|
Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Androscoggin
County
People
Androscoggin County's people are somewhat poorer and have
considerably lower levels of educational attainment than the state
average. As reported in Census 2000:
- Per-capita income is 4.1% lower than the state average, and median
household income is 3.9% lower.
- The household poverty rate is slightly higher than in the state as
a whole. Compared with the statewide totals, a higher proportion of
below-poverty households consists of people living alone or of
households headed by women with no spouse.
- Younger persons (age 18 and below) represent a higher proportion
of those under poverty than in the state as a whole.
- A considerably lower proportion of the Androscoggin population has
college degrees (Associate or Bachelor's) and a higher proportion
lacks a high school degree than in the state as a whole.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(11,115) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(89,049) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
31.4% |
29.6% |
23.2% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
54.8% |
57.2% |
63.0% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
13.8% |
13.2% |
13.9% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(69,560) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
20.2% |
14.6% |
| High school |
40.2% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
18.6% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
6.7% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
14.4% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(42,095)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
1.4% |
49.2% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
2.9% |
7.4% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.6% |
3.8% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
3.6% |
13.2% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
2.5% |
8.9% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
5.5% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
12.2% |
87.9% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for the county are generally in line with the
state average in terms of unemployment rates. However, there is a
somewhat higher proportion of "working poor" in Androscoggin
than in the state as a whole (as reported in Census 2000).
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$35,793 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$18,734 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(42,095) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
26.0% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
15.8% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
58.2% |
60.2% |
| Household
Poverty Status and Employment |
| |
Percent
of Households Below Poverty |
Percent
of Households Above Poverty |
| |
Full-time
work |
Less than
full-time |
Did not
work |
Full-time
work |
Less than
full-time |
Did not
work |
| Family Households |
13.3% |
48.8% |
37.9% |
71.3% |
15.5% |
13.2% |
| Other Households |
4.5% |
29.7% |
65.8% |
49.8% |
22.2% |
27.9% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
60,810 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
4.3% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
The county population is concentrated in the Lewiston-Auburn
metropolitan area, which affects housing and transportation measures, as
reported in Census 2000:
- There is a considerably higher proportion of renters than in the
state as a whole. o
- Androscoggin County households are more apt to lack access to a
vehicle than households statewide; many of these are renters.
- Housing is somewhat more affordable than in the state as a whole.
Nonetheless, affordable housing remains a problem for the poorest
households.
Percent of
Households with Income Below $35,000
Paying More Than 35% of Monthly Income for Housing |
| |
County |
State |
| Income |
Renters |
Owners |
All Households |
Renters |
Owners |
All Households |
| Under $10,000 |
62.6% |
81.2% |
65.2% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
41.7% |
45.3% |
42.8% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
5.4% |
27.4% |
15.3% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
| (Number) |
Renters
(15,373) |
Owners
(26,655) |
All Households
(42,028) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
| % |
24.5% |
3.3% |
11.1% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Androscoggin County residents were above the state average in
participation in DHS benefits programs (TANF and food stamps), but
slightly below the state average in participation in LIHEAP in the last
fiscal year (October 1, 2001- September 30, 2002).
- A higher proportion of LIHEAP households in Androscoggin had
social security or social security disability income than in the
state as a whole.
- The proportion of single-person households receiving LIHEAP was
somewhat higher than in the state overall.
| TANF/Food Stamps
and LIHEAP Benefits* |
| |
County |
State |
TANF &/or Food Stamps
(monthly avg. unduplicated count) |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Cases |
5,804 |
13.8% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
11,264 |
10.8% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
3,704 |
8.8% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
7,602 |
7.3% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
1,376 |
13.6% |
16,937 |
13.2% |
| *Percentage cases or
households is % of total county or state households; percentage
recipients is % of county or state population. |
| LIHEAP Client
Household Characteristics* |
| |
County |
State |
| (Number households) |
(3,704) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$10,880 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
49.3% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
52.6% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
58.6% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
19.1% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
58.1% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
8.4% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
37.2% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
|
