Return to the PIE Home PageThere were 121,475 Franklin County residents (or 13.0% of total) below the poverty level in 1990. As can be seen above, poverty rates vary by age and household type. In 1990, children were disproportionately affected by poverty (17.3% of children were poor), while the elderly were relatively better off (10.3% below poverty). This represents an increase since 1980 from the 15.3% of children below poverty, and a decrease from the 12.6% of all elderly in 1980. The number of poor children has increased over this period by 13.2%, from 35,465 in 1980 to 40,133 in 1990. The number of elderly poor increased only marginally from 8,947 in 1980 to 8,990 in 1990.
Single female-headed families with children, especially those with young children, were also disproportionately poor. In 1990, 12.2% of all households were below the poverty level, compared to 40.4% of all female-headed families with children, and 57.5% of those with children less than 5 years old.
Of the total 121,475 poor in 1990, 33.0% were children and 7.4% were elderly. Of the 46,328 total households below poverty, 27.8% were single female-headed families with children. The poverty level is defined by the federal government on an annual basis, and varies by size of the household. The poverty level for a family of three in 1990 was $10,560.
% of Total
1970 1980 1990 Poor 1990
Total Persons 85,592 103,750 121,475 100.0%
Related Children (0-17) 31,873 35,465 40,133 33.0%
Children (0-4) NA 11,610 14,254 11.7%
Children (5-17) NA 23,855 25,879 21.3%
Elderly (65+) 10,451 8,947 8,990 7.4%
Total Households 30,033 40,601 46,328 100.0%
Family Households 15,442 19,509 22,293 48.1%
W/ Children (0-17) 11,092 15,675 18,323 39.6%
W/ Children (0-4) NA NA 10,187 22.0%
Female-Headed (No Spouse) 6,870 10,773 14,244 30.7%
W/ Children (0-17) 6,047 9,838 12,885 27.8%
W/Child (0-4) NA NA 6,970 15.0%
Non-Family Households 14,591 21,092 24,035 51.9%
Source: Census of Population and Housing, U.S. Bureau of the Census
1970 1980 1990
Total Persons 10.7% 12.3% 13.0%
Related Children (0-17) NA 15.3% 17.3%
Children (0-4) NA 18.6% 19.7%
Children (5-17) NA 14.1% 16.3%
Elderly (65+) 16.3% 12.6% 10.3%
Total Households 12.2% 12.6% 12.2%
Family Households 7.6% 8.9% 9.1%
W/ Children (0-17) NA 12.9% 14.2%
W/ Children (0-4) NA NA 17.8%
Female-Headed (No Spouse) 25.3% 29.2% 30.4%
W/ Children (0-17) NA 37.7% 40.4%
W/Child (0-4) NA NA 57.5%
Non-Family Households 33.9% 20.4% 17.6%
Source: Census of Population and Housing, U.S. Bureau of the Census
Filename: CD-016