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 December 2018

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 (1980-1990) http://factfinder2.census.gov (2000)

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey Form C17002 (2006-2017) http://api.census.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. Poverty rates do not include unrelated individuals below 15 years old or people who live in the following: institutionalized group quarters, college dormitories, military barracks, and situations without conventional housing. 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 noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps). For the national poverty level definitions by year, see: https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/threshld/index.html For an explanation on how the Census Bureau measures poverty, see: https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/measure.html

For the American Community Survey datasets, 1-year data was used for region, county, and metro areas whereas 5-year rolling average data was used for city and census tract.

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.

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 dataset is intended for researchers, students, and policy makers for reference and mapping purposes, and may be used for basic applications such as viewing, querying, and map output production, or to provide a basemap to support graphical overlays and analysis with other spatial data.

Plan Bay Area 2050 utilized this single data layer to inform the Plan Bay Area 2050 Equity PriorityCommunities (EPC).

This data set was developed using American Community Survey (ACS) 2014-2018 data for eight variables considered.

This data set represents all tracts within the San Francisco Bay Region and contains attributes for the eight Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Equity Priority Communities tract-level variables for exploratory purposes. These features were formerly referred to as Communities of Concern.

Plan Bay Area 2050 Equity Priority Communities (tract geography) are based on eight ACS 2014-2018 (ACS 2018) tract-level variables:

People of Color (70% threshold) Low-Income (less than 200% of Federal poverty level, 28% threshold) Level of English Proficiency (12% threshold) Seniors 75 Years and Over (8% threshold) Zero-Vehicle Households (15% threshold) Single-Parent Households (18% threshold) People with a Disability (12% threshold) Rent-Burdened Households (14% threshold)

If a tract exceeds both threshold values for Low-Income and People of Color shares OR exceeds thethreshold value for Low-Income AND also exceeds the threshold values for three or more variables, it is a EPC.

Detailed documentation on the production of this feature set can be found in the MTC Equity Priority Communities project documentation.

This data set represents all urbanized tracts within the San Francisco Bay Region, and contains attributes for the eight Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Equity Priority Communities (EPC) tract-level variables for exploratory purposes. These features were formerly referred to as Communities of Concern (CoC).MTC 2018 Equity Priority Communities (tract geography) is based on eight ACS 2012-2016 tract-level variables: Persons of Color (70% threshold) Low-Income (less than 200% of Fed. poverty level, 30% threshold) Level of English Proficiency (12% threshold) Elderly (10% threshold) Zero-Vehicle Households (10% threshold) Single Parent Households (20% threshold)Disabled (12% threshold) Rent-Burdened Households (15% threshold) If a tract exceeds both threshold values for Low-Income and Person of Color shares OR exceeds the threshold value for Low-Income AND also exceeds the threshold values for three or more variables, it is a EPC.Detailed documentation on the production of this feature set can be found in the MTC Equity Priority Communities project documentation.

The federal tax bill, passed in December 2017, allows investors to defer or eliminate capital gains on investments made in “Opportunity Zones”. These zones must be designated by the governor in each state from a set of eligible Census tracts. Governors must select no more than 25 percent of eligible tracts statewide.Federal criteria for determining eligible areas states that tracts must either have poverty rates above 20 percent or median family income below 80 percent of either the statewide or metropolitan area income. 3,516 Census tracts in California qualify under this criteria, spread across 54 counties. Of these, the governor must select tracts as Opportunity Zones in California.The state’s final recommendation is provided on the map. Within the San Francisco Bay Region, 530 tracts were eligible under the federal criteria, of which 107 were designated by the governor. Of the 107 designated tracts, 94 tracts were Metropolitan Transportation Commission Communities of Concern (now Equity Priority Communities).

California State Income Limits reflect updated median income and household income levels for acutely low-, extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households for California’s 58 counties (required by Health and Safety Code Section 50093). These income limits apply to State and local affordable housing programs statutorily linked to HUD income limits and differ from income limits applicable to other specific federal, State, or local programs.

This data set represents American Community Survey (ACS) 2014-2018 tract information related to Equity Priority Communities (EPCs) for Plan Bay Area 2050+.The Plan Bay Area 2050+ Equity Priority Communities incorporate EPCs identified with 2014-2018 ACS data, as well as EPCs identified with 2018-2022 ACS data into a single consolidated map of Plan Bay Area 2050+ Equity Priority Communities.This data set was developed using American Community Survey 2014-2018 data for eight variables considered.This data set represents all tracts within the San Francisco Bay Region, and contains attributes for the eight Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Equity Priority Communities tract-level variables for exploratory purposes. Equity Priority Communities are defined by MTC Resolution No. 4217-Equity Framework for Plan Bay Area 2040.As part of the development of the [DRAFT] Equity Priority Communities - Plan Bay Area 2050+ features, the source Census tracts had portions that overlapped either the Pacific Ocean or San Francisco Bay removed. The result is this feature set has fewer Census tracts than the unclipped tract source data.Plan Bay Area 2050+ Equity Priority Communities (tract geography) are based on eight ACS 2014-2018 (ACS 2018) tract-level variables:People of Color (70% threshold)Low-Income (less than 200% of Federal poverty level, 28% threshold)Level of English Proficiency (12% threshold)Seniors 75 Years and Over (8% threshold)Zero-Vehicle Households (15% threshold)Single-Parent Households (18% threshold)People with a Disability (12% threshold)Rent-Burdened Households (14% threshold)If a tract exceeds both threshold values for Low-Income and People of Color shares OR exceeds the threshold value for Low-Income AND also exceeds the threshold values for three or more variables, it is a EPC.Detailed documentation on the production of this feature set can be found in the MTC Equity Priority Communities project documentation.

Key findings in the Struggling to Get By report show that one in three California households (31%) do not have sufficient income to meet their basic costs of living. This is nearly three times the number officially considered poor according to the Federal Poverty Level.Families with inadequate incomes are found throughout California, but are most concentrated in the northern coastal region, the Central Valley, and in the southern metropolitan areas.The costs for the same family composition in different geographic regions of California also vary widely. In expensive regions such as the San Francisco Bay Region and the Southern California coastal region, the Real Cost Budget, a monthly budget calculation of what is needed to meet basic needs, can range from 32% to 48% more (depending on family type) than in less expensive counties such as Kern, Tulare, and Kings counties. Nevertheless, incomes in the higher cost regions are also higher, relatively and absolutely, so that the proportions below the Real Cost Measure are generally lower in high-cost than low-cost regions.