west
The council of state governments | 2013
The Book of the States 2013
Facts & Figures
Trends in Poverty
National Analysis »
`` In 2011, 46 million Americans lived below the federal poverty line,
according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The poverty income line for a
family of four in 2011 was $22,350 per year.
`` The number of poor Americans in 2011 was nearly 10 million
more than the total population of California (37 million), the most
populous state.
`` The total population of the 24 smallest states is roughly equal to
the number of poor Americans of all ages in 2011.
`` The national poverty rate for children, 21.9 percent in 2011, is higher
than for the general population, 15 percent, while the poverty rate of
8.7 percent for seniors 65 and older is considerably lower.
`` Regional poverty rates are highest in the South (16.3 percent)
and the West (15.8 percent); the rates are lowest in the East (12.8
percent) and the Midwest (13.8 percent).
`` Nationally, poverty has been on the rise since 2000, with a slight moderation in 2005 and 2006 before the Great Recession of 2007-08.
`` Over the past decade, from 2001 to 2011, poverty increased nationally by 28.2 percent. Every region also saw poverty increase over the
decade. In the Western region, however, poverty fell slightly between
2001 and 2006, but then rose sharply between 2006 and 2011.
Regional Analysis »
`` The regional poverty rate in 2011 for people of all ages in the West
was 15.8 percent. Without California, which has more than half the
West’s population, the overall poverty rate was 14.6 percent.
`` Poverty rates in the West are highest among children and lowest
among seniors, as in the rest of the nation. The poverty rate for
children in the West is about half again higher than the general
population and the poverty rate for seniors is about half that of
the general population, whether California is included or excluded
from the regional statistics.
`` State poverty in the West ranged from 22.2 percent in New Mexico
to 10.7 percent in Wyoming.
`` Child poverty rates in the West ranged from 31.8 percent in New
Mexico to 12.7 percent in Wyoming.
`` Poverty rates increased in all Western states from 2001 to 2011.
Poverty more than doubled in Nevada, rising by 118.3 percent, the
biggest increase in the U.S.
`` Poverty in several Western states did not increase consistent with
the national trend. Poverty rates remained about the same in
Hawaii and Utah in 2011 compared to 2001, up just 6.1 and 4.8
percent respectively.
u.s. Poverty Rate, 1995-2011
Note: Shaded areas indicate recession periods,
March 2001 to November 2001 and December
2007 to June 2009, according to the National
Bureau of Economic Research.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Surveys,
Annual Social and Economic Supplements, http://www.census.
gov/hhes/www/poverty/publications/pubs-cps.html
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.CSG.ORG/BOOKOFTHESTATES
 A Product of Capitol Research
Population below the poverty line
2011
All Ages
State




United States
EAST REGION
Connecticut
Delaware
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Regional total
MIDWEST REGION
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Regional total
SOUTH REGION
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
REGIONAL TOTAL
WEST REGION
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
Regional total
REgional Total
Without california
All Ages
Under 18
65 and
Older
Percent of Population
Percent Change Over Time
Number (in
thousands)
Percent
Percent
Percent
2001
2006
2001-2006
20062011
20012011
46,247
15
21.9
8.7
11.7
12.3
5.1
22.0
28.2
356
123
178
537
688
99
988
3,085
1,604
139
71
7,868
10.1
13.7
13.4
9.3
10.6
7.6
11.4
16
12.6
13.4
11.6
12.8
14.5
22.6
18.2
11.5
13.6
9.4
17.9
23.2
17.5
18.2
18
18.1
7
7.4
8.2
7.2
8.9
4.4
5.4
11.5
8.8
7.2
9.1
8.8
7.3
6.7
10.3
7.2
8.9
6.5
8.1
14.2
9.6
9.6
9.7
10.3
8
9.3
10.2
8.4
12
5.4
8.8
14
11.3
10.5
7.8
11.4
9.6
38.8
-1.0
16.7
34.8
-16.9
8.6
-1.4
17.7
9.4
-19.6
10.7
26.3
47.3
31.4
10.7
-11.7
40.7
29.5
14.3
11.5
27.6
48.7
12.3
38.4
104.5
30.1
29.2
19.1
16.9
40.7
12.7
31.3
39.6
19.6
24.3
1,807
989
315
402
1,449
528
187
67
1,708
117
743
8,312
14.2
15.6
10.4
14.3
15
10
10.2
9.9
15.1
14.5
13.1
13.8
20.1
24
14
22.1
23.2
13.8
15
12.2
21.7
22.8
21.4
20.4
8
6.8
6.1
7.2
8
6.8
5.5
6.7
8.9
5.9
4
7.3
10.1
8.5
7.4
10.1
9.4
7.4
9.4
13.8
10.5
8.4
7.9
9.3
10.6
10.6
10.3
12.8
13.3
8.2
10.2
11.4
12.1
10.7
10.1
11.2
5.0
24.7
39.2
26.7
41.5
10.8
8.5
-17.4
15.2
27.4
27.8
20.4
34.0
47.2
1.0
11.7
12.8
22.0
0.0
-13.2
24.8
35.5
29.7
23.2
40.6
83.5
40.5
41.6
59.6
35.1
8.5
-28.3
43.8
72.6
65.8
48.4
732
545
2,822
1,783
689
947
510
910
1,459
522
874
1,030
4,458
907
318
18,506
15.4
18.7
14.9
18.4
16
21.1
17.4
15.4
15.4
13.9
19
16.3
17.4
11.4
17.5
16.3
22.6
25.9
22.3
24.8
24
31
24.6
23.9
24.1
21.4
27.3
24
25.8
14.6
25.2
24
8.3
11.2
9.4
8.4
9
14.7
9.8
7
10.2
7
14.3
12.1
11.2
9.5
6.8
10.1
15.9
17.8
12.7
12.9
12.6
16.2
19.3
9.7
12.5
15.1
15.1
14.1
14.9
8
16.4
13.6
14.3
17.7
11.5
12.6
16.8
17
20.6
11.4
13.8
15.2
11.2
14.9
16.4
8.6
15.3
14
-10.1
-0.6
-9.4
-2.3
33.3
4.9
6.7
17.5
10.4
0.7
-25.8
5.7
10.1
7.5
-6.7
2.9
7.7
5.6
29.6
46.0
-4.8
24.1
-15.5
35.1
11.6
-8.6
69.6
9.4
6.1
32.6
14.4
16.4
-3.1
5.1
17.3
42.6
27.0
30.2
-9.8
58.8
23.2
-7.9
25.8
15.6
16.8
42.5
6.7
19.9
83
1,128
6,352
661
162
248
163
414
451
553
309
854
60
11,438
11.7
17.2
16.9
13.2
12.1
15.7
16.5
15.5
22.2
14.4
11
12.5
10.7
15.8
16.7
25.2
24.3
16.1
16.3
23
25.7
20.6
31.8
21.7
14.5
19.2
12.7
22.5
*
7.2
8.2
7.3
7
8.5
7.7
9.2
9.6
5.4
7.9
5.5
*
7.7
8.5
14.6
12.6
8.7
11.4
11.5
13.3
7.1
18
11.8
10.5
10.7
8.7
12.1
8.9
14.4
12.2
9.7
9.2
9.5
13.5
9.5
16.9
11.8
9.3
8
10
11.6
4.7
-1.4
-3.2
11.5
-19.3
-17.4
1.5
33.8
-6.1
0.0
-11.4
-25.2
14.9
-4.1
31.5
19.4
38.5
36.1
31.5
65.3
22.2
63.2
31.4
22.0
18.3
56.3
7.0
36.2
37.6
17.8
34.1
51.7
6.1
36.5
24.1
118.3
23.3
22.0
4.8
16.8
23.0
30.6
5,086
14.6
20.6
7.2
11.5
11
-4.3
32.7
27.0
Debra Miller, CSG Director of Health Policy | [email protected]
TABLE
RESOURCES
Source: U.S. Census
Bureau, Current
Population Surveys,
2001, 2006 and
2012 Annual Social
and Economic
Supplements.
http://www.census.
gov/hhes/www/
poverty/data/
incpovhlth/2011/
index.html.
Note: *Due to
sampling size,
percentage would
be statistically
unreliable.
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 A Product of Capitol Research