1985

INTRODUCTION

This report presents social and economic characteristics of the population below the poverty level in 1985 based on the March 1986 Current Population Survey (CPS). The poverty definition used here is that adopted for official Government use by the Office of Management and Budget and consists of a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition. Families or individuals with income below their approprate threshold are classified as below the poverty level. The poverty thresholds are updated every year to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. For example, the average poverty threshold for a family of four was $10,989 in 1985 and $10,609 in 1984. These thresholds are based on money income only and do not include the value of noncash benefits such as employerprovided health insurance, food stamps or Medicaid. For further discussion, see the section entitled "Collection and Limitations of Poverty Data."

The data in the report consist of cross classifications of poverty status by such characteristics as age, race, sex, family relationship, educational attainment, work experience, and type of income received. Although the primary focus of these data is on the United States as a whole, some tables are also shown by region and type of residence. In the text, the terms "poverty population," "poor," and "below the poverty level" are used interchangeably, as are the terms "nonpoor" and "above the poverty level." Characteristics such as age and marital status are as of the survey date (eg, March 1986), while income, poverty, and work experience data refer to the whole previous calendar year (e g., 1985). In the report the reference year cited refers to the "income" year.

HIGHLIGHTS

• In 1985 the poverty population numbered 33 1 mil lion, a figure not significantly different from that for 1984

• About 14 percent of the Nation's population was poor in 1985, a poverty rate slightly lower (at the 90 percent confidence level) than the 1984 estimate of 14 4 percent

• About 34 percent of the poor were children under age

• Children under age 10 had a poverty rate higher than any other age group in 1985 (22 percent).

• There was considerable variation in poverty rates within the elderly population, with persons 65 to 69 years of age having a poverty rate only about one-half of that for persons 85 years and over (9.4 percent versus 18.7 percent in 1985).

Although the Black and other-races populations are disproportionately represented among the poor, 69 percent of poor persons in 1985 were White.

• About 16 percent of the poor in 1985 were Hispanic, a historic high.

• The poverty rate remains highest in the South (16 percent in 1985) and lowest in the Northeast (11.6) percent).

• A smaller proportion of the poor than the nonpoor lived in metropolitan areas in 1985 (70 versus 79 percent).

• Within metropolitan areas, the majority of the nonpoor lived outside central cities (62 percent), while the majority of the poor lived in central cities (61 percent).

• About 48 percent of poor families were maintained by women with no husband present in 1985. This proportion has leveled off in the 1980's and was slightly higher in 1978.

• About 34 percent of the Nation's families maintained by a woman with no spouse present were poor in 1985, compared with 7 percent of married couple families and 13 percent of families maintained by a man with no wife present.

• Unrelated individuals (persons living alone or with nonrelatives only) accounted for about 20 percent of the poor in 1985.

• Half of all poor family householders (25 years and older) had not graduated from high school

About half of poor family householders worked at sometime during 1985, and 16 percent worked year round, full time About 80 percent of nonpoor family