Poverty

Date posted: 12/10/2007

Poverty is the percentage of people living at or below the Federal Poverty Guideline. In 2007 the guideline was $10,210 for an individual, $13,690 for a two-person household, and $20,650 for a four-person household. For preceding years, see Prior Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The 2006 American Community Survey in the United States, released in August 2007, is a sample survey of approximately 100,000 households nationwide. These data reflect conditions in calendar year 2006. The official poverty rate for 2006 remained steady at the 2005 rate of 13.3%.

What this chart shows: Individuals in Poverty by Age in Larimer County, 1990 & 2000

Data Source: United States Census 1990, 2000

See data table

What these data tell us:

Overall, the percentage of impoverished Larimer County individuals in 2000 declined from the last Census in 1990. At that time, the Federal Poverty Guideline's annual income threshold for a family of four was $12,700, compared to the $17,050 threshold in 2000.

What this chart shows: Individuals in Poverty by Age in the United States, Colorado & Larimer County - 2005

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey

See data table

What this chart shows: Individuals in Poverty by Age in the United States, Colorado & Larimer County - 2006

Data Source: U.S Census Bureau, 2006 American Community Survey

See data table

What these data tell us:

When compared to the results from the 2005 American Community Survey, U.S. poverty rates for all people remained steady at 13.3% from 2005 to 2006, while overall rates for Larimer County and Colorado increased by 9% and 8% respectively. While Larimer County and Colorado's poverty rates for children under 18 remain below the national rate, they both grew at faster rates from 2005 to 2006 than the national rate, which actually decreased slightly. In particular, Larimer County had a nearly 13% increase in child poverty from 2005 to 2006, compared to a national decrease and a Colorado increase of nearly 12%. Poverty rates for people ages 18 to 64 remained steady at the U.S. level from 2005 to 2006, but both Larimer County and Colorado had increases of nearly 12% and 9% respectively.

In all age ranges save 65 and older, Larimer County's poverty growth rates exceeded that of Colorado and the U.S.

What this chart shows: Poverty in Larimer County by Family Type - 2000

Data Source:

• 2000 Census (html)
• 2000 United States Census (pdf)

See data table

What these data tell us:

In 2000, 39.7% of children in Larimer County under age 5 living in single-mother/head-of-household live in poverty compared to 31.6% for children of single-father/head-of-household. However, children under age 18 in female single-parent households are three times more likely to live in poverty (24.1%) than male single-parent households (8%). For more information about household types in Larimer County, see Household Types and Age of Residents.

What this chart shows: Poverty in Larimer County Cities and Towns - 2000

Data Source: 2000 United States Census

See data table

What these data tell us:

In Larimer County, Fort Collins had the highest percentage of individuals (14%) living in poverty. Fort Collins also had the highest percentage of persons 18 years and older (15.5%) living in poverty. This may be due to the large college student population in Fort Collins. In contrast, Berthoud had the lowest percentage of persons living in poverty for those same groups at 3.1% and 3.2% respectively.

In the 2000 Census, Red Feather Lakes had a poverty rate of 26.7% for children under 18. This rate doubled or tripled the rate of other Larimer County cities and towns.

Additional Information:

On Compass -

• Area Median Income Levels
• Food Stamps
• Free and Reduced School Lunch
• Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
• Median Family Income
• Self-Sufficiency Wages
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
• Unemployment

Outside Compass -

• Cost of Living Calculator
• Federal Poverty Guidelines
• Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005 released August 2006 by the Current Population Survey.
• Institute for Research on Poverty A center for research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States. 
• National Center for Children in Poverty identifies and promotes strategies that prevent child poverty in the United States and improve the lives of low-income children and families.
• PovertyNet provides an introduction to key issues as well as in-depth information on poverty measurement, monitoring, analysis, and on poverty reduction strategies for researchers and practitioners.
• Questia Research poverty at the world's largest online library.
• United States Census Bureau

Standards or Targets: N/A

Data Tables:

Individuals in Poverty in Larimer County, 1990 & 2000

Larimer County	1990		2000
	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage
All Individuals	21,466	12.0%	22,600	9.2%
Persons 18 years and over	16,493	12.4%	18,329	9.9%
Persons 65 years and over	1,607	9.5%	1,017	4.4%
Related children under 18 years	4,973	10.4%	3,954	6.8%

See chart

Poverty in Individuals in Poverty, United States, Colorado, Larimer County, 2005

	United States	Colorado	Larimer County
	Percentage	Percentage	Percentage
All Individuals	13.3%	11.1%	11.9%
Under 18 years	18.2%	13.8%	11.8%
18 to 64 years	11.6%	10.0%	11.9%
65 years and over	9.9%	8.9%	8.9%

See chart

Poverty in Individuals in Poverty, United States, Colorado, Larimer County, 2006

	United States	Colorado	Larimer County
	Percentage	Percentage	Percentage
All Individuals	13.3%	12.0%	13.0%
Under 18 years	20.2%	16.8%	15.2%
18 to 64 years	11.7%	10.9%	13.4%
65 years and over	9.5%	8.1%	6.4%

See chart

Families in Poverty, Larimer County, 2000

Family Type	All Families		Male Head of Household		Female Head of Household
	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage	Count	Percentage
All Families	2,712	4.3%	240	7%	1,320	19.2%
Families with related children under 18	1,970	6.1%	153	8%	1,169	24.1%
Families with related children under 5	990	8.3%	76	31.6%	528	39.7%

See chart

Poverty in Larimer County Cities and Towns, 2000

	Fort Collins	Loveland	Estes Park	Wellington	Timnath	Campion	Red Feather Lakes	Berthoud
Individuals	14%	5.7%	4.5%	7.3%	10.5%	2.5%	8.4%	3.1%
Number	15,835	2,850	235	196	23	44	37	152
18 years & over	15.5%	5.2%	4.5%	6.7%	10%	3.4%	7%	3.2%
Number	13,619	1,914	193	122	15	44	29	111
65 years & over	5.8%	5%	0.8%	13.4%	N/A	N/A	9.5%	9.4%
Number	508	308	9	23	N/A	N/A	10	40
Related children under 18	8.3%	6.7%	4.6%	8.4%	11.6%	N/A	26.7%	2.8%
Number	2,055	896	42	72	8	N/A	8	41

See chart

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