsets. Typically, almost half of rental households are cost-burdened.
“Our neighbors are friendly and generous and we pull together in hard times.”
--Lincoln
City
Mapping Participant
(Data from 2025 Regional Data Book, Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties.)
Opportunities for Learning in Lincoln City
Schools in Lincoln City are part of the Lincoln County School District which enrolls just under 5,000 students district-wide Lincoln County Schools located in Lincoln City include Oceanlake Elementary (K-2), Taft Elementary (3-6), and Taft Middle/High School (7-12). Lincoln City is also home to Oregon Coast Community College’s North County Center.
Only a few Lincoln City Asset Mapping participants commented on schools in their community. These were three mentions of schools as concerns participants had for Lincoln City. 20% of participants marked local schools with a ‘Place of Learning’ sticker In comparison, 25% of participants marked Oregon Coast Community College’s North County Center with a ‘Place of Learning’ sticker.
Access to affordable child care and early childhood education was mentioned as a concern by some Lincoln City families, an unfortunate commonality among communities in our Asset Mapping project. All but three Oregon counties are considered child care deserts, and Lincoln City is not an exception. This term applies when there are more than three children for every regulated child care slot and is especially true for infant care slots Of Lincoln City’s eight licensed providers, only two accept children under two years.
Paying for child care is also an issue for families in Lincoln City. Depending on the type of provider and the child’s age, families can expect to pay anywhere from $800 to over $1100 a month for full-time care. Child care is considered affordable when it costs no more than 7% of a household’s income. Based on approximate median incomes and this price range, child care in Lincoln City can cost more than 15% of the household income for many families, well above the affordable range
Fortunately there are income-based preschool options for Lincoln City families who qualify. There are two Head Start locations, Linc City Head Start and Siletz Tribal Head Start, which offer family support as well as classroom activities to help prepare children fo kindergarten. And there are two Preschool Promise locations, at Samaritan Early Learning Center and Tiger Preschool at Oceanla Elementary. Preschool Promise is a free, high-quality preschool program in existing preschools with enrollment coordinated by Oregon’s Early Learning Hubs
(Data from 2025 Regional Data Book, Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties )
Health and Wellness in Lincoln City
In Lincoln City, over 90% of Asset Mapping participants report access to health care within their community. Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital provides Lincoln City and the surrounding communities with primary care, specialty care, emergency care and more. The facility was completely rebuilt in 2020, replacing the original hospital that had served Lincoln City since 1968.
Despite the new facilities, community members expressed concerns over whether it can serve all those who need care. These include frustrations over wait times in the ER, a lack of available translators for medical services, and worry about the future of Ob/Gyn and labor/delivery services due to funding. Samaritan Health has stated maternal services will be maintained in the short-term but revisited if funding remains an issue.
Unlike medical services, 40% of Asset Mapping participants seek dental care outside of their community, often as far as Salem In addition, some Lincoln City families report a lack of available pediatric dentistry.
Other Health Care Needs
The percentages shown below demonstrate the services that residents seek outside of Lincoln City. (Note: Not all participants used every sticker category; these results are based on mapped assets.)
Survey Questions
Do you have reliable internet service that supports video? If your home doesn’t have cell coverage, do you have a landline?
The majority of participants report reliable internet service (85%) and no land line (94%) at their home.
Do you use a bank/credit union, a check cashing service, or both?
One third of participants report that they do not use either a bank/credit union or a check cashing service (32%).
If you use government services (Social Security, DHS, DMV, etc.) how and where do you access them?
Most participants access the government services they use in-person at offices in Lincoln County (83%). Some participants are frustrated with the limited open hours at the DMV office in Lincoln City
Where do you do laundry, at your home or elsewhere? Is the laundry facility accessible? Is the laundry facility affordable?
A small percent of participants use a laundry facility away from their homes (12%).
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
“It took a while to find community here, but it does exist and is lively.”
Community members and Hub staff work together in Lincoln City.
Overview of Community Assets in Lincoln City
Lincoln City is a tranquil beach community known for its natural beauty, outdoor activities, and strong sense of unity. Residents value community support and supportive neighbors but express concerns about limited activities for kids, a high cost of living, and accessing medical care
Community Data
All data are from the 2017-2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, except data about Lincoln County’s school district, which is from Oregon’s Department of Education.
Travel to Work
Households with Own Children Receiving SNAP/Food Assistance
Primary Language Spoken
Pollywog was developed in 2017 to align health care, parenting education, and early childhood services for children and their families in Oregon’s Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties.
As a program of the Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties, families trust Pollywog to connect them with the resources and services they need, including communitybased organizations, medical services, and early childhood education and care. We also work closely with the Parenting Success Network, our local parenting education collaborative.
/PollywogFamily
/thePollywogFamily
@PollywogFamily
Pollywog is located at Linn-Benton Comm. College 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Luckiamute Building, LM-132 Albany, OR 97321
541-917-4884
pollywog@linnbenton.edu
Thisprojectismadepossiblewithsupport fromEarlyLearningHubstaff.Inaddition,the followingHubstaffcontributedtothisreport:
ConnieAdams--DesignandText
JinguangLin DataAnalysis
CarmenSantacruz--SpanishTranslation
AssetMappingProjectUpdates
Followtheprogressofourprojectasweholdassetmappingsessions throughouttheLinn/Benton/Lincolnregion.Weinviteyoutojoinan assetmappingsessioninyourtowntoshareyouropinionsand experiencesasaparticipant.Youcanfindupcomingsessionlocations anddates,reportsfrompastsessions,andpicturesofmapsandsessions onthePollywogwebsiteandtheELHubwebsite.