State poverty rate lower than nation

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2001 | 10:42 a.m.

Nevada continues to boast a lower poverty rate than the nation as a whole, a trend a local economist attributed to the state's healthy economy and vibrant job market.

New U.S. Census Bureau estimates revealed that 188,979 Nevadans, or 10.5 percent, were living in poverty in 1998, compared to 12.7 percent nationally. Those numbers are down from 1993, when the poverty levels were 11.5 percent in Nevada and 15.1 percent nationally.

Keith Schwer, director of UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research, said Tuesday that the poverty statistics confirmed Nevada's strong economy. Nevada has remained 2 percent to 4 percent below the national poverty average since at least 1989.

"The economy had been strong in the 1990s, so that drove the numbers down in the United States as well as in Nevada," Schwer said. "The last five years we had strong growth when all the hotels were opening up.

"What is more important is that over a long period Nevada has done better than the national average."

State Demographer Jeff Hardcastle had other reasons why Nevada remained below the national poverty average. He said the state had a slightly lower percentage of households headed by women and a smaller percentage of individuals living in multi-person households.

"If you're living on your own, it's easier to take care of yourself on a lower wage," Hardcastle said.

The Census Bureau also reported that there were 73,130 Nevadans under age 18 living in poverty in 1998, yielding a 15 percent poverty rate. That compared to 18.9 percent nationally for that age group. Nevada had been 3 percent to 6 percent below the national under-18 poverty level since 1989.

The 1998 poverty estimates were gleaned by combining results from a 1999 population survey with records from Supplemental Security Income recipients and data from federal income tax returns.

Poverty income levels are based on the number of individuals in a household. In 1998 the poverty levels were $8,316 for someone living alone, $10,634 for two-person households, $13,003 for three persons, $16,660 for four persons, $19,680 for five persons, $22,228 for six persons, $25,257 for seven persons, $28,166 for eight persons and $33,339 for nine or more persons.

The Census Bureau also re-released poverty estimates by county for 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1997. Only one Nevada county, Lincoln, had a higher poverty rate than Clark County's 11.2 percent in 1989. But in 1997, six counties -- Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye and White Pine -- exceeded Clark's 11.1 percent poverty rate.

Mineral County led the way in 1997 with a 16.3 percent poverty rate overall and 23.1 percent for children younger than 18.