Indicator: 64 - Youth in Poverty

Why This Is Important

Growing up at or near the poverty line means not only that a child has a much lower level of consumption than other children, but also that he or she is more likely than a non-poor child to experience difficulties in school, to become a teen parent and, as an adult, to earn less and experience greater unemployment.

Where We Stand

In 1998, the estimated percentage of children and youth living in poverty was 14.2% for Maine and 18.9% for the U.S. Both the state and the nation showed a gradual decline in the number and percentage of all people in poverty since the early 1990's. Using a three-year average of Census Current Population Survey data for 1998-2000, 32% of Maine children live in households with income below 200% of the federal poverty level (Maine Kids Count Data Book, 2002).

Data Sources and Context

This data comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) Program, which can be accessed on-line at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe.html. This program was created to provide more current estimates of selected poverty and income statistics than the decennial national Census offers. The Census Bureau creates estimates for states, counties, and school districts under the program.