Table 1.6b. Percentage of families with children under 18 living in poverty, by race/ethnicity and family type: 1989, 1999, and 2003
Race/ethnicity
All families
Married-couple families
Male householder, no spouse present
Female householder, no spouse present
1989
Total
17.6
7.3
19.5
42.3
White
10.5
5.9
15.6
34.3
Black
33.0
12.2
27.6
52.5
Hispanic
27.4
18.2
28.3
54.7
Asian/Pacific Islander
13.9
10.7
19.9
35.6
American Indian/Alaska Native
33.4
20.6
39.4
57.6
1999
Total
13.6
6.6
17.7
34.3
White
9.4
5.0
14.3
27.8
Black
27.2
9.4
24.9
41.8
Hispanic
24.1
17.0
24.9
44.5
Asian/Pacific Islander
11.7
9.1
17.5
28.5
American Indian/Alaska Native
27.0
15.5
30.3
45.7
20031
Total
14.9
6.6
18.0
36.5
White
11.5
5.7
15.4
32.2
Black
28.7
8.6
24.8
42.6
Hispanic
23.5
15.9
15.6
46.3
Asian/Pacific Islander
11.1
8.0
18.4
28.3
American Indian/Alaska Native
26.9
13.7
21.8
48.0
12003 data are from the American Community Survey, rather than Decennial Census. Use caution in comparing these percentages to those from 1989 and 1999.
NOTE: To define poverty, the U.S. Census Bureau utilizes a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition. A family, along with each individual in it, is considered poor if the family's total income is less than that family's threshold. The poverty thresholds do not vary geographically and are updated annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. The official poverty definition counts money income before taxes and does not include capital gains and noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps). Race groups include persons of Hispanic origin.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Decennial Census, 1990 and 2000; American Community Survey, unpublished data, 2003.
