More than 100 small businesses in our commercial district serve as the gateway to Hartford from the affluent western suburbs. The Upper Albany neighborhood is characterized by high rates of poverty, violent crime, and low levels of formal education. Neighborhood negatives are exacerbated by visible blight which constricts the growth and vitality of our community. Approximately 85% of the community is Black with a very strong Caribbean presence, 14% is Hispanic, and less than 1% is Asian and Caucasian. Upper Albany is considered a low-income neighborhood with a median household income of $23,417 and more than 30% of families live in poverty. Less than 60% of Upper Albany residents possess a high school degree and only 5% are college graduates. UAMS serves approximately 13,551 individuals in the entire Albany Avenue commercial district.