The circumstances of Trenton’s citizens are very different from surrounding Mercer County. Census tract data for median income show the vast disparities. The census tract is a rough approximation of a neighborhood. Family data shows these conditions for children. Both maps show the neighborhood context of poverty in Trenton. In both maps the community gardens are situated in different contexts and can have different impacts based on that context. Although education in Trenton is generally considered as a united district, the spatial location of schools shows the great differences in the communities. The school system is supposed to serve these communities, but admissions standards and the organization and management system of the schools can disconnect the institutions from the neighborhoods. Measuring the effects of education, and identifying areas of improvement are complicated by this disconnect.
