The poverty rate is the percentage of people living below the poverty level or “threshold.” Each year, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget establishes a series of poverty thresholds for different family sizes and ages of household heads.
The poverty rate for people under 18 in Washington. . .
- was 17.5 percent in 2014 and 13.2 percent in 1999;
- was 17.5 percent compared to 21.7 percent in the U.S. in 2014.
These next data come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. They are based on averages of data collected in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. These estimates cannot be used to say what is going on in any particular year in the period, only what the average value is over the full period. The Census Bureau's American Factfinder provides 3-year estimates for counties with at least 20,000 people, and 1-year estimates for counties with at least 65,000 people. We use 5-year estimates because they are available for all counties and allow comparison to other counties within the region.
The poverty rate for the youngest children, those under age 5 . . .
- was 20.3 percent in 2010-2014 compared to 15.9 percent in 1999;
- was 20.3 percent in 2010-2014 compared to 24.9 percent in the U.S..
The poverty rate for those ages 18 through 64...
- was 12.8 percent in 2010-2014 compared to 14.3 percent in the U.S..
The rate for people 65 and over . . .
- was 8.0 percent in 2010-2014 and 7.5 percent in 1999;
- was 8.0 percent compared to 9.4 percent in the U.S. in 2010-2014.