POVERTY & SOCIAL CLASS STRUCTURE AND SHIFTS
Poverty and low living standards are powerful determinants of ill health and health inequity. They have significant consequences for early childhood development and lifelong trajectories. In the United States, low socioeconomic position means poor education, lack of amenities, unemployment, and job insecurity, poor working conditions, and unsafe neighborhoods, with their consequent impact on family life (Socioeconomic Status 2011).
The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to detect who is poor. If the total income for a family household or for an unrelated individual falls below the relevant poverty threshold, then the family or unrelated individual is classified as being below the poverty level. The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated yearly for inflation using the consumer price index (Socioeconomic Status 2011). |
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In 2009, 22% of Chicago residents had an income that fell below the poverty line. With regard to education attainment level, a higher percentage of residents over the age of 25 with less than a high school diploma lived below the poverty level, compared with residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher. A higher percentage of unemployed residents lived below the poverty level in comparison to employed residents. A higher percentage of disabled Chicago residents reported living below the poverty level in comparison to non-disabled residents. The percentage of residents living in poverty was highest among residents under age 18 and lowest among residents ages 65 and older. The percentages of residents living in poverty were fairly similar with respect to place of birth and gender (Socioeconomic Status 2011).
The percentage of individuals living below the poverty level has remained fairly constant since 2002 for Chicago overall. However, there have been fluctuations in the percentage of the population living in poverty for Black, Asian and Hispanic/Latino residents. From 2002–2009, the highest percentage of residents living in poverty have been Blacks. During this period, the percentage of Asians living in poverty had been steadily declining until 2009, when it increased 26% (from 13.9% in 2008 to 17.5% in 2009). The percentage of Hispanics/Latinos living in poverty has been increasing incrementally since 2004 (Socioeconomic Status 2011).
Since 2002, the percentage of all families with income below the poverty level has remained below 20%. The percentage of female-headed households with children under age 18 with income below the poverty level increased 13% from 39.3% in 2002 to 44.7% in 2009 (Socioeconomic Status 2011).
The percentage of individuals living below the poverty level has remained fairly constant since 2002 for Chicago overall. However, there have been fluctuations in the percentage of the population living in poverty for Black, Asian and Hispanic/Latino residents. From 2002–2009, the highest percentage of residents living in poverty have been Blacks. During this period, the percentage of Asians living in poverty had been steadily declining until 2009, when it increased 26% (from 13.9% in 2008 to 17.5% in 2009). The percentage of Hispanics/Latinos living in poverty has been increasing incrementally since 2004 (Socioeconomic Status 2011).
Since 2002, the percentage of all families with income below the poverty level has remained below 20%. The percentage of female-headed households with children under age 18 with income below the poverty level increased 13% from 39.3% in 2002 to 44.7% in 2009 (Socioeconomic Status 2011).