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THERE'S STRENGTH IN OUR NUMBERS.

PovertyVector-1

Overview

Poverty is a state or condition in which one lacks the financial resources and essentials for a certain standard of living. Poverty can have diverse social, economic, and political causes and effects. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. The indicators include demographics of people living in poverty, food insecurity, healthy food environment, and participation in food stamps/SNAP.

What does this measure?
  • Poverty Rates: Population whose income falls below the federal poverty threshold for their family type.
  • Poverty by Age and Sex: Estimated poverty distribution by age and sex.
  • Poverty by Race: Population whose income falls below the federal poverty threshold for their family type by race.
  • Poverty by Ethnicity: Population whose income falls below the federal poverty threshold for their family type by ethnicity.
  • Food Insecurity: Population with limited or uncertain access to adequate food, additional money required to meet food needs, and the average meal cost (assuming three meals a day, seven days a week). 
  • Healthy Food Environment: Food retailers that are considered healthy based on size and typical food offerings.
  • Food Stamps/SNAP: Households receiving or not receiving Food Stamps/SNAP.
Why is this important?

Measuring and understanding poverty is essential to creating a community in which everyone has that basic foundation, with tangible benefits for all. People in poverty face challenges across the spectrum of food, housing health care, education, vulnerability to natural disaster, and emotional distress. Understanding financial hardship and the effects of poverty on families, communities, and government can help develop poverty reduction strategies. 

Data Notes

The data and analysis that are featured on “Poverty” use first-party data, where possible in order to minimize potential variations between data points, and to offer more reliable comparison across counties. The data sources are from U.S. Census Bureau, Feeding America, and County Health Ranking and Roadmaps.

Complete definitions for terms and data sources that are used for Poverty can be found in Glossary of Terms and Data Sources pages.