VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Poverty (EQ5)

FULL MEASURE NAME
The share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit

LAST UPDATED
January 2023

DESCRIPTION
Poverty refers to the share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit, which varies based on the number of individuals in a given household. It reflects the number of individuals who are economically struggling due to low household income levels.

DATA SOURCE
U.S Census Bureau: Decennial Census - http://www.nhgis.org
1980-2000

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey - https://data.census.gov/
2007-2021
Form C17002

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@mtc.ca.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
The U.S. Census Bureau defines a national poverty level (or household income) that varies by household size, number of children in a household, and age of householder. The national poverty level does not vary geographically even though cost of living is different across the United States. For the Bay Area, where cost of living is high and incomes are correspondingly high, an appropriate poverty level is 200% of poverty or twice the national poverty level, consistent with what was used for past equity work at MTC and ABAG. For comparison, however, both the national and 200% poverty levels are presented.

For Vital Signs, the poverty rate is defined as the number of people (including children) living below twice the poverty level divided by the number of people for whom poverty status is determined. The household income definitions for poverty change each year to reflect inflation. The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or non-cash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid and food stamps).

For the national poverty level definitions by year, see: US Census Bureau Poverty Thresholds - https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html.

For an explanation on how the Census Bureau measures poverty, see: How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty - https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty/guidance/poverty-measures.html.

American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year data is used for larger geographies – Bay counties and most metropolitan area counties – while smaller geographies rely upon 5-year rolling average data due to their smaller sample sizes. Note that 2020 data uses the 5-year estimates because the ACS did not collect 1-year data for 2020.

To be consistent across metropolitan areas, the poverty definition for non-Bay Area metros is twice the national poverty level. Data were not adjusted for varying income and cost of living levels across the metropolitan areas.

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide medical coverage to millions of Americans, and one of the main criteria to determine eligibility is income. In states with expanded coverage, the minimum eligibility threshold for adults is 138 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).

The impact of the Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created the opportunity for states to expand Medicaid to cover nearly all low-income adults. Most states chose to extend coverage, meaning adults are eligible if their household income is at or below 138 percent of the FPL. Before the ACA, applicants had to fit into one of several categories in order to be eligible. Each group had its own income rules, and they all differed from state to state. Most low-income adults without children were not eligible.

Medicaid income rules simplified The ACA established a new methodology to determine income eligibility that helped to align rules that previously varied nationwide. In general, an individual’s eligibility is now determined by their Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) and where it falls in relation to the FPL. In 2021, the FPL for a one-person household was set at 12,880 U.S. dollars, which was the minimum income a person had to earn to qualify for Medicaid. In expansion states, an individual would still be eligible if they earned up to 138 percent of that figure.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Poverty (EQ5)

FULL MEASURE NAME
The share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit

LAST UPDATED
January 2023

DESCRIPTION
Poverty refers to the share of the population living in households that earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit, which varies based on the number of individuals in a given household. It reflects the number of individuals who are economically struggling due to low household income levels.

DATA SOURCE
U.S Census Bureau: Decennial Census - http://www.nhgis.org
1980-2000

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey - https://data.census.gov/
2007-2021
Form C17002

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@mtc.ca.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
The U.S. Census Bureau defines a national poverty level (or household income) that varies by household size, number of children in a household, and age of householder. The national poverty level does not vary geographically even though cost of living is different across the United States. For the Bay Area, where cost of living is high and incomes are correspondingly high, an appropriate poverty level is 200% of poverty or twice the national poverty level, consistent with what was used for past equity work at MTC and ABAG. For comparison, however, both the national and 200% poverty levels are presented.

For Vital Signs, the poverty rate is defined as the number of people (including children) living below twice the poverty level divided by the number of people for whom poverty status is determined. The household income definitions for poverty change each year to reflect inflation. The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or non-cash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid and food stamps).

For the national poverty level definitions by year, see: US Census Bureau Poverty Thresholds - https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html.

For an explanation on how the Census Bureau measures poverty, see: How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty - https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty/guidance/poverty-measures.html.

American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year data is used for larger geographies – Bay counties and most metropolitan area counties – while smaller geographies rely upon 5-year rolling average data due to their smaller sample sizes. Note that 2020 data uses the 5-year estimates because the ACS did not collect 1-year data for 2020.

To be consistent across metropolitan areas, the poverty definition for non-Bay Area metros is twice the national poverty level. Data were not adjusted for varying income and cost of living levels across the metropolitan areas.

This archived dataset displays disproportionately impacted communities as defined by the demographic criteria listed in the Environmental Justice Act (HB21-1266), which are census block groups where greater than 40% of households are 1) low income, 2) housing cost-burdened, or 3) include people of color. This version of the map was effective from September 2021 to January 22, 2023. The disproportionately impacted community map layer was updated on January 23, 2023 to include census block groups with an EnviroScreen score over the 80th percentile. These areas reflect another criteria listed in the Environmental Justice Act for identifying disproportionately impacted communities based on cumulative environmental impacts. The Environmental Justice Action Task Force recommended using 80th percentile EnviroScreen scores to identify areas that meet this statutory criteria in its Final Recommendations published in November 2022. The updated map layer can be viewed and accessed through Colorado EnviroScreen. NOTE: Areas under the jurisdiction of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe are not displayed on this map, pending further consultation with each sovereign tribal government.Footnotes:+ All data come from the American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.+ Low income households are defined as households at or living below 200% of the federal poverty level.+ Percent people of color is defined as the percent of the population that is not non-Hispanic white+ Housing burden is defined as housing costs exceeding 30% of income. This measure is only available at the census tract level, so all block groups within a census tract received the census tract-level value.This is an archived map layer that CDPHE used to identify disproportionately impacted communities based on three demographic factors identified in the Environmental Justice Act (HB21-1266) from September 2021-January 22, 2023. It specifically identifies communities where more than 40% of the population is low-income, housing cost-burdened, or identifies as minority. CDPHE has added additional information on communities with cumulative impacts through the Colorado EnviroScreen project. Colorado EnviroScreen is the sole tool for identifying disproportionately impacted communities pursuant to the statutory definition after it is released. CDPHE will periodically update the tool, and the Air Quality Control Commission will undertake formal rulemakings to update the definition of Disproportionately Impacted Community at least every three years. Additionally, the Environmental Justice Action Task Force may recommend changes to the statutory definition of the Disproportionately Impacted Community to the legislature. If you have questions about these processes, please email cdphe_ej@state.co.us.

In 2021-2022, it was estimated that around *** percent of adults in the United States with a family income less than 100 percent the federal poverty level (FPL) suffered from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by overwhelming fatigue that is not improved by rest and may limit activity. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States who had myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in 2021-2022, by family income.

StoryMap link:https://arcg.is/1OXPW1This dataset contains the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) 9 Environmental Justice (EJ) Indicators (Carless Households, Cash Public Assistance Households, Disabled Population, Elderly Population, Female Head of Household, Food Stamps/SNAP Household, Limited English Proficiency Population, Minority Population, and Low-Income/Poverty Households) at the Census Block Group level. The U.S. Census data source uses the 2017-2021 ACS 5-Year Estimates. The dataset includes Youth Population, which is not an EJ Indicator but is used in the Transportation Challenges and Strategies Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) report. This data will be used for the HRTPO 2050 LRTP, for planning purposes only.Title VI - Environmental Justice FrameworkApplied to 2050 Long-Range Transportation PlanIntroductionProviding equitable access to transportation is essential for thriving communities. Below are federal regulations to help foster transportation equity.Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.Environmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The Environmental Justice Executive Order 12898, signed in 1994, reinforces the requirements of Title VI.Transportation-Vulnerability Key IndicatorsThe following transportation-vulnerability key indicators were used to identify individuals or households that may experience varying degrees of disadvantage in transportation accessibility and/or the transportation planning process:MinorityLow-Income HouseholdsHouseholds Receiving Cash Public AssistanceHouseholds Receiving Food StampsCarless HouseholdsDisabled PopulationsElderly PopulationsFemale Heads of HouseholdLimited English Proficiency HouseholdsTransportation-Vulnerable CommunitiesUsing US Census Bureau’s 2017-2021 American Community Survey data, each transportation-vulnerability key indicator was assessed by census block groups, the smallest available geography for the identified key indicators, and compared to regional averages. Any census block group with an average key indicator equal to or higher than the regional average for that indicator is identified as a transportation-vulnerable community.The dataset contains the 9 EJ Indicators used for the HRTPO Title VI/EJ Analysis and the 2050 LRTP. The field names/aliases will change based on what platform the user is viewing the data (e.g., ArcMap, ArcPro, ArcGIS Online, Microsoft Excel, etc.). The suggestion is to view 'Field Alias Names'. To help preserve the field names and descriptions and to help the user understand the data, the following list contains the field names, field alias names, and field descriptions: (EXAMPLE: Field Name = Field Alias Name. Field Description.).OBJECTID = OBJECTID. Unique integer field used to identify rows in tables in a geodatabase uniquely. ESRI ArcMap/ArcPro automatically defines this field.Shape = Shape. The type of shape for the data. In this case, the EJ data are all 2021 Census Block Group (CBG) polygons. ESRI ArcMap/ArcPro automatically defines this field.GEOID = Census GEOID. Census numeric codes that uniquely identify all administrative/legal and statistical geographic areas. In this case, the EJ data are all 2021 CBGs.GEOID_1 = Census GEOID - Joined. Census numeric codes that uniquely identify all administrative/legal and statistical geographic areas. In this case, the EJ data are all 2021 CBGs.Block_Grou = Census Block Group. CBG is a geographical unit used by the U.S. Census Bureau which is between the Census Tract and the Census Block levels.TAZ = Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZ). HRTPO Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZs) that spatially join with the CBGs. Each CBG has a TAZ that intersects/overlays with the HRTPO TAZs.Locality = Locality. Locality name: the dataset includes 16 localities (Cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, and the Counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Southampton, Surry*, and York). The HRTPO/MPO Boundary does not include Surry County, but the data is included for HRPDC/MPA purposes.Total_Popu = Total Population. Census Total Population.Total_Hous = Total Households. Census Total Households.Carless_To = Carless Total. Total Carless Households. Households with no vehicles available.Carless_Re = Carless regional Avg. Carless Households regional average.Carless_BG = Carless BG Avg. Carless Households Census Block Group average.Carless_AB = Carless Above Avg (Yes/No). Carless Households above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.Carless_Nu = Carless Numeric Value (0/1). Carless Households numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Cash_Assis = Cash Public Assistance Total. Total Households Receiving Cash Public Assistance (CPA). household that received either cash assistance or in-kind benefits.Cash_Ass_1 = Cash Public Assistance Regional Avg. CPA Households regional average.Cash_Ass_2 = Cash Public Assistance BG Avg. CPA Households Census Block Group average.Cash_Ass_3 = Cash Assistance Above Avg (Yes/No). CPA Households above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.CPA_Num = Cash Public Assistance Numeric Value (0/1). CPA Households numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Disability = Disability Total. Total Disabled Populations. non-institutionalized persons identified as having a disability of the following basic areas of functioning - hearing, vision, cognition, and ambulation.Disabili_1 = Disability Regional Avg. Disabled Populations regional average.Disabili_2 = Disability BG Average. Disabled Populations Census Block Group average.Disabili_3 = Disability Above Avg (Yes/No). Disabled Populations above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.Disabili_4 = Disability Numeric Value (0/1). Disabled Populations numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Elderly_To = Elderly Total. Total Elderly Populations. People who are aged 65 and older.Elderly_Re = Elderly Region Avg. Elderly Population regional average.Elderly_BG = Elderly BG Avg. Elderly Population Census Block Group avg.Elderly_Ab = Elderly Above Avg (Yes/No). Elderly Population above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.Elderly_Num = Elderly Numeric Value (0/1). Elderly Population numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Female_HoH = Female Head of Households Total. Total Female Head of Households. Households where females are the head of households with children present and no husband present.Female_H_1 = Female Head of Households Regional Avg. Female Head of Households regional average.Female_H_2 = Female Head of Households BG Avg. Female Head of Households Census Block Group average.Female_H_3 = Female Head of Households Above Avg (Yes/No). Female Head of Households above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.FemaleHoH_ = Female Head of Households Numeric Value (0/1). Female Head of Households numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Food_Stamp = Food Stamps Total. Total Households receiving Food Stamps. Households that received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Food Stamps.Food_Sta_1 = Food Stamps Region Avg. Food Stamps Households regional average.Food_Sta_2 = Food Stamps BG Avg. Food Stamps Households Census Block Group average.Food_Sta_3 = Food Stamps Above Avg (Yes/No). Food Stamps Households above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.FoodStamps = Food Stamps Numeric Value (0/1). Food Stamps Households numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Limited_En = Limited English Proficiency Total. Total Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Populations. Population 5 years or over who speak English less than "very well".Limited_1 = Limited English Proficiency Regional Avg. LEP Population regional average.Limited_2 = Limited English Proficiency BG Avg. LEP Populations Census Block group average.Limited_3 = Limited English Proficiency Above Avg (Yes/No). LEP Population above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.LEP_Num = Limited English Proficiency Numeric Value (0/1). LEP Population numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Minority_T = Minority Total. Total Minority Populations. A person who is Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native or Asian American.Minority_R = Minority Regional Average. Minority Population regional average.Minority_B = Minority BG Average. Minority Population Census Block Group average.Minority_A = Minority Above Average (Yes/No). Minority Population above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.Minority_N = Minority Numeric Value (0/1). Minority Population numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.Total_Ho_1 = Total Households for Poverty. Census Total Low-Income/Poverty Households.Poverty_To = Poverty Total. Total Poverty Households. A low-income household is one who income is low, relative to other households of the same size.Poverty_Re = Poverty Regional Avg. Poverty Households regional average.Poverty_BG = Poverty BG Avg. Poverty households Census Block Group average.Poverty_Ab = Poverty Above Avg (Yes/No). Poverty Households above the regional average. No = Not an EJ Community, Yes = EJ Community.Poverty_Num = Poverty Numeric Value (0/1). Poverty Households numerical value. 0 = Not an EJ Community, 1 = EJ Community.EJCommunit = EJ Community (Yes/No). The Census Block Group contains at least one EJ Community (>=1 = Yes). If the Census Block Group does not

California has more Medicaid and CHIP enrollees than any other state in the United States. As of April 2023, approximately ** million Americans were enrolled in the Medicaid health insurance programs in California, which accounted for approximately ** percent of the total number of Medicaid enrollees nationwide (**** million). Blow to Medicaid expansion plans California is one of many states that has expanded its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to encourage more low-income adults to sign up for health coverage. One of the original aims of the ACA was to limit some of the variations in state Medicaid programs, but the Supreme Court ruled that the expansion should be optional. Governors of the states that did not expand said they were concerned about long-term costs. California is the leading state for Medicaid expenditure, spending approximately **** billion U.S. dollars in FY2020. Health coverage for children The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created as a complement to Medicaid, expanding the reach of government-funded health coverage to more children in low-income families. As of May 2021, over **** million children were enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP programs in California, more than any other state. As of January 2021, the median Medicaid/CHIP eligibility level for children was *** percent of the federal poverty level.

In 2023, the around 11.1 percent of the population was living below the national poverty line in the United States. Poverty in the United StatesAs shown in the statistic above, the poverty rate among all people living in the United States has shifted within the last 15 years. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines poverty as follows: “Absolute poverty measures poverty in relation to the amount of money necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. The concept of absolute poverty is not concerned with broader quality of life issues or with the overall level of inequality in society.” The poverty rate in the United States varies widely across different ethnic groups. American Indians and Alaska Natives are the ethnic group with the most people living in poverty in 2022, with about 25 percent of the population earning an income below the poverty line. In comparison to that, only 8.6 percent of the White (non-Hispanic) population and the Asian population were living below the poverty line in 2022. Children are one of the most poverty endangered population groups in the U.S. between 1990 and 2022. Child poverty peaked in 1993 with 22.7 percent of children living in poverty in that year in the United States. Between 2000 and 2010, the child poverty rate in the United States was increasing every year; however,this rate was down to 15 percent in 2022. The number of people living in poverty in the U.S. varies from state to state. Compared to California, where about 4.44 million people were living in poverty in 2022, the state of Minnesota had about 429,000 people living in poverty.

Low income cut-offs (LICOs) before and after tax by community size and family size, in current dollars, annual.

Criteria used to evaluate equitable scenarios for tree planting to mitigate heat and poor air quality for the Urban Trees Initiative, Phase 2. Method: select top quartile for the following variables, assign value "1" for urban census block groups (CBG; 2020) across Los Angeles County with a low % of tree canopy (LMU/CURes); high % persons less than 15 and greater than 65 years of age; high % persons commute by bus or walking; high % households with income less than federal poverty level (ACS variables 2016-2020 5-year estimates); high urban heat island effects (Cal-EPA UHII, omit CT with null UHII values); and high concentration PM2.5 fine particulate matter (CES 4.0, 2021). Other percentages assigned "0"; sum criteria; possible values range from 0 (least need) to 6 (most need) -- range between 1 and 5 in study area. Version 8; 052222.

Percent of children living below the poverty line measures the percentage of persons under the age of 18, out of all persons under the age of 18 in an area, where total household income fell below the poverty threshold. Federal and state governments use such estimates to allocate funds to local communities. Local communities use these estimates to identify the number of individuals or families eligible for various programs. Source: American Community SurveyYears Available: 2010-2014, 2011-2015, 2012-2016, 2013-2017, 2014-2018, 2015-2019, 2016-2020, 2017-2021, 2018-2022, 2019-2023Please note: We do not recommend comparing overlapping years of data due to the nature of this dataset. For more information, please visit: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/comparing-acs-data.html

The Allegheny County Health Department has teamed up with local partners through the CDC-funded Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant to address health disparities within identified priority communities. The coalition aims to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, and reduce health disparities among residents with the highest risk, or burden, of chronic disease. The communities that our partners are currently prioritizing include Clairton, Duquesne, McKeesport, North Braddock, North Versailles, Rankin, and Wilkinsburg and the neighborhoods of the Northside, Homewood/Larimer, the Hill District, Garfield, Hazelwood, West End, and the Hilltop in the City of Pittsburgh.This is an Allegheny County extract of the 2020 US Census Tracts downloaded from the following website: https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-geodatabase-file.htmlCategory: HealthOrganization: Allegheny County Department: Health DepartmentTemporal Coverage: currentData Notes: Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983Development Notes: The American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-year Poverty Data (S1701) was used to determine what census tracts in Allegheny County had 20% of the total population living below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Using a 3-step custom sort the census tracts were ranked to determine the census tracts with the highest number and percent of black residents living below the FPL. The previous grant cycle (2018) focused on 6 regions that fit this criteria and 3 additional regions were added in 2023. Neighborhoods with a high student population were excluded from the final list of census tracts including Oakland, Bluff, Southside Flats, and Southside Slopes. Related Document(s): REACH – Live Well AlleghenyAbout REACH | REACH | CDCFrequency - Data Change: As neededFrequency - Publishing: As neededData Steward Name: Samantha ScottData Steward Email: samantha.scott@alleghenycounty.us