2013 ACS Shows Depth of Native American Poverty and Different Degrees of Economic Well-Being for Asian Ethnic Groups
Thursday’s release of 2013 American Community Survey (ACS) data allows us to fill in the blanks for minority populations that were not covered in Tuesday’s Census Bureau report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in 2013. ACS is an annual nationwide survey that provides detailed demographic, social, and economic data for smaller populations like Native Americans and the thirteen distinct ethnic groups that make up the Asian population.
Together with the 2013 Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage report, the 2013 ACS data provide a more complete picture of the economic status of America’s various racial and ethnic groups. This information helps to address the sense of “invisibility” felt by many of these groups, provides critical information for the states and local communities where these populations are concentrated and expands the scope for evaluating the impact of national policies.
Between 2012 and 2013, the real median household income for Native Americans increased 2.3 percent to $36,641. This was 70 percent of the national average in 2013 and $3,066 (-7.7 percent) lower than the group’s 2007 pre-recession level.
Median household income for Native Americans and total population (2013 dollars), 2005–2013
Native Americans | Total population | |
---|---|---|
Jan-2005 | $39,759 | $55,178 |
Jan-2006 | $39,007 | $55,978 |
Jan-2007 | $39,707 | $57,005 |
Jan-2008 | $40,912 | $56,176 |
Jan-2009 | $38,425 | $54,542 |
Jan-2010 | $37,460 | $53,469 |
Jan-2011 | $36,449 | $52,290 |
Jan-2012 | $35,823 | $52,117 |
Jan-2013 | $36,641 | $52,250 |
Source: Author's analysis of American Community Survey data 2005-2013
Despite the income gains, poverty among all Native Americans was virtually unchanged between 2012 and 2013 (from 29.1 to 28.9 percent) and 37.3 percent of Native American children lived in poverty in 2013, up slightly from 36.8 percent in 2012.
Share of people in poverty, Native Americans and total population, 2012 and 2013
Native Americans | Total population | |
---|---|---|
Jan-2012 | 29.10% | 15.9% |
Jan-2013 | 28.90% | 15.8% |
Source: Author's analysis of American Community Survey data, 2012 and 2013
Child poverty rates among Native Americans were 1.8 times higher than the national average for all people and 1.7 times higher.
Share of children in poverty, Native Americans and total population, 2012 and 2013
Native Americans | Total population | |
---|---|---|
Jan-2012 | 36.80% | 22.6% |
Jan-2013 | 37.30% | 22.2% |
Source: Author's analysis of American Community Survey data, 2012 and 2013
According to my prior analysis of Tuesday’s Census report, Asian Americans were the only group to experience a decline in real median household income in 2013 and were farthest from recovering their 2007 income level. The 2013 ACS data shows the variance in income across the different Asian ethnic populations, as well as their disparate rates of recovery. In 2013, median household income among Asian ethnic groups ranged from $100,547 for Indians to $50,853 for the Hmong. Among the larger ethnic groups, Indians are also the only group to have surpassed their 2007 income level. Three groups had poverty rates below 8 percent—Indians (7.7 percent), Filipinos (7.3 percent) and Japanese (7.9 percent)—while roughly one-fourth of the Hmong (25.6 percent) and Bangladeshi (24.6 percent) populations lived in poverty.
Median household income and share of population in poverty, various Asian populations, 2013
Share of U.S. Asian population | Poverty rate | Change in poverty | Median household income | Change in income | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 2013 | 2007-2013 | 2012-2013 | 2013 | 2007-2013 | 2012-2013 | |
Bangladeshi | 1.0% | 24.6% | -0.3% | -3.3% | $51,331 | 9% | 14% |
Cambodian | 1.7% | 19.9% | -0.9% | -0.9% | $55,098 | -3% | 3% |
Chinese (except Taiwanese) | 22.7% | 16.0% | 4.0% | 0.5% | $67,396 | -9% | 1% |
Filipino | 16.6% | 7.3% | 1.8% | 0.2% | $81,788 | -5% | 1% |
Hmong | 1.7% | 25.6% | -0.3% | -1.8% | $50,853 | 0% | 9% |
Indian | 19.9% | 7.7% | -0.4% | -0.4% | $100,547 | 7% | 2% |
Japanese | 5.0% | 7.9% | -0.6% | -0.6% | $70,756 | -5% | -2% |
Korean | 9.0% | 14.1% | 0.5% | -0.8% | $58,004 | -2% | 6% |
Laotian | 1.3% | 12.8% | 0.3% | -7.2% | $55,261 | -9% | 7% |
Pakistani | 2.8% | 18.1% | 4.4% | 1.7% | $65,188 | 0% | -7% |
Taiwanese | 0.9% | 13.6% | 2.0% | 0.3% | $80,612 | -5% | 1% |
Thai | 1.2% | 17.3% | 4.8% | 0.3% | $54,900 | -9% | 0% |
Vietnamese | 10.6% | 15.5% | 2.1% | -0.3% | $57,441 | -5% | 3% |
Source: Author's analysis of American Community Survey data 2007-2013
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