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Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Kennebec County
People
Poverty rates in Kennebec County are close to the state average,
while income is slightly lower. Levels of educational attainment are
close to the state average. As reported in Census 2000:
- Per-capita income and median household income are slightly below
the state's average.
- The household poverty rate is slightly higher than in the state as
a whole. Compared with the statewide totals, a slightly higher
proportion of below-poverty households consists of people under the
age of 65 living alone.
- A slightly smaller proportion of the Kennebec population has
Bachelor's degrees but a slightly greater proportion has Associate
degrees than in the state as a whole.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(12,637) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(100,897) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
29.8% |
29.6% |
23.4% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
57.3% |
57.2% |
62.5% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
12.9% |
13.2% |
14.2% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(79,362) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
14.8% |
14.6% |
| High school |
37.7% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
19.1% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
7.8% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
20.7% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(47,738)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
2.1% |
49.8% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
2.9% |
7.3% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.6% |
3.2% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
3.5% |
13.2% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
1.9% |
9.0% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
5.5% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
12.0% |
88.0% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for the county are about the same as state
averages.
- The average unemployment rate as reported by the Maine Department
of Labor for 2002 was 4.3% in Kennebec County, about the same as the
state average.
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$36,498 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$18,520 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(47,738) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
26.0% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
15.1% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
58.9% |
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% |
69.0% |
14.6% |
16.4% |
| Other Households |
3.2% |
31.8% |
65.1% |
48.7% |
21.0% |
30.4% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
61,090 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
4.3% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
Housing affordability in Kennebec is about the same as the state
average; however, a large proportion of the poorest households reports
spending 35% or more of their monthly income for housing. A slightly
higher proportion of households reports lacking access to a vehicle.
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 |
77.6% |
78.9% |
78.0% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
47.4% |
40.1% |
44.4% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
5.3% |
21.2% |
14.1% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
Households Lacking Access to Vehicle County State All All Renters
Owners Households Renters Owners Households (Number)
(147,280) (370,920) (518,200) % 18.5% 3.3% 7.6%
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
(Number) |
Renters
(13,736) |
Owners
(33,947) |
All Households
(47,683) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
|
%
|
18.9% |
3.6% |
8.0% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Kennebec 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).
- A slightly higher proportion (both of households and of the
overall population) received TANF or food stamp benefits than in the
state as a whole.
- The level of participation in the LIHEAP program was slightly
lower than the state average.
- The LIHEAP program served a somewhat smaller proportion of total
county households with older persons (11%) compared with 13.2% of
such households statewide.
- Compared with LIHEAP households statewide, a somewhat higher
proportion of Kennebec County households had food stamps or
Medicaid.
| TANF/Food Stamps
and LIHEAP Benefits* |
| |
County |
State |
TANF &/or Food Stamps
(monthly avg. unduplicated count) |
Number |
Percent |
Number |
Percent |
| Cases |
5,496 |
11.5% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
10,705 |
9.1% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
4,090 |
8.6% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
8,598 |
7.3% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
1,258 |
11.0% |
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) |
(4,090) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$11,157 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
45.7% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
59.1% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
65.0% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
25.9% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
54.9% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
9.2% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
30.8% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
|
