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Poverty in Maine -
2003
County Profiles: Somerset County
People
Somerset County's people are poorer and have lower levels of
educational attainment than the state average. The types of households
and age distribution of those below poverty differ somewhat from the
state pattern. As reported in Census 2000:
- Income is below the state average: per-capita income is 21% lower,
and median household income is 18% lower.
- There is a higher proportion of households below poverty than in
the state as a whole.
- Compared with the state as a whole, a higher proportion of
Somerset County's below-poverty households (almost one-quarter)
consists of married-couple families.
- Younger persons (age 18 and below) represent a higher proportion
of those under poverty compared with the state as a whole.
- A considerably smaller proportion of Somerset's population has
college degrees (Associate or Bachelor's) than in the state as a
whole, and a higher proportion lacks a high school degree. Somerset
has the lowest percentage of people with Bachelor's degrees of any
county.
| Population
Poverty Status, by Age |
| |
Below Poverty |
Above Poverty |
(Number) |
County
(7,471) |
State
(135,501) |
County
(42,509) |
State
(1,105,392) |
| Age |
|
| Under 18 |
33.2% |
29.6% |
22.7% |
23.0% |
| 18-64 |
55.1% |
57.2% |
62.9% |
62.8% |
| 65 and over |
11.8% |
13.2% |
14.4% |
14.2% |
| Education Levels |
| |
County |
State |
| (Population age 25 and over) |
(34,750) |
(869,893) |
| Less that high school |
19.2% |
14.6% |
| High school |
45.3% |
36.2% |
| Some college, no degree |
17.3% |
19.0% |
| Associate degree |
6.4% |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher |
11.8% |
22.9% |
| Household
Poverty Status, by Household Type (as percent of all
households) |
(Number households) |
County
(20,519)
|
State
(518,372) |
| Poverty Status |
Below |
Above |
Below |
Above |
| Family Households |
|
|
Married-couple |
3.6% |
51.6% |
2.1% |
51.3% |
| Female
householder, no spouse |
3.2% |
6.2% |
2.6% |
6.6% |
| Male
householder, no spouse |
0.9% |
3.4% |
0.5% |
3.0% |
| Other Households |
|
| Single
person, under age 65 |
3.4% |
11.0% |
3.0% |
13.1% |
| Single
person, age 65 or over |
2.4% |
7.7% |
2.1% |
8.7% |
| Other
non-family |
1.2% |
5.1% |
1.2% |
5.8% |
| Total households |
14.9% |
85.1% |
11.5% |
88.5% |
Income and Employment
Employment figures for the county are considerably worse than state
averages.
- The average unemployment rate as reported by the Maine Department
of Labor for 2002 was 8.4% in Somerset County, compared with the
state average of 4.4%. This was the second highest unemployment rate
of any county.
| Income |
| |
County |
State |
| Median Household Income |
$30,731 |
$37,240 |
| Per-capita Income |
$15,474 |
$19,533 |
| (Number households) |
(20,519) |
(518,372) |
| Household Income, by ranges |
| Under $20,000 |
30.8% |
25.0% |
| $20,000 - $29,999 |
18.1% |
14.9% |
| $30,000 and above |
51.1% |
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 |
16.3% |
42.9% |
40.8% |
65.3% |
18.7% |
16.1% |
| Other Households |
5.0% |
27.4% |
67.7% |
48.2% |
23.2% |
28.6% |
| Unemployment Rate (2002 monthly
average) |
|
County |
State |
| Labor force |
24,940 |
686,200 |
| Percent unemployed |
8.4% |
4.4% |
Housing and Transportation
Housing is more affordable than in the state as a whole for
households with incomes above $20,000. There is also a somewhat higher
rate of home ownership. As in the rest of the state, a large proportion
of the poorest households (incomes below $10,000) report spending 35% or
more of their monthly income for housing.
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 |
71.1% |
73.1% |
71.9% |
68.6% |
75.5% |
70.7% |
| $10,000 - $19,999 |
50.7% |
26.3% |
37.6% |
52.1% |
39.6% |
46.4% |
| $20,000 - $34,999 |
6.3% |
13.5% |
11.3% |
12.9% |
23.6% |
19.1% |
| Households
Lacking Access to Vehicle |
| |
County |
State |
(Number) |
Renters
(4,528) |
Owners
(15,968) |
All Households
(20,496) |
Renters
(147,280) |
Owners
(370,920) |
All Households
(518,200) |
|
%
|
17.8% |
3.9% |
7.0% |
18.5% |
3.3% |
7.6% |
Benefits and Assistance
Somerset County residents were considerably above the state average
in participation in DHS benefits programs (TANF and food stamps) and in
overall participation in the LIHEAP program in the last fiscal year
(October 1, 2001- September 30, 2002).
- The proportion of cases and individuals in the TANF and food stamp
programs was the second highest of any county.
- The LIHEAP program served a larger proportion of total county
households with older persons (20%), compared with 13.2% of such
households statewide.
- Compared with LIHEAP households statewide, a larger proportion in
Somerset 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 |
3,457 |
16.9% |
55,445 |
10.7% |
| Recipients |
7,202 |
14.2% |
108,767 |
8.5% |
| LIHEAP |
|
| Households |
2,986 |
14.6% |
46,994 |
9.1% |
| Recipients |
6,484 |
12.7% |
98,825 |
7.8% |
| Hslds age 65 and over |
1,021 |
20.0% |
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) |
(2,986) |
(46,994) |
| Average household income |
$11,357 |
$11,209 |
| % Single person households |
42.5% |
45.5% |
| % Receiving food stamps |
60.4% |
49.7% |
| % Medicaid |
65.5% |
57.5% |
| % SSI |
22.2% |
22.9% |
| % SS/SSD |
56.6% |
52.8% |
| % With wages or self-employment |
8.3% |
8.6% |
| % LIHEAP applicants age 65 and over |
34.2% |
36.0% |
| *Percentage is % of
LIHEAP households |
|
