There is also additional background information for this table group.

Contents for Table

Table 3. Percent of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2007

    Percent Below Poverty Level
  Before taxes
  Money income  
Population Total
(thous.)		 Excluding capital gains (current measure)
Definition 1		 Definition 1 less government transfers
Definition 2		 Definition 2 plus capital gains
Definition 3		 Definition 3 plus health insurance supplements to wage or salary income
Definition 4
All Races
All families 77908 9.8 17.9 17.7 17.1

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 3359 29.2 31.5 31.3 30.3
25 to 44 years 30871 12.6 14.5 14.5 13.7
45 to 54 years 17954 6.8 9.5 9.5 9.0
55 to 64 years 13225 6.1 13.1 13.0 12.5
65 years and over 12500 5.7 39.6 38.9 38.6

Type of Family
Married-couple families 58395 4.9 13.2 13.1 12.6
  With related children
    under 18 		26450 6.7 8.2 8.2 7.6
  With related children
    under 6 		12318 8.4 9.7 9.6 9.0
Male householder,
    no wife present 		5103 13.6 19.1 18.8 18.2
Female householder,
    no husband present 		14411 28.3 36.5 36.3 35.1
  With related children
    under 18 		9718 37.0 42.3 42.2 40.6
  With related children
    under 6 		3992 49.9 53.9 53.7 52.1

Region
Northeast 13910 9.1 17.2 17.1 16.6
Midwest 17408 8.4 16.5 16.3 15.7
South 29189 11.3 20.1 19.9 19.3
West 17402 9.2 16.2 16.1 15.4

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 9988 26.4 43.3 43.1 41.8
High school graduate, no college 23006 12.2 23.3 23.1 22.3
College: Less than bachelor's degree 21576 7.4 13.8 13.7 13.1
Bachelor's degree or more 23338 2.5 5.4 5.4 5.2

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 65408 10.6 13.7 13.7 13.0
Worked at full-time jobs 46649 5.0 5.8 5.8 5.2
  50 to 52 weeks 40653 3.4 3.8 3.8 3.4
Worked at part-time jobs 7185 17.6 21.7 21.7 20.6
Did not work 11574 28.7 40.8 40.5 39.8

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 21356 26.4 53.8 53.3 52.4
  Householder 15 to 64 years 12528 39.6 53.6 53.4 52.0
  Householder 65 years and over 8828 7.8 54.1 53.2 53.0
One worker 33441 5.6 6.9 6.9 6.1
Two workers or more 23111 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 3645 39.0 62.7 62.4 60.7
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 1300 61.8 75.9 75.6 74.5
      SSI 2562 29.0 57.9 57.6 55.8
  Food stamps 5144 60.3 73.6 73.6 71.7
  Housing assistance 2300 58.6 72.7 72.8 70.8
  Energy assistance 1546 52.6 72.0 71.9 70.2
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 7710 42.2 49.3 49.3 47.1
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 1748 62.9 85.5 85.4 84.2

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 54882 3.0 6.1 6.0 5.1
  Medicare 17910 8.1 38.7 38.1 37.5
  Medicaid 14506 31.9 43.6 43.4 42.2
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		7946 18.6 20.5 20.5 20.5
  Health insurance 4722 25.0 26.4 26.5 26.5
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 3551 21.2 54.0 53.3 52.3

 

  Percent Below Poverty Level
After taxes
Definition 4 less Social Security payroll taxes
Definition 5		 Definition 5 less Federal income taxes
Definition 6		 Definition 6 plus Earned Income Tax Credit
Definition 7		 Definition 7 less state income taxes
Definition 8		 Definition 8 plus nonmeans- tested government cash transfers
Definition 9
All Races
All families 18.0 17.8 16.5 16.5 9.1

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 32.6 32.6 28.6 28.7 26.9
25 to 44 years 14.9 14.2 12.1 12.0 10.7
45 to 54 years 9.6 9.5 8.5 8.5 6.6
55 to 64 years 13.1 13.2 12.9 13.0 6.8
65 years and over 39.2 39.3 39.1 39.2 6.6

Type of Family
Married-couple families 13.3 13.1 12.3 12.3 4.5
  With related children
    under 18 		8.5 8.0 6.4 6.3 5.2
  With related children
    under 6 		10.2 9.4 7.3 7.3 6.4
Male householder,
    no wife present 		19.6 19.4 18.1 18.0 13.3
Female householder,
    no husband present 		36.9 36.5 32.7 32.7 26.3
  With related children
    under 18 		42.6 41.8 36.5 36.3 32.7
  With related children
    under 6 		54.3 53.5 47.2 47.2 45.1

Region
Northeast 17.2 17.1 15.9 15.8 8.6
Midwest 16.4 16.3 15.1 15.1 7.7
South 20.3 20.0 18.5 18.6 10.5
West 16.5 16.2 14.8 14.8 8.7

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 44.1 43.4 39.7 39.8 25.4
High school graduate, no college 23.3 23.0 21.4 21.4 11.1
College: Less than bachelor's degree 13.9 13.7 12.5 12.6 6.8
Bachelor's degree or more 5.5 5.5 5.2 5.2 2.3

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 14.0 13.7 12.1 12.1 9.6
Worked at full-time jobs 6.1 5.7 4.3 4.3 3.6
  50 to 52 weeks 4.1 3.7 2.5 2.5 2.2
Worked at part-time jobs 22.0 21.6 18.8 18.8 15.8
Did not work 40.9 40.9 39.5 39.5 29.8

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 53.5 53.4 51.7 51.6 26.6
  Householder 15 to 64 years 53.7 53.5 50.5 50.5 39.1
  Householder 65 years and over 53.3 53.4 53.4 53.3 8.9
One worker 7.4 6.9 5.0 5.1 4.0
Two workers or more 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.4

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 62.9 62.3 59.9 59.9 50.6
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 76.9 76.1 72.2 72.0 66.7
      SSI 57.9 57.4 55.7 55.9 44.6
  Food stamps 74.5 73.3 66.3 66.1 57.4
  Housing assistance 72.9 71.9 66.6 66.1 56.7
  Energy assistance 72.3 71.1 64.8 64.8 51.9
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 50.4 48.6 41.2 40.9 35.9
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 86.5 85.8 82.4 82.4 73.9

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 5.6 5.5 4.9 4.9 2.2
  Medicare 38.3 38.4 38.0 38.0 9.4
  Medicaid 44.5 43.4 38.8 38.7 30.6
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		22.6 22.2 19.5 19.5 17.7
  Health insurance 29.5 28.9 25.0 25.1 23.7
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 53.8 53.7 52.3 52.3 27.9

 

  Percent Below Poverty Level
After taxes
Definition 9 plus Medicare
Definition 10		 Definition 10 plus regular-price school lunches
Definition 11		 Definition 11 plus means-tested government cash transfers
Definition 12		 Definition 12 plus Medicaid
Definition 13		 Definition 13 plus other means-tested government noncash transfers
Definition 14
All Races
All families 8.9 8.9 8.3 7.9 7.2

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 26.7 26.7 26.2 24.9 23.0
25 to 44 years 10.6 10.5 10.1 9.5 8.3
45 to 54 years 6.4 6.4 5.9 5.6 5.1
55 to 64 years 6.4 6.4 5.8 5.6 5.2
65 years and over 6.0 6.0 5.3 5.2 5.0

Type of Family
Married-couple families 4.3 4.3 4.0 3.8 3.5
  With related children
    under 18 		5.1 5.1 4.9 4.4 4.0
  With related children
    under 6 		6.3 6.3 6.1 5.5 5.0
Male householder,
    no wife present 		13.0 13.0 12.5 12.1 11.4
Female householder,
    no husband present 		25.8 25.8 24.3 23.3 20.3
  With related children
    under 18 		32.3 32.3 30.9 29.5 25.5
  With related children
    under 6 		44.8 44.8 42.9 40.9 36.6

Region
Northeast 8.4 8.4 7.7 7.3 6.4
Midwest 7.5 7.5 7.0 6.6 5.9
South 10.1 10.1 9.7 9.3 8.6
West 8.4 8.4 7.8 7.5 6.6

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 24.5 24.5 22.8 21.8 19.4
High school graduate, no college 10.8 10.8 10.3 9.7 8.8
College: Less than bachelor's degree 6.7 6.7 6.2 5.9 5.2
Bachelor's degree or more 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.1

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 9.4 9.4 8.9 8.4 7.6
Worked at full-time jobs 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.2 2.7
  50 to 52 weeks 2.2 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.6
Worked at part-time jobs 15.5 15.5 14.8 14.2 12.2
Did not work 29.0 29.0 27.1 26.1 24.5

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 25.8 25.8 24.1 23.3 21.4
  Householder 15 to 64 years 38.3 38.3 36.0 34.8 31.6
  Householder 65 years and over 8.1 8.1 7.2 7.1 6.8
One worker 3.9 3.9 3.7 3.3 2.8
Two workers or more 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 47.5 47.5 36.4 34.0 28.4
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 64.6 64.6 57.4 52.9 42.1
      SSI 40.6 40.6 27.4 25.6 21.6
  Food stamps 55.7 55.7 51.7 47.3 37.7
  Housing assistance 55.3 55.3 51.3 47.5 33.6
  Energy assistance 50.3 50.3 45.7 42.1 34.1
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 35.4 35.4 33.6 31.5 25.8
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 70.7 70.7 59.1 54.5 43.4

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.0 1.8
  Medicare 8.3 8.3 7.2 7.0 6.4
  Medicaid 29.6 29.6 26.9 24.8 21.4
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		17.7 17.7 17.6 17.6 16.8
  Health insurance 23.7 23.7 23.6 23.6 22.5
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 23.9 23.9 18.9 17.9 15.4

 

  Percent Below Poverty Level
After taxes
Definition 14 plus net imputed return on equity in own home
Definition 15		 Definition 14 less medical programs
Definition 16		 Money Income after Taxes Without EIC
Definition 17		 Money Income after Taxes With EIC
Definition 18
All Races
All families 6.9 7.4 10.2 8.8

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 22.7 23.6 31.0 27.0
25 to 44 years 8.2 8.6 13.1 10.7
45 to 54 years 4.9 5.3 7.2 6.3
55 to 64 years 4.6 5.5 6.6 6.2
65 years and over 4.5 5.2 5.8 5.7

Type of Family
Married-couple families 3.3 3.8 5.1 4.4
  With related children
    under 18 		3.9 4.2 7.0 5.3
  With related children
    under 6 		5.0 5.3 8.8 6.6
Male householder,
    no wife present 		10.7 11.6 14.4 12.9
Female householder,
    no husband present 		19.8 20.7 29.3 25.5
  With related children
    under 18 		25.1 26.0 38.0 32.4
  With related children
    under 6 		36.4 37.5 50.7 44.5

Region
Northeast 6.3 6.7 9.3 8.2
Midwest 5.6 6.1 8.7 7.5
South 8.3 8.8 11.8 10.2
West 6.2 7.0 9.8 8.3

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 18.5 20.3 27.6 24.0
High school graduate, no college 8.5 9.1 12.7 11.0
College: Less than bachelor's degree 5.0 5.4 7.8 6.5
Bachelor's degree or more 2.0 2.1 2.6 2.3

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 7.3 7.8 11.1 9.4
Worked at full-time jobs 2.6 2.8 5.4 3.9
  50 to 52 weeks 1.5 1.6 3.7 2.5
Worked at part-time jobs 11.7 12.5 18.6 15.7
Did not work 23.5 25.4 29.3 27.9

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 20.3 22.0 27.0 25.1
  Householder 15 to 64 years 30.4 32.6 40.6 37.3
  Householder 65 years and over 6.0 7.1 7.7 7.7
One worker 2.8 3.0 6.2 4.3
Two workers or more 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.4

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 27.5 30.3 39.9 37.2
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 41.4 45.5 63.3 58.3
      SSI 20.6 23.2 29.6 28.2
  Food stamps 36.6 39.3 61.8 54.1
  Housing assistance 33.6 34.9 60.1 53.5
  Energy assistance 31.8 35.4 53.5 47.8
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 25.2 26.8 43.5 35.5
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 42.5 46.6 64.6 60.4

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 1.8 1.9 3.2 2.6
  Medicare 6.0 6.9 8.2 7.9
  Medicaid 20.7 22.5 32.7 27.9
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		16.2 16.8 20.3 17.6
  Health insurance 21.8 22.5 27.5 23.7
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 14.4 16.6 21.5 20.6

 

  Number Below Poverty Level
Definition 1 Definition 2 Definition 3 Definition 4 Definition 5 Definition 6 Definition 7 Definition 8 Definition 9
All Races
All families 7623 13941 13822 13353 14050 13869 12817 12819 7109

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 980 1057 1052 1017 1096 1095 959 963 905
25 to 44 years 3895 4490 4489 4243 4591 4397 3724 3713 3293
45 to 54 years 1226 1711 1703 1617 1727 1712 1529 1535 1182
55 to 64 years 805 1732 1713 1647 1731 1750 1711 1713 903
65 years and over 717 4950 4865 4829 4905 4914 4894 4896 827

Type of Family
Married-couple families 2849 7713 7626 7372 7738 7624 7178 7183 2635
  With related children
    under 18 		1765 2181 2176 2015 2258 2114 1684 1679 1381
  With related children
    under 6 		1038 1190 1186 1109 1255 1161 900 894 790
Male householder,
    no wife present 		696 973 961 928 999 989 922 921 680
Female householder,
    no husband present 		4078 5255 5235 5053 5313 5256 4716 4715 3794
  With related children
    under 18 		3593 4111 4102 3946 4137 4062 3542 3527 3181
  With related children
    under 6 		1990 2150 2143 2082 2169 2137 1886 1886 1800

Region
Northeast 1272 2397 2385 2305 2398 2373 2213 2198 1201
Midwest 1464 2864 2832 2730 2861 2830 2624 2623 1341
South 3285 5856 5806 5632 5921 5845 5413 5428 3051
West 1601 2824 2800 2686 2871 2820 2568 2570 1516

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 2641 4329 4302 4179 4404 4333 3966 3976 2535
High school graduate, no college 2797 5361 5311 5122 5359 5300 4926 4917 2564
College: Less than bachelor's degree 1606 2986 2954 2834 3007 2952 2708 2710 1473
Bachelor's degree or more 579 1265 1255 1218 1280 1283 1217 1216 538

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 6906 8991 8957 8525 9145 8955 7924 7923 6282
Worked at full-time jobs 2320 2708 2705 2443 2836 2668 2003 2003 1690
  50 to 52 weeks 1377 1553 1551 1369 1657 1516 1031 1029 898
Worked at part-time jobs 1265 1561 1561 1479 1580 1554 1349 1350 1139
Did not work 3321 4722 4691 4602 4729 4733 4572 4571 3454

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 5645 11499 11382 11196 11435 11414 11032 11030 5689
  Householder 15 to 64 years 4957 6720 6687 6520 6727 6697 6322 6323 4904
  Householder 65 years and over 688 4778 4695 4677 4708 4717 4710 4707 784
One worker 1869 2305 2305 2040 2463 2310 1684 1690 1331
Two workers or more 110 138 135 117 152 145 102 99 89

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 1421 2286 2273 2214 2294 2272 2182 2184 1843
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 803 987 982 968 1000 989 939 936 867
      SSI 743 1484 1476 1431 1482 1471 1427 1433 1143
  Food stamps 3103 3789 3784 3687 3835 3770 3412 3398 2951
  Housing assistance 1349 1672 1673 1629 1676 1654 1531 1521 1305
  Energy assistance 813 1114 1112 1086 1118 1100 1002 1001 803
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 3255 3798 3801 3632 3885 3743 3173 3151 2768
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 1100 1494 1494 1471 1512 1499 1441 1440 1292

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 1658 3330 3288 2819 3053 3021 2681 2685 1188
  Medicare 1445 6927 6818 6719 6862 6878 6810 6813 1688
  Medicaid 4621 6319 6289 6124 6450 6302 5630 5614 4436
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		1477 1628 1628 1628 1796 1767 1547 1553 1409
  Health insurance 1183 1246 1252 1252 1391 1363 1182 1185 1120
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 753 1917 1892 1857 1910 1906 1859 1857 990

 

  Number Below Poverty Level
Definition 10 Definition 11 Definition 12 Definition 13 Definition 14 Definition 15 Definition 16 Definition 17 Definition 18
All Races
All families 6903 6899 6475 6176 5578 5337 5782 7961 6884

Age of Householder
15 to 24 years 896 896 879 837 772 763 791 1043 908
25 to 44 years 3259 3257 3116 2941 2576 2522 2654 4035 3317
45 to 54 years 1151 1150 1054 1007 921 884 957 1290 1126
55 to 64 years 848 848 763 736 686 607 730 874 825
65 years and over 749 749 662 656 624 561 650 719 708

Type of Family
Married-couple families 2527 2526 2339 2204 2066 1933 2200 3005 2557
  With related children
    under 18 		1357 1355 1287 1171 1057 1039 1124 1841 1404
  With related children
    under 6 		779 777 750 679 616 610 657 1078 819
Male householder,
    no wife present 		661 661 638 619 584 544 593 734 657
Female householder,
    no husband present 		3714 3712 3499 3354 2929 2860 2990 4223 3670
  With related children
    under 18 		3136 3135 3002 2870 2476 2440 2531 3690 3152
  With related children
    under 6 		1789 1787 1713 1632 1462 1454 1499 2026 1776

Region
Northeast 1166 1165 1072 1015 890 873 930 1294 1145
Midwest 1306 1305 1224 1156 1033 982 1065 1523 1305
South 2962 2962 2824 2708 2500 2411 2574 3437 2992
West 1469 1467 1355 1297 1156 1070 1214 1707 1441

Educational Attainment
Less than 12th grade, no diploma 2449 2447 2274 2177 1933 1846 2024 2756 2393
High school graduate, no college 2487 2487 2363 2234 2030 1951 2100 2919 2535
College: Less than bachelor's degree 1436 1436 1334 1270 1132 1080 1167 1676 1412
Bachelor's degree or more 530 529 505 495 483 460 492 611 544

Work Experience in 2007
Total, 15 to 64 years 6154 6151 5812 5520 4954 4776 5132 7241 6176
Worked at full-time jobs 1678 1676 1615 1478 1243 1219 1289 2512 1813
  50 to 52 weeks 889 887 863 771 632 621 662 1508 1012
Worked at part-time jobs 1116 1115 1065 1017 874 841 902 1336 1130
Did not work 3360 3360 3132 3025 2837 2717 2941 3393 3233

Number of Year-Round Full-Time Workers in the Family
No workers 5517 5515 5147 4986 4560 4333 4703 5768 5350
  Householder 15 to 64 years 4804 4803 4513 4358 3961 3805 4081 5084 4673
  Householder 65 years and over 712 712 635 628 599 528 622 684 677
One worker 1304 1302 1252 1118 948 932 1005 2065 1444
Two workers or more 83 83 75 73 70 72 74 128 90

Program Participation Status of Family Members
One or more members received:
  Cash assistance 1732 1730 1328 1238 1034 1001 1103 1454 1357
      Public assistance or welfare non-SSI 840 840 746 687 547 538 592 823 758
      SSI 1041 1040 702 656 552 527 594 759 723
  Food stamps 2866 2866 2661 2434 1941 1885 2023 3179 2785
  Housing assistance 1273 1273 1181 1092 773 773 802 1383 1229
  Energy assistance 777 777 706 651 527 492 548 828 739
  Free or reduced-price school lunches 2727 2727 2592 2427 1992 1940 2064 3355 2737
Family received
  both food stamps and cash assistance 1236 1236 1033 953 758 744 815 1129 1055

Health Insurance Coverage
One or more members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan 1169 1167 1131 1098 1008 961 1020 1759 1429
  Medicare 1482 1482 1288 1250 1145 1067 1235 1466 1420
  Medicaid 4296 4294 3895 3596 3108 3008 3262 4739 4054
No members covered by:
  Employer-provided plan or Medicare or
      Medicaid 		1409 1407 1399 1399 1338 1286 1338 1616 1401
  Health insurance 1120 1119 1115 1115 1062 1030 1062 1298 1117
Family received
  Medicare and Medicaid 849 849 673 635 548 513 588 762 730

Race Footnotes