The “Face” of Poverty
in the South
Tim Slack
Louisiana State University
Prepared for Turning the Tide on Poverty Workshop
A Partnership of the Southern Rural Development Center
(SRDC), Everyday Democracy, Farm Foundation,
and Kettering Foundation
Introduction

Conceptualizing poverty

Measuring poverty

The contours of poverty in the South
Conceptualizing Poverty

Absolute poverty: Minimum basic needs
standard determined, those living below
that level defined as poor

Relative poverty: Condition of
comparative disadvantage in reference to
standard of living of others
Conceptualizing Poverty

Levels: Individual to global

Systems: Families, schools, judicial/law
enforcement, civic arena…

Basis of deprivation: Income, wealth,
material hardship, social exclusion…
Measuring Poverty

Official U.S. poverty measure is absolute,
income-based, and defined at the familylevel

Poverty thresholds vary depending on:

Family size

Ages of family members
Poverty Thresholds for 2008 by Size of Family and
Number of Related Children Under 18 Years
Measuring Poverty

Thresholds based on a “market basket of
goods”


Adjusted annually for inflation (CPI)
Thresholds do not adjust for…

Geographic differences in cost of living

Non-cash transfer payments
Poverty in the South

South has long been the poorest region of
the United States


Legacy of rigid class and racial caste systems
and less industrial economy
“Pockets” of persistent regional poverty
nearly all in South

Central Appalachia, Black Belt, Delta, Lower
Rio Grande Valley
Poverty in the South

What does the “face” of poverty look like in
the South?
Share of poor ages 24-64 by work
status, 2000
South
Non-South
15%
18%
51%
52%
33%
31%
FTFY
PTPY
Nonworker
FTFY
Source: 2000 March Current Population Survey
PTPY
Nonworker
Share of poor householders by marital
status, 2000
South
Non-South
36%
36%
64%
Married
Unmarried
Source: 2000 March Current Population Survey
64%
Married
Unmarried
Share of poor ages 24-64 by
educational attainment, 2000
South
Non-South
24%
31%
33%
39%
37%
< H.S.
36%
H.S.
> H.S.
< H.S.
Source: 2000 March Current Population Survey
H.S.
> H.S.
Share of poor by race/ethnicity, 2000
South
Non-South
3%
7%
19%
43%
25%
49%
35%
White
19%
Black
Hispanic
Other
White
Source: 2000 March Current Population Survey
Black
Hispanic
Other
Share of poor by metro/nonmetro
residence, 2000
South
Non-South
18%
31%
69%
82%
Metro
Nonmetro
Source: 2000 March Current Population Survey
Metro
Nonmetro
In Sum

Poverty is an especially pernicious
problem in the South

Product of historical and contemporary
social realities

But as with all social realities change is
possible given collective will and action
Poverty Thresholds for 2008 by Size of Family and
Number of Related Children Under 18 Years