Indicator 64: Youth in Poverty

Why This Is Important

Growing up at or near the poverty line means that a child 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 2003, the estimated percentage of children and youth living in poverty was 14.3% for
Maine and 17.6% for the U.S. Both the state and the nation showed a gradual decline in
the percentage of young people in poverty since the early 1990’s, though the proportion
rose for both in 2002.  In 2003, while the U.S. percentage rose slightly, Maine stayed the same.

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.