Families
Elderly Living in Poverty
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Elderly Living in Poverty
2018-22
Arkansas County20%**
Ashley County20%**
Baxter County9%
Benton County7%
Boone County13%**
Bowie County, Texas14%
Bradley County16%**
Calhoun County15%****
Carroll County10%**
Chicot County20%**
Clark County10%**
Clay County18%**
Cleburne County9%**
Cleveland County7%****
Columbia County11%****
Conway County13%**
Craighead County9%**
Crawford County10%**
Crittenden County14%
Cross County19%**
Dallas County7%******
Desha County15%**
Drew County13%**
Faulkner County14%
Franklin County18%**
Fulton County12%**
Garland County11%
Grant County6%****
Greene County13%**
Hempstead County14%**
Hot Spring County12%**
Howard County12%****
Independence County10%**
Izard County15%**
Jackson County10%**
Jefferson County13%
Johnson County14%**
Lafayette County18%**
Lawrence County12%**
Lee County18%**
Lincoln County9%****
Little River County12%**
Logan County12%**
Lonoke County8%**
Madison County7%****
Marion County9%**
Miller County18%**
Mississippi County13%**
Monroe County16%**
Montgomery County13%**
Nevada County11%****
Newton County10%****
Ouachita County15%**
Perry County11%**
Phillips County16%**
Pike County14%**
Poinsett County10%**
Polk County10%**
Pope County9%**
Prairie County11%**
Pulaski County8%
Randolph County14%**
Saline County7%
Scott County11%****
Searcy County20%**
Sebastian County12%
Sevier County9%****
Sharp County10%**
St. Francis County20%**
Stone County11%****
Union County15%**
Van Buren County14%**
Washington County9%
White County10%**
Woodruff County12%**
Yell County9%**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Elderly Living in Poverty
2018-22
Arkansas County665**
Ashley County774**
Baxter County1,172
Benton County2,601
Boone County971**
Bowie County, Texas2,156
Bradley County302**
Calhoun County151****
Carroll County623**
Chicot County408**
Clark County319**
Clay County551**
Cleburne County572**
Cleveland County103****
Columbia County417****
Conway County497**
Craighead County1,347**
Crawford County969**
Crittenden County959
Cross County571**
Dallas County108******
Desha County310**
Drew County380**
Faulkner County2,241
Franklin County565**
Fulton County361**
Garland County2,592
Grant County193****
Greene County938**
Hempstead County492**
Hot Spring County737**
Howard County263****
Independence County650**
Izard County493**
Jackson County288**
Jefferson County1,423
Johnson County611**
Lafayette County268**
Lawrence County356**
Lee County281**
Lincoln County160****
Little River County294**
Logan County476**
Lonoke County794**
Madison County228****
Marion County432**
Miller County1,224**
Mississippi County768**
Monroe County252**
Montgomery County299**
Nevada County174****
Newton County191****
Ouachita County651**
Perry County219**
Phillips County496**
Pike County274**
Poinsett County409**
Polk County437**
Pope County866**
Prairie County198**
Pulaski County5,007
Randolph County476**
Saline County1,562
Scott County214****
Searcy County392**
Sebastian County2,383
Sevier County189****
Sharp County426**
St. Francis County768**
Stone County359****
Union County1,015**
Van Buren County567**
Washington County2,506
White County1,280**
Woodruff County168**
Yell County313**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.



NATIONAL RANKING
41

OUT OF 51
2018-22

STATE TREND

Maintaining


11%

2018-22
1% = 5,030
Seniors (ages 65+)
See here for full explanation

What does this measure?

The percentage of people over the age of 65 with incomes below the federal poverty level. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2022, the poverty threshold for two people aged 65 and older with no children was $17,689.

Why is this important?

The percentage of people living in or near poverty is a measure of the overall economic health of a region. It also indicates the level of need for social and government supports. Seniors in poverty may be particularly vulnerable to rising housing and health care bills.

How is Arkansas doing?

In 2018-22, 11% of seniors were in poverty, on par with 2008-12 and similar to the national rate of 10%. This makes Arkansas 41st in the nation on this indicator. Rates were higher among women (12%) than men (9%) and much higher among Black or African American seniors (20%) than white or Hispanic seniors (both 9%). The poverty rate improved the most, however, among Black or African American Arkansans, falling 6 percentage points since 2008-12.

Within the state, rates ranged from a low of 7% in Benton and Saline Counties to 20% in Arkansas, Searcy, St. Francis, and Chicot.

What contributes to racial and ethnic disparities?

Given labor market inequities, Black and Latino seniors have higher rates of poverty than white and Asian peers because they experience racial disparities in wealth and retirement income. Since Black and Latino seniors accumulate less retirement income, they must rely more heavily on Social Security to cover living and medical expenses.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with 3 asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator is expected to be released annually in December.




Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Elderly Living in Poverty
2008-122013-172018-22
Arkansas11%10%11%
United States9%9%10%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.






Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Elderly Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
American Indian and Native AlaskanAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderSome Other RaceTwo or More RacesWhite
Arkansas25%**9%****20%9%2%******18%**13%9%
Benton County23%******7%******18%******6%13%******1%******10%******6%
Craighead County1%******25%******15%******9%**0%******0%******6%******9%**
Crittenden County0%******16%******27%**7%**0%******0%******7%******7%**
Faulkner County38%******0%******40%****12%0%******50%******14%******12%
Jefferson County0%******0%******19%8%**0%******0%******0%******8%**
Miller County100%******0%******30%**15%**0%******0%******2%******15%**
Mississippi County0%******0%******24%****7%****0%******94%******59%******8%****
Phillips County0%******0%******24%**7%******0%******0%******2%******7%******
Pulaski County0%******0%******14%6%0%******26%******9%******6%
Saline County0%******0%******9%******7%0%******0%******1%******7%
Sebastian County0%******16%******24%******10%0%******43%******18%******10%
St. Francis County0%******0%******30%**14%**0%******0%******0%******14%**
Union County0%******88%******27%**10%**0%******100%******0%******10%**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Elderly Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
American Indian and Native AlaskanAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderSome Other RaceTwo or More RacesWhite
Arkansas606**342****10,61439,2277******758**1,90639,756
Benton County99******42******27******1,9837******8******296******2,122
Craighead County2******12******69******1,247**0******0******17******1,247**
Crittenden County0******9******646**280**0******0******24******280**
Faulkner County36******0******314****1,8390******1******49******1,841
Jefferson County0******0******955465**0******0******0******468**
Miller County4******0******388**831**0******0******1******831**
Mississippi County0******0******358****306****0******29******60******321****
Phillips County0******0******399**96******0******0******1******96******
Pulaski County0******1******2,1262,6680******90******93******2,697
Saline County0******0******60******1,4810******0******3******1,499
Sebastian County0******115******189******1,6640******177******134******1,768
St. Francis County0******0******483**285**0******0******0******285**
Union County0******36******498**479**0******2******0******479**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.





Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Elderly Living in Poverty by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas12%9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Elderly Living in Poverty by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas33,70520,284

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.









INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Education: Access to Quality Slots for Infants and Toddlers Not Applicable
Education: Access to Quality Child Care Slots for Preschoolers Not Applicable
Education: Grade 3 Reading Decreasing
Education: Grade 8 Math Maintaining
Education: Graduation Rate Increasing
Education: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Education: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Education: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Education: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Education: Imagination Libraries Increasing
Health: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Health: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Health: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Health: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Health: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Health: Oral Health Increasing
Health: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Health: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Health: Overdose Deaths Increasing
Families: Teen Births Decreasing
Families: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Median Household Income Maintaining
Families: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Families: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Families: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Families: Access to Financial Services Decreasing
Families: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Families: Food Deserts Not Applicable
Families: Homelessness Decreasing
Families: Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Families: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Families: Households Below ALICE Threshold Not Applicable
Families: Overall Housing Cost Burden Decreasing
Families: Child Care Costs for Toddlers Not Applicable
Families: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Families: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Families: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Community: Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Community: Charitable Giving Increasing
Community: Volunteering Increasing
Community: Group Participation Increasing
Community: Connection to Neighbors Decreasing
Community: Local Voting Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population Increasing
Demographics: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population by Age Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Racial Equity: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Racial Equity: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Racial Equity: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Racial Equity: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Racial Equity: Oral Health Increasing
Racial Equity: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Racial Equity: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Racial Equity: Teen Births Decreasing
Racial Equity: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Median Household Income Maintaining
Racial Equity: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Racial Equity: Access to Financial Services Decreasing
Racial Equity: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homelessness Decreasing
Racial Equity: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Racial Equity: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Racial Equity: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Racial Equity: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable








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