Most recent economic statistics from U.S. Census 2016 show how race, gender, poverty, and income all play a large role in the general lives of individuals in Arkansas and the United States.
When comparing the percentage of households under $25,000 to the median income, Benton County, Arkansas has the lowest percentage of households making $25,000 and less at 9.8 percent, which means it also has the highest median income of about $59,000. This number is higher than the average median income most Americans make according to U.S. Census. As long as more money is being made, the percentage of lower wage households will stay low.
There is a significantly higher percent of single mothers in poverty than the total households that make under $25,000 in each selected county as well as the United States. In Madison County, Arkansas there is 15.4 percent of total households and 75 percent of single mothers in poverty. This drastic gap of nearly 60 percent causes skepticism in the reasoning behind why there are so many single, impoverished mothers in today’s economy.
After reviewing the single mothers in poverty, it is interesting to see the percentage of the individuals employed in poverty in these areas. In Washington County, 11.4 percent of impoverished individuals are working while only 5 percent are working in Benton County. Remembering that Benton County has the highest median income, these percentages show that the higher the median income, individuals are less likely to be living in the working poverty.
It is evident that race and ethnicity play a role in poverty percentages because race is everywhere and will always effect the economy. U.S. Census 2016 compared the percentages below poverty of Whites, Black or African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Hispanics. In Madison County, Asians exceed the other classifications by over 50 percent. Everywhere else in the comparisons is generally the same with Hispanics and African Americans competing for the highest rate of impoverished people.
These economic statistics in Arkansas and United States need to be taken into deep consideration when discussing difficult situations dealing with poverty and race.
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