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MISSISSIPPI
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Mississippi:

The data below describe the state rankings and selected characteristics of the immigrant and native-born populations in Mississippi in 2011.

Rankings
The following shows Mississippi's rankings in several categories. All rankings include the 50 states and the District of Columbia and are ranked highest to lowest.
  Rankings
Number of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 40 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 9 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 38 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 11 out of 51

Data Highlights
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Who are the foreign born?
The term foreign born refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the census who were not US citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized citizens, lawful permanent immigrants, refugees and asylees, legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization. By comparison, the term native refers to people residing in the United States who were US citizens in one of three categories: 1) people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; 2) people born in United States Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or 3) people who were born abroad to at least one US citizen parent.

We use the terms immigrants and foreign born interchangeably.

Earnings of Full-Time Workers
(This sheet describes earnings of civilian employed workers)

In Mississippi in 2011, 35.7 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 25.5 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Mississippi in 2011, 7.5 percent of full-time, year-round, immigrant workers (those working more than 50 weeks a year and more than 35 hours per week) earned less than $15,000 a year; 50.3 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 16.6 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 25.5 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 8.9 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 41.0 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 21.8 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 28.3 percent earned $50,000 or more.

At the national level, 9.8 percent of full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 40.9 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 16.6 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 32.6 percent earned $50,000 or more.

Median Earnings by Nativity and Gender

Male immigrant workers had average annual earnings of $30,958 compared to $29,419 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Mississippi in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $29,419 for women and $30,958 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $22,345 and those of noncitizen men were $28,860. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $33,337 and naturalized-citizen men $42,240. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $29,549 for women and $40,403 for men.

At the national level, median earnings of full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers were $31,749 for women and $35,918 for men. The median earnings for noncitizen workers were $24,347 for women and $28,507 for men. Among naturalized-citizen workers, women had median earnings of $38,419 and men of $47,547. Among native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $38,044 for women and $50,056 for men.

What Was the Poverty Threshold in 2011?
Whether any family is considered below the poverty threshold depends on the family's total income before taxes, not including any capital gains or noncash benefits, such as food stamps or housing subsidies.

The Census Bureau's poverty threshold varies depending on the number of adults and children in a family. The threshold is adjusted each month to account for inflation. Because respondents filled out the American Community Survey in different months, the poverty threshold that is applied to each family depends on the month in which the survey was taken.

To give a general idea of poverty levels, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, the average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2011 was $23,021; for a family of three, $17,916; for a family of two, $ 14,657; and for an unrelated individual, $11,484. All members of a family are assigned the same poverty status. Poverty thresholds are the same for the entire United States, despite differences in the cost of living across US communities.
Population in Poverty

The immigrant population in Mississippi living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 103.1 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 7,259 to 14,744, representing a change of 103.1 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 4,335 to 7,259 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 67.5 percent.

At the national level, the immigrant population below the poverty threshold increased from 3,435,394 to 5,473,300 between 1990 and 2000, representing a change of 59.3 percent, and grew from 5,473,300 to 7,797,199 (42.5 percent) between 2000 and 2011.

In 2011, 25.0 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 25.0 percent of Mississippi's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 19.7 percent in 2000 and 22.2 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 22.5 percent of the native-born population in Mississippi lived below the poverty threshold in 2011.

At the national level, 19.6 percent of the immigrants population lived below the poverty threshold in 2011, compared to 17.7 percent in 2000 and 17.9 percent in 1990. Nationally, 15.4 percent of the native-born population lived below the poverty threshold in 2011.

In Mississippi, 28.7 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 18.3 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Mississippi in 2011, 28.7 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 18.3 percent of naturalized citizens.

Nationally, 26.3 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 11.5 percent of naturalized citizens.

Families with Children in Poverty

In Mississippi, 24.9 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 24.9 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 29.2 percent of foreign-born families with children under 18 lived below the poverty threshold. Foreign-born families consisting of a married couple and children under 18 were less likely to live below the poverty threshold than families consisting of a female and children under 18 with no husband present (24.9 versus 58.0 percent).

In comparison, 17.2 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 26.2 percent of native families with children under 18. As with foreign-born families, native families consisting of a married couple with children under 18 were less likely to be living in poverty than families headed by a female and children under 18 with no husband present (8.5 versus 51.8 percent).

At the national level, 18.5 percent of families headed by a foreign-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold in 2011, while 24.6 percent of foreign-born families with children under 18 lived below the poverty threshold. Foreign-born families consisting of a married couple and children under 18 were less likely to live below the poverty threshold than foreign-born families consisting of a female and children under 18 (17.9 versus 45.2 percent).

Language Groupings

Indo-European languages include French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Yiddish, other West Germanic languages, Scandinavian languages, Greek, Russian, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, other Slavic languages, Armenian, Persian, Gujarathi, Hindi, and Urdu.

Asian and Pacific Island languages include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mon-Khmer/Cambodian, Miao/Hmong, Thai, Laotian, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.

Other languages include Navajo, other Native North American languages, Hungarian, Arabic, Hebrew, and African languages.

Population in Poverty by Language Spoken at Home

In Mississippi, 31.9 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 14.4 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 16.3 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Mississippi in 2011, 21.4 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 31.9 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 16.3 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 14.4 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 27.0 percent who spoke other languages.

Nationally, 13.6 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 25.4 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 13.7 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 14.2 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 26.7 percent who spoke other languages.




Table 1. Population by Poverty Status in Mississippi, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Mississippi for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 2,490,972 100.0 2,757,458 100.0 2,884,215 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 623,463 25.0 553,767 20.1 650,524 22.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 324,510 13.0 323,092 11.7 366,192 12.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 1,542,999 61.9 1,880,599 68.2 1,867,499 64.7
Native Born 2,471,481 100.0 2,720,583 100.0 2,825,345 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 619,128 25.1 546,508 20.1 635,780 22.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 322,488 13.0 319,984 11.8 361,091 12.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 1,529,865 61.9 1,854,091 68.2 1,828,474 64.7
Foreign Born 19,491 100.0 36,875 100.0 58,870 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 4,335 22.2 7,259 19.7 14,744 25.0
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 2,022 10.4 3,108 8.4 5,101 8.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 13,134 67.4 26,508 71.9 39,025 66.3
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Mississippi for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 266,486 10.7 393,243 15.8 126,757 4.6
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -69,696 -11.2 27,061 4.3 96,757 17.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level -1,418 -0.4 41,682 12.8 43,100 13.3
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 337,600 21.9 324,500 21.0 -13,100 -0.7
Native Born 249,102 10.1 353,864 14.3 104,762 3.9
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -72,620 -11.7 16,652 2.7 89,272 16.3
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level -2,504 -0.8 38,603 12.0 41,107 12.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 324,226 21.2 298,609 19.5 -25,617 -1.4
Foreign Born 17,384 89.2 39,379 202.0 21,995 59.6
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 2,924 67.5 10,409 240.1 7,485 103.1
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 1,086 53.7 3,079 152.3 1,993 64.1
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 13,374 101.8 25,891 197.1 12,517 47.2
Notes: Poverty status is not determined for unrelated individuals under age 15 (such as foster children) or for persons lacking conventional housing. 2. Data for Alaska, Maine, Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia are from the US Census Bureau's pooled 2009-2011 ACS and for North Dakota and Wyoming are from 2007-2011 ACS. Data for the United States and the rest of the states are from 2011 ACS.
Sources: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), various years (see Note 2 above); 2000 Decennial Census; Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2011.

For information about ACS methodology,sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here.

Table 2. Income and Poverty Characteristics of the Population in Mississippi, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Mississippi for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 2,884,215
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 22.6
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 24.0
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 53.4
Native Born 2,825,345
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 22.5
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 24.1
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 53.4
Foreign Born 58,870
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 25.0
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 22.2
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 52.8
Noncitizen 38,192
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 28.7
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 23.4
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 47.9
Naturalized Citizen 20,678
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 18.3
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 19.9
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 61.8
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Mississippi Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 855,338
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.4
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 21.4
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 19.9
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 21.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 16.7
Earned $75,000 or more 11.5
Native Born 830,239
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.4
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 21.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 19.8
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 21.8
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 16.7
Earned $75,000 or more 11.6
Foreign Born 25,099
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 3.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 4
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 28.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 22.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 16.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 15.9
Earned $75,000 or more 9.6
Noncitizen 16,023
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 4.1
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 4.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 33
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 24.5
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 13.1
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 11.7
Earned $75,000 or more 9.1
Naturalized Citizen 9,076
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 3
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 19.8
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 17.9
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 22.9
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 23.3
Earned $75,000 or more 10.6
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Mississippi, 2011  
Male $40,202
Female $29,548
Native Born  
Male $40,403
Female $29,549
Foreign Born  
Male $30,958
Female $29,419
Noncitizen  
Male $28,860
Female $22,345
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $42,240
Female $33,337
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 17.4
With related children under age 18 26.3
With related children under age 5 only 26.9
Married-couple families 6.4
With related children under age 18 9.1
With related children under age 5 only 9.1
Families with female householder, no husband present 42.0
With related children under age 18 51.8
With related children under age 5 only 54.0
Native-Born Families 17.2
With related children under age 18 26.2
With related children under age 5 only 27.1
Married-couple families 6.0
With related children under age 18 8.5
With related children under age 5 only 8.4
Families with female householder, no husband present 42.0
With related children under age 18 51.8
With related children under age 5 only 54.1
Foreign-Born Families 24.9
With related children under age 18 29.2
With related children under age 5 only 22.6
Married-couple families 22.7
With related children under age 18 24.9
With related children under age 5 only 21.0
Families with female householder, no husband present 47.3
With related children under age 18 58.0
With related children under age 5 only N
Noncitizen 32.4
With related children under age 18 37.4
With related children under age 5 only 24.7
Married-couple families 26.4
With related children under age 18 29.4
With related children under age 5 only 22.8
Families with female householder, no husband present 80.3
With related children under age 18 75.7
With related children under age 5 only N
Naturalized Citizen 14.9
With related children under age 18 12.6
With related children under age 5 only N
Married-couple families 17.6
With related children under age 18 15.1
With related children under age 5 only N
Families with female householder, no husband present N
With related children under age 18 N
With related children under 5 age only -
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS BY PERIOD OF ENTRY
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round, Foreign-Born Workers in Mississippi, 2009  
Male $30,958
Female $29,419
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $28,109
Female $22,352
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $40,603
Female $23,529
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $40,088
Female $34,832
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 20,356
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 17.7
Born in Europe 6,718
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 8.3
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 32,314
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 30.4
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Oceania N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Note: 1. Poverty status is not determined for unrelated individuals under age 15 (such as foster children) or for persons lacking conventional housing.

2. Data for Alaska, Maine, Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia are from the US Census Bureau's pooled 2009-2011 ACS and for North Dakota and Wyoming are from 2007-2011 ACS. Data for the United States and the rest of the states are from 2011 ACS.

The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), different years.

For information about ACS methodology,sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here.

Table 3. Poverty Status of Residents in Mississippi by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Mississippi for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 2,681,598 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 577,393 21.5
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 2,104,205 78.5
Speaks Only English 2,585,031 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 552,535 21.4
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 2,032,496 78.6
Speaks Spanish 55,450 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 17,691 31.9
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 37,759 68.1
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 13,979 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 2,284 16.3
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 11,695 83.7
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 19,326 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 2,774 14.4
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 16,552 85.6
Speaks Other Languages 7,812 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 2,109 27.0
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 5,703 73.0
Note: Poverty status is not determined for unrelated individuals under the age of 15 (such as foster children) or for persons lacking conventional housing.

The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.
For information about ACS methodology,sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here.

For data on these topics, click on the link: