2017 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Poverty

Section 3: Poverty

This section presents statistics on poverty in the United States. The statistics describe the number and percentage of people with and without disabilities who experience poverty as well as the difference between the poverty rates (poverty gap) of people with and without disabilities. The principal source of these data is the American Community Survey. For these tables, statistics for people with disabilities (disability status) are based on having responded ‘yes’ to a series of questions within the American Community Survey (see the glossary for details). Annual time trends were produced by the authors using data from the Current Population SurveyAnnual Social and Economic Supplement. Similar to the American Community Survey, statistics for people with disabilities (disability status) are based on having responded ‘yes’ to a series of questions within the Current Population Survey. Poverty is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and set as a dollar threshold by the U.S. Census Bureau (see the glossary for details).

Tables

Tables 3.1 and 3.2: In 2016, of the 20,637,289 individuals with disabilities ages 18 to 64 years who were living in the community, 5,500,125 individuals lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 26.7 percent. In contrast, of the 173,476,170 individuals without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community, 20,207,984 individuals lived in poverty—a poverty rate of 11.6 percent. The poverty rate for people with disabilities was highest in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (49.8 percent) and lowest in Delaware (17.8 percent).

Table 3.3: In 2016, the poverty rate of individuals with disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 26.7 percent, while the poverty rate of individuals without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 11.6 percent—a difference of 15.1 percentage points. The poverty gap was smallest in Delaware (a difference of 7.5 percentage points) and greatest in the District of Columbia (a difference of 24.9 percentage points).

Table 3.4: In 2014, the poverty gap between individuals with and without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 14.8 percent. In 2016, the poverty gap between individuals with and without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community was 15.1 percent—a change of 2.3 percentage points. The largest percentage point increase in the poverty gap from 2014 to 2015 was in Vermont, a change of 8.8 percentage points, while the largest decrease in the poverty gap was in Iowa, a change of -9.0 percentage points.

Table 3.5: In 2016, the poverty rate among non-institutionalized civilians ages 16 to 64 was 29.9  percent for people with a work limitation and 10.9 percent for people without a work limitation. The poverty rate was 28.4 percent for people with a broad disability as compared to 11.3 percent for people without a broad disability. The poverty rate was 27.1 percent for people with a work limitation and/ or broad disability as compared to 10.6 percent for people without a work limitation and/or broad disability.

Table 3.1 Poverty—Civilians with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2016
State Total Count %   State Total Count %
U.S. 20,637,289 5,500,125 26.7 MT   75,836    20,364   26.9
AL  419,415    114,486  27.3 NE  111,659    28,353   25.4
AK   50,057     8,971   17.9 NV  198,742    45,953   23.1
AZ  429,679    112,780  26.2 NH   87,056    19,493   22.4
AR  268,173    77,089   28.7 NJ  434,187    96,689   22.3
CA 2,014,753   502,365  24.9 NM  153,492    42,478   27.7
CO  306,554    75,780   24.7 NY 1,100,819   323,193  29.4
CT  188,965    46,462   24.6 NC  719,097    192,385  26.8
DE   56,228     9,981   17.8 ND   42,486     9,607   22.6
DC   43,594    17,464   40.1 OH  844,412    255,983  30.3
FL 1,252,777   330,755  26.4 OK  333,557    91,290   27.4
GA  695,359    180,883  26.0 OR  301,372    79,996   26.5
HI   65,806    15,120   23.0 PA  902,127    258,354  28.6
ID  115,196    31,577   27.4 RI   75,542    24,355   32.2
IL  676,629    181,238  26.8 SC  386,302    98,302   25.4
IN  481,120    128,199  26.6 SD   50,649    13,841   27.3
IA  173,245    42,325   24.4 TN  556,324    159,047  28.6
KS  186,710    43,140   23.1 TX 1,647,003   399,501  24.3
KY  436,351    148,246  34.0 UT  157,839    30,805   19.5
LA  382,231    121,580  31.8 VT   48,619    13,044   26.8
ME  107,958    32,955   30.5 VA  491,605    112,337  22.9
MD  333,143    71,737   21.5 WA  492,427    125,658  25.5
MA  384,740    102,993  26.8 WV  193,153    61,715   32.0
MI  760,520    214,911  28.3 WI  340,536    87,401   25.7
MN  299,910    73,502   24.5 WY   38,876     9,091   23.4
MS  258,056    79,532   30.8 PR  354,491    176,529  49.8
MO  466,403    136,819  29.3                          
Table 3.2 Poverty—Civilians without Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2016
State Total Poverty   State Total Poverty
Count % Count %
U.S. 173,476,170 20,207,984 11.6 MT   536,261     65,461   12.2
AL  2,463,027   352,821   14.3 NE   996,970     95,799   9.6 
AK   405,212     33,251   8.2  NV  1,589,787   188,455   11.9
AZ  3,567,325   511,326   14.3 NH   729,639     44,652   6.1 
AR  1,461,387   207,176   14.2 NJ  5,034,261   422,452   8.4 
CA 22,215,027  2,695,372  12.1 NM  1,059,552   177,941   16.8
CO  3,121,241   300,340   9.6  NY 11,078,505  1,326,930  12.0
CT  1,976,973   160,835   8.1  NC  5,325,728   696,352   13.1
DE   504,619     52,027   10.3 ND   410,215     39,141   9.5 
DC   406,834     61,906   15.2 OH  6,061,064   717,403   11.8
FL 10,792,060  1,365,033  12.6 OK  1,952,956   263,487   13.5
GA  5,507,507   721,582   13.1 OR  2,182,465   260,893   12.0
HI   758,197     62,222   8.2  PA  6,695,264   679,782   10.2
ID   851,539    104,245   12.2 RI   565,369     55,168   9.8 
IL  7,124,856   762,417   10.7 SC  2,519,374   318,253   12.6
IN  3,446,897   402,958   11.7 SD   443,986     47,324   10.7
IA  1,653,716   175,208   10.6 TN  3,420,650   438,631   12.8
KS  1,504,063   166,176   11.0 TX 15,058,412  1,900,119  12.6
KY  2,199,741   323,584   14.7 UT  1,615,342   153,905   9.5 
LA  2,400,558   397,539   16.6 VT   324,044     31,467   9.7 
ME   688,527     63,419   9.2  VA  4,555,263   427,381   9.4 
MD  3,343,065   256,890   7.7  WA  3,967,630   378,295   9.5 
MA  3,791,092   310,848   8.2  WV   881,914    137,078   15.5
MI  5,217,053   663,683   12.7 WI  3,123,751   307,218   9.8 
MN  3,026,924   241,139   8.0  WY   307,130     32,964   10.7
MS  1,478,979   258,080   17.4 PR  1,691,582   658,548   38.9
MO  3,134,219   351,356   11.2                            
Table 3.3 Poverty Gap—Civilians with and without Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States, by Disability Status: 2016
State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [2]   State Poverty Rate (%) Gap (% pts) [2]
Disability [1] No Disability [1] Disability [1] No Disability [1]
U.S. 26.7 11.6 15.1 MT 26.9 12.2 14.7
AL 27.3 14.3 13.0 NE 25.4 9.6  15.8
AK 17.9 8.2  9.7  NV 23.1 11.9 11.2
AZ 26.2 14.3 11.9 NH 22.4 6.1  16.3
AR 28.7 14.2 14.5 NJ 22.3 8.4  13.9
CA 24.9 12.1 12.8 NM 27.7 16.8 10.9
CO 24.7 9.6  15.1 NY 29.4 12.0 17.4
CT 24.6 8.1  16.5 NC 26.8 13.1 13.7
DE 17.8 10.3 7.5  ND 22.6 9.5  13.1
DC 40.1 15.2 24.9 OH 30.3 11.8 18.5
FL 26.4 12.6 13.8 OK 27.4 13.5 13.9
GA 26.0 13.1 12.9 OR 26.5 12.0 14.5
HI 23.0 8.2  14.8 PA 28.6 10.2 18.4
ID 27.4 12.2 15.2 RI 32.2 9.8  22.4
IL 26.8 10.7 16.1 SC 25.4 12.6 12.8
IN 26.6 11.7 14.9 SD 27.3 10.7 16.6
IA 24.4 10.6 13.8 TN 28.6 12.8 15.8
KS 23.1 11.0 12.1 TX 24.3 12.6 11.7
KY 34.0 14.7 19.3 UT 19.5 9.5  10.0
LA 31.8 16.6 15.2 VT 26.8 9.7  17.1
ME 30.5 9.2  21.3 VA 22.9 9.4  13.5
MD 21.5 7.7  13.8 WA 25.5 9.5  16.0
MA 26.8 8.2  18.6 WV 32.0 15.5 16.5
MI 28.3 12.7 15.6 WI 25.7 9.8  15.9
MN 24.5 8.0  16.5 WY 23.4 10.7 12.7
MS 30.8 17.4 13.4 PR 49.8 38.9 10.9
MO 29.3 11.2 18.1               
Table 3.4 Change in Poverty Gap—Civilians with and without Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States: 2015 and 2016
State Gap (%) Gap Change (% pts) [1]   State Gap (%) Gap Change (% pts) [1]
2015 2016 2015 2016
U.S. 14.8 15.1 2.3  MT 17.1 14.7 2.9 
AL 13.1 13.0 5.7  NE 14.6 15.8 0.7 
AK 8.6  9.7  -1.4 NV 12.0 11.2 2.5 
AZ 12.6 11.9 5.5  NH 17.5 16.3 -3.9
AR 14.4 14.5 6.0  NJ 12.3 13.9 -1.2
CA 12.8 12.8 -6.7 NM 15.5 10.9 -2.2
CO 13.1 15.1 0.2  NY 17.5 17.4 2.6 
CT 15.0 16.5 -1.3 NC 14.5 13.7 3.9 
DE 12.7 7.5  0.5  ND 13.9 13.1 -0.1
DC 27.0 24.9 -7.0 OH 18.2 18.5 2.1 
FL 12.1 13.8 3.8  OK 14.3 13.9 3.5 
GA 12.8 12.9 4.3  OR 17.3 14.5 3.6 
HI 12.5 14.8 -0.5 PA 17.3 18.4 0.5 
ID 13.0 15.2 4.0  RI 17.0 22.4 1.1 
IL 14.2 16.1 1.5  SC 14.7 12.8 4.1 
IN 14.8 14.9 2.0  SD 18.7 16.6 1.5 
IA 15.0 13.8 -9.0 TN 17.2 15.8 3.4 
KS 15.0 12.1 -8.9 TX 11.0 11.7 2.8 
KY 17.6 19.3 4.8  UT 7.5  10.0 0.5 
LA 14.2 15.2 -4.2 VT 12.2 17.1 8.8 
ME 20.8 21.3 0.5  VA 13.2 13.5 -0.3
MD 12.6 13.8 -2.0 WA 16.0 16.0 0.4 
MA 18.5 18.6 -0.8 WV 15.5 16.5 -4.3
MI 16.6 15.6 3.3  WI 16.1 15.9 0.1 
MN 16.7 16.5 -1.7 WY 5.1  12.7 0.5 
MS 15.8 13.4 -1.7 PR 12.9 10.9 1.0 
MO 15.8 18.1 2.4                
Table 3.5 Poverty—Poverty Rate among Civilians Ages 16 to 64 Years by Disability Status and Year, in March: 2000 to 2017
Year People with a Work Limitation (%) [1] People with a Broad Disability (%) [1] Either (%) [2]   Year People with a Work Limitation (%) [3] People with a Broad Disability (%) [1] Either (%) [4]
Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
2000 26.7 9.0  - - - - 2000 26.7 9.0  - - - -
2001 27.0 8.3  - - - - 2001 27.0 8.3  - - - -
2002 26.9 8.9  - - - - 2002 26.9 8.9  - - - -
2003 28.4 9.4  - - - - 2003 28.4 9.4  - - - -
2004 28.1 9.6  - - - - 2004 28.1 9.6  - - - -
2005 27.8 10.1 - - - - 2005 27.8 10.1 - - - -
2006 28.1 9.9  - - - - 2006 28.1 9.9  - - - -
2007 28.5 9.6  - - - - 2007 28.5 9.6  - - - -
2008 28.9 9.7  - - - - 2008 28.9 9.7  - - - -
2009 28.5 10.5 25.5 10.8 25.7 10.2 2009 28.5 10.5 25.5 10.8 25.7 10.2
2010 28.9 11.8 25.0 12.2 25.7 11.6 2010 28.9 11.8 25.0 12.2 25.7 11.6
2011 31.2 12.4 27.7 12.8 28.3 12.1 2011 31.2 12.4 27.7 12.8 28.3 12.1
2012 31.0 12.4 28.8 12.7 28.6 12.0 2012 31.0 12.4 28.8 12.7 28.6 12.0
2013 31.2 12.4 28.5 12.7 28.8 12.0 2013 31.2 12.4 28.5 12.7 28.8 12.0
2014 32.3 12.0 28.7 12.4 29.1 11.7 2014 32.3 12.0 28.7 12.4 29.1 11.7
2015 30.5 12.0 28.5 12.4 27.6 11.7 2015 30.5 12.0 28.5 12.4 27.6 11.7
2016 29.9 10.9 28.4 11.3 27.1 10.6 2016 29.9 10.9 28.4 11.3 27.1 10.6
2017 28.6 10.1 26.7 10.5 25.8 9.8 2017 28.6 10.1 26.7 10.5 25.8 9.8
2018 28.3 9.8  24.9 10.3 25.0 9.5 2018 28.3 9.8  24.9 10.3 25.0 9.5