Success in Economic Well-Being and Security

Poverty and Basic Income in Allen County, Indiana

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census,
SF3 and American Community Survey

As seen in other charts and data sources which use the American Community Survey, greater fluctuations are seen in smaller sample areas, such as counties. CRI recommends viewing the county data as a trend, not a point in time.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census: 1990 and 2000 Census, SF3.
Data from American Community Survey for intercensal years.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census, SF3, and American Community Survey

INCOME MEASURES
What type of income is needed for a family need to support themselves? To be eligible for TANF, a family of 4 would have had to make less than $8,547 in 2006. If the wage earner received minimum wage ($5.15 until July 23 and then $5.85) and applied for the Earned Income Credit, the family income would have been $16,072 in 2007. comparisons continued below...
The DHHS Poverty Guidelines in 2008 indicates that a family of 4 making $26,200 would be classified as in poverty. To be eligible for food stamps in 2008, a family of 4 would have to make less than $26,856. The average pay received in Allen County in 2006 was $36,243. The Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy, calculates that a family of 4 required a minimum of $38,100 to sustain themselves in the Fort Wayne MSA in 2005. The Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homelessness Issues (ICCHI), a statewide association dedicated to the right of all Indiana citizens to safe, decent, and affordable housing and necessary supportive services appropriate to building self-sufficiency, calculates that the family of 4 required an income of between $24,073 to $45,081 depending on family type in 2005 in order to maintain this self-sufficiency. The MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (all wage earners) calculated for Allen County Households was $45,630 in 2006 (Source: Census Bureau). Sources: Data collected in 2007 from these sources: Indiana FSSA (2007 Food Stamps and TANF),Census Bureau (2006 Median Income), Dept of Labor (2006 Avg Annual Pay), 2005 ICCHI Self-Sufficiency Study (for MSA), 2008 DHHS Poverty Guidelines, "Earned Income Tax, Credit calculations" from Economic Policy Institute.

The chart on the left, from the Indiana Business Review, Spring 2006, identifies the hourly wage needed for a family (defined in this case as a single parent with one infant and one preschooler) to meet the criteria in their county for self-sufficiency. The Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues prepares the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Indiana.

The Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues (ICHHI) has released The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Indiana to answer the question "How much money does it take for families to live and work without public or private assistance or subsidies?"

This Standard assumes that all adults work full-time, and differs from the federal poverty measure by calculating budgets by family composition (e.g. child care costs are higher for younger children), and uses actual costs of housing and food for that area. The self-sufficiency budget does not allow for car or other major items, such as retirement or college tuition.

While the link to this study is provided in the definitions, sources, and caveats box, the results of the study for ALLEN COUNTY are as follows:

Definitions, Sources, and Caveats:
The Census Bureau used a definition of poverty which was developed in the 1960s. There are 48 possible poverty thresholds which depends on the size of the family and the ages of the members. These thresholds are updated annually using the CPI. The thresholds developed by the Census can be obtained by visiting their site or by using this link. There are also Poverty Guidelines, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Census Bureau uses their numbers to CALCULATE the population in poverty; DHHS used their numbers to determine eligibility for certain programs. The poverty guidelines are approximately equal to the poverty thresholds for the prior year,i.e. 2006 DHHS guidelines are approximately equal to the Census poverty thresholds for 2005.

ICHHI, Self-Sufficiency Standard for Indiana, December 2005.