exploring dallas poverty in local, regional, and national contexts

Exploring Dallas Poverty in

Local, Regional, and National

Contexts

Dr. Timothy M. Bray

Will Rogers

“It’s not what we don’t know that

hurts us, it’s what we know that just ain’t

so!”

Regional Population Change, 2000-2014

4,145,659

2,218,889

1,167,205

6,371,773

2,368,139

1,197,816

6,954,003

2,518,638

1,281,031

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA Dallas County City of Dallas

Population

2000 2010 2014

Regional Poverty Rates, 2000-2014

11.3%

13.4%

17.8%

13.4%

19.2%

22.3%

14.8%

19.5%

24.5%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

Dallas-Fort Worth - Arlington MSA Dallas County City of Dallas

Percent Below Poverty

2000 2010 2014

Dallas in the National Context

26 24.523.3 22.4 22.4 22 21 20.9

15.7

9.4

45.6 46.442.3 42.8 43.5

40.8 40.8 38.2

29.9

22.9

05

101520253035404550

Poverty and Near Poverty Rates, 2014Cities of 1 Million or More

Below 100% Poverty Below 185% Poverty

How is Poverty Defined?

How Much Is Enough?

How Much is Too Little?

"Mollie Orshansky 1967" by UnknownSocial Security Administration History Archives.Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Poverty in Dallas

Among Highest in

Poverty Rates

• In 2014, 25% of Dallas residents lived below the poverty line.

• 46% lived below 185% of the poverty line.

Poverty Outpaced

Population Growth

• Population grew by 8% from 2000-2014.

• Persons living in poverty grew by 49% from 2000-2014.

Children in Poverty

2000

Number of Children Living in Poverty

79,045

Percent of Children Living in Poverty

26%

Percent of Poor Who Are Children

38%

2014

Number of Children Living in Poverty

125,884

Percent of Children Living in Poverty

38%

Percent of Poor Who Are Children

41%

59% Increase Poor Children, 8% Increase PopHighest Poverty Rate and 2nd

Fastest Among Large Cities

Hispanics in Poverty

2000

Number of Hispanics Living in Poverty

101,705

Percent of Hispanics Living in Poverty

24%

Percent of the Poor Who Are Hispanic

49%

2014

Number of Hispanics Living in Poverty

156,104

Percent of Hispanics Living in Poverty

30%

Percent of the Poor Who Are Hispanic

50%

53% Increase Poor Persons, 8% Increase Pop3rd Largest Poverty Rate and 3rd

Fastest Among Large Cities

African Americans in Poverty

2000Number of African Americans Living in Poverty

72,320

Percent of African Americans Living in Poverty

24%

Percent of the Poor Who Are African American

35%

2014Number of African Americans Living in Poverty

98,888

Percent of African Americans Living in Poverty

32%

Percent of the Poor Who Are African American

32%

37% Increase Poor Persons, 2% Increase Pop2nd Largest Poverty Rate and 4th

Fastest Among Large Cities

Dallas in the Regional Context:

Poverty in Major Cities

Dallas in the State Context:

Poverty in Major Cities

Legend

City Limits

2010 Census Tracts

Change in Concentrated Poverty

No Longer Concentrated

Newly Concentrated

Remains Concentrated

1 inch = 8.29 miles

Change In Concentrated Poverty: 2000-2013

A Rising Tide… Can Changing Concentrated

Poverty Affect the Poverty of the Poor?

+1.9 -2.7

+3.1 +3.0

A Different World…

Poverty Impacts Brain Development

Economic Distress Impacts Civic

Participation

46% of Non-voters have family

incomes less than $30,000 per year.

Only 19% of likely voters are from

low-income families.

Poverty: Damaged Child

Dorothea Lange

Oklahoma City, OK, USA

1936 (Colorized by Kelly Short)

Annual Message to

Congress

December 1, 1862

“It is not ‘can any of us imagine better?’ but, ‘can we all do

better?’ The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to

the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with

difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act

anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall

save our country.”

-Abraham Lincoln

“Lincoln the Letter Writer”-Lloyd Ostendorf, 1987

For More Information

Dr. Timothy M. Bray

Institute for Urban Policy ResearchThe University of Texas at Dallas

800 West Campbell Road, WT20Richardson, Texas 75080

V: 972-883-5430F: 972-883-5431

timothy.bray@utdallas.eduhttp://iupr.utdallas.edu

@timothy_bray, @iuprdallas