Poverty and Health – An

Inconvenient Truth

Dr. Timothy M. Bray

Director, The Institutefor Urban Policy Research

Will Rogers

“It’s not what we don’t know that

hurts us, it’s what we know that just ain’t

so!”

Rooted in Inequality…

What is Poverty?

How is Poverty Defined?

How Much Is Enough?

How Much is Too Little?

"Mollie Orshansky 1967" by UnknownSocial Security Administration History Archives.Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Defining Poverty – 2014

Size of family unit

Related children under 18 years

None One Two Three Four Five Six SevenEight or

more

One person (unrelated individual

Under 65 years 12,316

65 years and over 11,354

Two people

Householder under 65 years 15,853 16,317

Householder 65 years and over 14,309 16,256

Three people 18,518 19,055 19,073

Four people 24,418 24,817 24,008 24,091

Five people 29,447 29,875 28,960 28,252 27,820

Six people 33,869 34,004 33,303 32,631 31,633 31,041

Seven people 38,971 39,214 38,375 37,791 36,701 35,431 34,036

Eight people 43,586 43,970 43,179 42,485 41,501 40,252 38,953 38,622

Nine people or more 52,430 52,685 51,984 51,396 50,430 49,101 47,899 47,601 45,768

Source: US Bureau of the Census, 2014 Poverty Threshold Table

Minimum Wage Is Often Below Poverty

Wage

Size of family unit

Related children under 18 years

None One Two Three Four Five Six SevenEight or

more

One person (unrelated individual)

Under 65 years 122%

65 years and over

Two people

Householder under 65 years 190% 92%

Householder 65 years and over

Three people 244% 158% 79%

Four people 247% 182% 126% 63%

Five people 256% 202% 156% 107% 54%

Six people 267% 222% 181% 139% 95% 49%

Seven people 271% 231% 196% 160% 123% 85% 44%

Eight people 277% 240% 210% 177% 145% 112% 77% 39%

Nine people or more 259% 229% 203% 176% 150% 123% 94% 63% 33%

What About a Living Wage?

Costs for a Family of Three in Dallas Co.

Food$6,704

Childcare$7,977

Medical$6,534

Housing$10,956

Transportation$9,859

Other$4,284

Required Income$46,315

Taxes$5,335

Income Before Taxes$51,650

Required Hourly Wage$24.83

Typical Annual Wages

Education, Training, and Library - $47,200

Healthcare Support - $24,600

Protective Service - $37,000

Food Prep, Serving , & Related - $18,620

Office & Administrative Support - $30,920

Production - $30,460

Community & Social Service - $42,580

Poverty? in Dallas??

Poverty in Dallas

Among Highest in

Poverty Rates

• In 2014, 25% of Dallas residents lived below the poverty line.

• 46% lived below 185% of the poverty line.

Poverty Outpaced

Population Growth

• Population grew by 8% from 2000-2014.

• Persons living in poverty grew by 49% from 2000-2014.

Who is Poor in Dallas County?

• 20.0% (502,605) of Dallas County Residents Live at or Below 100% of the Poverty Threshold (±1.1%)

At the Margin

• Non-Hispanic White 08.7%(±1.0%) 67,940

• Non-Hispanic African American 24.0%(±2.1%) 131,749

• Non-Hispanic Asian 14.3%(±3.5%) 20,064

• Hispanic of Any Race 27.0%(±2.3%) 267,352

By Race and Ethnicity

• Under 18 30.8%(±2.4%) 208,613

• 18 to 64 16.8%(±1.0%) 267,574

• 65 and Up 10.8%(±1.7%) 26,418

By Age

Source: Institute Analysis of American Community Survey Public Use Micro Sample (PUMS) 2014 1-Year Estimates

Who is Near Poor in Dallas County?

• 40.9% (1,018,284) of Dallas County Residents Live at or Below 185% of the Poverty Threshold (±1.3%)

At the Margin

• Non-Hispanic White 19.4%(±1.5%) 149,076

• Non-Hispanic African American 45.0%(±2.7%) 243,145

• Non-Hispanic Asian 27.6%(±4.3%) 38,606

• Hispanic of Any Race 57.6%(±2.2%) 565,321

By Race and Ethnicity

• Under 18 57.3%(±2.1%) 384,027

• 18 to 64 35.6%(±1.4%) 561,635

• 65 and Up 30.4%(±2.3%) 72,622

By Age

Source: Institute Analysis of American Community Survey Public Use Micro Sample (PUMS) 2014 1-Year Estimates. Near Poor Reflects At or Below 185% of the Federal Poverty Threshold

2014 Poverty by Tract

Significant Changes in Poverty

2010-2014

Concentrated Poverty in Dallas

2014

Why Does Poverty Matter?

A Different World…

An Inequality of Opportunity

Number of Grocery Stores

Within 30 Minute Public Transit

Number of Pharmacies

Within 30 Minute Public Transit

Major Racial and Ethnic Identities in

Concentrated Poverty Neighborhoods

Poverty and Health Insurance

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

25% 50% 75% 100% 150% 185% 200% 300% 400% 500%

Probability of Health Insurance Coverage by Product Type and Percent of Poverty Threshold, Dallas County

Employed Persons Age 25-64, 2014

Company-Paid Self-Paid Low-Income Uninsured

Source: Institute Analysis of American Community Survey Public Use Micro Sample (PUMS) 2014 1-Year Estimates.

The Impact of Toxic Stress

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood

Poverty Impacts Brain Development

For More Information

Dr. Timothy M. Bray

Institute for Urban Policy ResearchThe University of Texas at Dallas

800 West Campbell Road, WT20Richardson, Texas 75080

V: 972-883-5430F: 972-883-5431

timothy.bray@utdallas.eduhttp://iupr.utdallas.edu

www.slideshare.net/TimothyBray

@timothy_bray