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Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Cumberland County
People
Cumberland County's people are younger, have higher levels of
educational attainment, and have higher incomes than the state average.
There is a lower overall poverty rate, and the types of households below
poverty differ somewhat from others statewide. As reported in Census
2000:
- Per-capita income and median income are both considerably above
the state average. Cumberland has the highest incomes in the state.
- The household poverty rate is lower than in the state as a whole,
and is the lowest of any county.
- Compared with the statewide totals, a higher proportion of
below-poverty households in Cumberland County consists either of
households headed by women with no spouse or of people living alone.
- Working age adults (age 18-64) represent a somewhat higher
proportion of those under poverty compared with the state as a
whole.
- A considerably higher proportion of the Cumberland population has
college degrees (Associate or Bachelor's) than in the state as a
whole. Cumberland has the highest proportion of people with college
degrees of any county in the state.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(20,352) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(237,630) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
28.4% |
29.6% |
23.2% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
59.3% |
57.2% |
63.7% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
12.3% |
13.2% |
13.2% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(181,276) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
9.9% |
14.6% |
| High school |
28.2% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
19.5% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
8.2% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
34.2% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(108,037)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
1.0% |
50.0% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
2.1% |
7.2% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.2% |
2.6% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
2.3% |
15.5% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
1.6% |
9.0% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
7.6% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
8.0% |
92.0% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for Cumberland County are much better than the
state averages.
- The average unemployment rate as reported by the Department of
Labor for 2002 was 2.8% compared with the state average of 4.4%.
This was the lowest unemployment rate of any county.
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$44,048 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$23,949 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(108,037) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
19.1% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
12.7% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
68.2% |
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 |
13.0% |
47.4% |
39.6% |
70.7% |
13.9% |
15.4% |
| Other Households |
3.4% |
38.5% |
58.1% |
52.0% |
24.8% |
23.2% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
147,430 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
2.8% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
Cumberland is the most urban county in the state, in terms of density
and in overall population. It also has a fast-growing population. As
reported in Census 2000:
- There is a higher proportion of renters than in the state as a
whole.
- Access to affordable housing is a major problem for low to
moderate-income households; especially homeowners.
- Cumberland County households are slightly more apt to lack access
to a vehicle than households statewide.
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 |
70.6% |
88.7% |
64.6% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
62.6% |
52.1% |
58.6% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
22.9% |
34.7% |
28.6% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
(Number) |
Renters
(35,923) |
Owners
(72,066) |
All Households
(107,989) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
|
%
|
19.9% |
3.0% |
8.6% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Cumberland County residents showed a variable pattern in their
participation in DHS benefits programs (TANF and food stamps) and in
overall participation in LIHEAP in the last fiscal year (October 1,
2001-September 30, 2002).
- Although the proportion of households receiving TANF or food stamp
benefits was lower than in the state as a whole, the proportion of
the population receiving benefits was higher than in the state as a
whole. This may be because there are more female-headed households
with children under age18.
- A smaller proportion of households and individuals received LIHEAP
benefits than in the state as a whole.
- Compared with LIHEAP households statewide, a somewhat greater
proportion in Cumberland had income from wages.
- The LIHEAP program served a smaller proportion of total county
households with older persons (6.8%) compared with 13.2% of such
households statewide.
| TANF/Food Stamps
and LIHEAP Benefits* |
| |
County |
State |
TANF &/or Food Stamps
(monthly avg. unduplicated count) |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Cases |
8,542 |
7.9% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
16,165 |
10.5% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
4,696 |
4.4% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
9,712 |
3.7% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
1,685 |
6.8% |
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) |
(4,696) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$11,505 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
48.2% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
46.9% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
52.9% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
42.8% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
29.3% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
10.0% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
35.9% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
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