What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Adult Poverty, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean the same percentage of white and black adults are living in poverty. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

Black adults in the St. Louis region are more than three times as likely to live in poverty as white adults. In St. Clair County, black adults live in poverty at a rate of about 26%, compared to a rate of 8.5% for white adults. In the City of St. Louis, black adults live in poverty at a rate of about 26%, compared to a rate of 10.3% for white adults. In St. Louis County, black adults are slightly more than twice as likely to experience poverty, with black adults at a rate of 11.6% relative to 5.6% of white adults. Finally, in St. Charles County, black adults are slightly less than twice as likely to be poor, with 7.8% of black adults experiencing poverty relative to 4.2% of white adults.

If the rate of adult poverty were equitable, the number of black adults living in poverty would decrease by:

• 16,509 in the City of St. Louis,
• 365 in St. Charles County,
• 8,513 in St. Clair County, and
• 8,482 in St. Louis County.

Why Does Adult Poverty Matter?

Living in a state of poverty comes with many other costs. Poverty is a contributing factor to other racial inequities throughout this report, from lack of access to performing schools and healthy food to avoiding pretrial detention. Financial stressors such as municipal fines and traffic tickets have a much greater impact on low-income households than others. Low-income individuals are more likely to turn to predatory lending to cover basic expenses and are less likely to be able to complete their college education. In addition, poverty is well-known to negatively impact mental and physical health of people.

Residents with full-time, minimum-wage jobs (which translates to an annual income of $15,930) still earn incomes below the federal poverty line for a family of two ($16,020). Adults living in poverty without children are not eligible for Medicaid or other subsidized healthcare.

While Social Security and other benefits have greatly reduced rates of poverty among the elderly, rising medical costs reduce the amount of income available for other needs. Poverty makes it difficult for elderly people to pay for health care and cover utility bills, making them more vulnerable to mortgage lenders who offer high-rate, high-fee loans. Poverty among the elderly is known to contribute to mortality disparities, despite national health insurance programs such as Medicare.

Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission’s report are linked with this indicator?

Ending poverty is one of the Ferguson Commission’s signature priorities. The Commission’s calls to action include:

• Raise the Minimum Wage
• End Predatory Lending
• Implement Earned Income and Child Tax Credits
• Create Individual and Family Development Accounts

Questions for Further Investigation:

• Why is there a racial disparity in Adult Poverty?
• What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Adult Poverty?
• What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Adult Poverty?

Adult Poverty Data