Percent of Popluation Living Below 200% Federal Poverty Level

Figure 2: Percent of People Living Below 100% Poverty Level by Race/Ethnicity

Figures:  
• Percent of Popluation Living Below 200% Federal Poverty Level  – 
• Figure 2: Percent of People Living Below 100% Poverty Level by Race/Ethnicity

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

In Communities Count, a living wage income is regarded as 200% of federal poverty level. The measurement here is the percentage of the population living below 200% of federal poverty level for some measures and below 100% in other measures. For a family of four, the living wage income in 2004 was $38,600.

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

In 2004, more than one in five people (22.6%) in King County was living in a household without a living wage income. (Figure 1) From 1999 to 2004, the percentage of the King County population living in poverty increased from 8.4% to 10.4%. The 2004 King County poverty rate (10.4%) is lower than that of Washington State (13.1%) and the U.S. (13.1%).

In 1999, of the four regions, Seattle had the greatest percentage of persons without a living wage income (25.0%), followed by South Region (21.7%), North Region (14.1%), and East Region (10.9%). (Figure 1) In South Region, the percentage of people who did not earn a living wage income increased from 1989 to 1999. This percentage decreased in Seattle and East Region in the same time period. Of the four regions in 1999, Seattle had the greatest percentage of all persons (11.8%) (data on poverty were not available by region for 2004).

Differences in poverty level by race/ethnicity have persisted over the last three decades. In 1999, whites had the lowest poverty level in King County (6.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Natives had the highest (20.6%). (Figure 2)
In 2000, people could report more than one race on the Census for the first time. Therefore, it isn't possible to compare 2000 Census categories with 1990 categories, when respondents could choose only one race. As of publication, ACS data on poverty were not available by race/ethnicity at the county level.

It is possible to track changes in the Hispanic/Latino population across Census years. The poverty rate in this group increased from 14.9% in 1989 to 18.0% in 1999 for the county as a whole.

Data Source and Limitations

Data was contributed by Communities Count (www.communitiescount.org). The original income and poverty data for 1979, 1989 and 1999 are from the 1980, 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census respectively.  For these data, the geographic boundaries of King County and the four subregions are defined by aggregating census tracts. Income and poverty data for 2004 are from the 2004 American Community Survey data. These survey data are from a sample and therefore are subject to error. At the time of publication the 2004 data were not available by region, or by race and ethnicity.

The federal poverty level is a threshold income limit that varies according to family size and composition and is adjusted each year. All persons living in a household with a total annual income below that threshold dollar amount are counted in the 100% poverty statistics. A livable wage is considered to be at least twice the poverty level income. The 200% poverty threshold in 2004 for a family of four was $38,600, and for a single person over age 65, $18,100. The same thresholds in 1999 were $34,100 and $16,000, respectively.

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