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Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Knox County
People
Poverty rates in Knox County are somewhat below the state average,
incomes are close to the state average, and levels of educational
attainment are somewhat higher than the state average. As reported in
Census 2000:
- Per-capita income is 2.3% above the state average, and median
household income is 1.3% below the state's median income.
- The household poverty rate is somewhat lower than in the state as
a whole. Compared with the statewide totals, a higher proportion of
below-poverty households consists of non-family households,
especially people under the age of 65 living alone.
- A larger proportion of the Knox population has Bachelor's degrees
than in the state as a whole, and a smaller proportion lacks high
school degrees.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(3,865) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(34,427) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
28.0% |
29.6% |
22.1% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
58.4% |
57.2% |
60.5% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
13.6% |
13.2% |
17.4% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(28,303) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
12.5% |
14.6% |
| High school |
36.4% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
18.9% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
5.9% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
26.6% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(16,608)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
2.0% |
51.1% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
1.8% |
7.0% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.5% |
2.7% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
2.9% |
12.9% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
2.3% |
11.0% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
5.2% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
10.2% |
89.8% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for the county are better than the state average,
but there is a somewhat higher proportion of "working poor."
- The average unemployment rate as reported by the Maine Department
of Labor for 2002 was 3.0% in Knox County, compared with the state
average of 4.4%. This was one of the lowest unemployment rates of
any county.
- Among households below poverty in Knox County (Census 2000), 69%
reported having one or more members working part- or full-time in
the past year, compared with 61% statewide.
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$36,774 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$19,981 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(16,608) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
24.2% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
14.9% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
60.9% |
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 |
25.6% |
43.3% |
31.1% |
63.2% |
22.7% |
14.2% |
| Other Households |
4.6% |
41.4% |
54.0% |
43.2% |
27.6% |
29.2% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
20,880 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
3.0% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
Housing is less affordable than in the state as a whole, particularly
for households with incomes under $20,000.
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 |
77.8% |
70.6% |
75.0% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
60.8% |
47.6% |
54.2% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
12.4% |
23.7% |
19.8% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
(Number) |
Renters
(4,317) |
Owners
(12,291) |
All Households
(16,608) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
|
%
|
5.1% |
3.7% |
6.6% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Knox County residents were below the state average in participation
in DHS benefits programs (TANF and food stamps), and slightly below in
participation in LIHEAP in the last fiscal year (October 1,
2001-September 30, 2002).
- Compared with households statewide receiving LIHEAP, those in Knox
County were less likely to be receiving food stamps, Medicaid, or
supplemental security income (SSI), and a smaller proportion had
income from wages.
- The LIHEAP program served a somewhat smaller proportion of total
county households with older persons (11.6%) 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 |
1,350 |
8.1% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
2,711 |
6.8% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
1,431 |
8.6% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
2,972 |
7.5% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
558 |
11.6% |
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) |
(1,431) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$11,388 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
45.4% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
37.0% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
44.4% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
19.6% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
54.4% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
6.3% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
39.0% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
|
