OCR Text |
Show Childhood Poverty1 Table 13 Year Total Persons Under 18 Utah US Persons Under 18 with Poverty Status Determined (in 1979 or 1989) Utah US Number Below Poverty Income (in 1979 or 1989) Utah US 1979-1980 1989-1990 540,105 627,444 63,754,906 63,604,432 530,690 622,104 62,654,139 62,278,655 56,986 78,041 10,025,623 11,161,836 Source: United States Bureau of the Census. (1990). 1990 Census Summary Tape File #3 (CPH 5-46 Utah). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Childhood Poverty in Percentages Table 14 Year Utah US 1979 1989 10.7 12.5 16.0 17.9 % change in poverty 37.0 11.3 % change in population 16.2 -0.2 Utah's childhood poverty rate increased 37% between 1979 and 1989 (Table 14). This compares with a 11.3% increase for the nation during the same period. The number of children under the age of 18 increased 16.6% between 1979 and 1989 in Utah, but decreased by 0.2% in the nation for the same period (Table 14). The large increase in the number of children under the age of 18 in Utah may be a partial explanation for the huge increase in childhood poverty. Utah has larger families and a lower per capita income than the nation. Another factor which is a likely contributor to this difference is the 53% increase in female-headed households in Utah over the last 10 years. This group includes a high proportion of households with incomes below or near poverty levels. Source: United States Bureau of the Census. (1990). 1990 Census Summary Tape File #3 (CPH 5-46 Utah). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Childhood poverty as a proportion of the population is increasing in both Utah and the nation (Table 13). Childhood poverty is measured by estimating the number of related children ("related" means children related to the head of the household by blood, marriage, or adoption) under the age of 18 living in a family with incomes below the poverty level. Childhood poverty rates were calculated based on population estimates of those under the age of eighteen and with poverty status determined for Utah and the nation. The percentage change numbers are based on the total population estimates of those under the age of eighteen. 14 DEMOGRAPHICS |