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RHODE ISLAND
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Rhode Island:

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

Rankings
The following shows Rhode Island'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: 37 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 29 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 39 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 44 out of 51

Data Highlights
For data on these topics, click on the link:

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 Rhode Island in 2011, 27.2 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 28.3 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Rhode Island in 2011, 11.0 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; 36.9 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 23.8 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 28.3 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 4.1 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 24.9 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 24 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 47.2 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 $37,792 compared to $33,289 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Rhode Island in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $33,289 for women and $37,792 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $25,398 and those of noncitizen men were $32,514. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $36,699 and naturalized-citizen men $43,970. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $42,180 for women and $51,722 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 Rhode Island living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 32.6 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 21,240 to 28,166, representing a change of 32.6 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 14,106 to 21,240 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 50.6 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, 20.4 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 20.4 percent of Rhode Island's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 18.2 percent in 2000 and 15.4 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 13.8 percent of the native-born population in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island, 26.8 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 14.1 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Rhode Island in 2011, 26.8 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 14.1 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 Rhode Island, 18.9 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 18.9 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 27.6 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 families consisting of a female and children under 18 with no husband present (18.4 versus 49.9 percent).

In comparison, 8.8 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 15.5 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 (3.5 versus 39.8 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 Rhode Island, 33.1 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 27.1 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 10.6 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Rhode Island in 2011, 11.2 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 33.1 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 10.6 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 27.1 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 13.8 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 Rhode Island, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Rhode Island for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 964,180 100.0 1,012,708 100.0 1,009,941 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 93,132 9.7 122,365 12.1 148,819 14.7
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 63,229 6.6 73,807 7.3 86,233 8.5
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 807,819 83.8 816,536 80.6 774,889 76.7
Native Born 872,647 100.0 896,014 100.0 871,821 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 79,026 9.1 101,125 11.3 120,653 13.8
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 52,429 6.0 61,129 6.8 67,010 7.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 741,192 84.9 733,760 81.9 684,158 78.5
Foreign Born 91,533 100.0 116,694 100.0 138,120 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 14,106 15.4 21,240 18.2 28,166 20.4
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 10,800 11.8 12,678 10.9 19,223 13.9
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 66,627 72.8 82,776 70.9 90,731 65.7
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Rhode Island for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 48,528 5.0 45,761 4.7 -2,767 -0.3
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 29,233 31.4 55,687 59.8 26,454 21.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 10,578 16.7 23,004 36.4 12,426 16.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 8,717 1.1 -32,930 -4.1 -41,647 -5.1
Native Born 23,367 2.7 -826 -0.1 -24,193 -2.7
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 22,099 28.0 41,627 52.7 19,528 19.3
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 8,700 16.6 14,581 27.8 5,881 9.6
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level -7,432 -1.0 -57,034 -7.7 -49,602 -6.8
Foreign Born 25,161 27.5 46,587 50.9 21,426 18.4
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 7,134 50.6 14,060 99.7 6,926 32.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 1,878 17.4 8,423 78.0 6,545 51.6
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 16,149 24.2 24,104 36.2 7,955 9.6
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 Rhode Island, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Rhode Island for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 1,009,941
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 14.7
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 16.1
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 69.2
Native Born 871,821
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 13.8
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 14.9
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 71.3
Foreign Born 138,120
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 20.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 24.0
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 55.6
Noncitizen 68,447
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 26.8
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 27.2
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 45.9
Naturalized Citizen 69,673
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 14.1
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 20.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 65.1
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Rhode Island Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 341,949
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.7
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 3.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 10.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 16.7
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 23.9
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 22.6
Earned $75,000 or more 21.3
Native Born 283,648
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.4
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 2.7
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 9
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 15.9
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 24
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 24.1
Earned $75,000 or more 23.1
Foreign Born 58,301
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 3.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 7.8
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 16.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 20.7
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 23.8
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 15.5
Earned $75,000 or more 12.8
Noncitizen 27,296
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 4.3
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 11.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 21.3
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 23.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 19
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 11.7
Earned $75,000 or more 9.1
Naturalized Citizen 31,005
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 4.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 11.7
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 18.6
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 28
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 18.9
Earned $75,000 or more 16.1
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Rhode Island, 2011  
Male $48,842
Female $41,412
Native Born  
Male $51,722
Female $42,180
Foreign Born  
Male $37,792
Female $33,289
Noncitizen  
Male $32,514
Female $25,398
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $43,970
Female $36,699
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 10.6
With related children under age 18 18.1
With related children under age 5 only 21.6
Married-couple families 4.4
With related children under age 18 6.6
With related children under age 5 only 5.7
Families with female householder, no husband present 30.4
With related children under age 18 41.9
With related children under age 5 only 49.9
Native-Born Families 8.8
With related children under age 18 15.5
With related children under age 5 only 21.0
Married-couple families 2.7
With related children under age 18 3.5
With related children under age 5 only 2.9
Families with female householder, no husband present 28.9
With related children under age 18 39.8
With related children under age 5 only 49.9
Foreign-Born Families 18.9
With related children under age 18 27.6
With related children under age 5 only 24.3
Married-couple families 13.4
With related children under age 18 18.4
With related children under age 5 only 16.8
Families with female householder, no husband present 36.9
With related children under age 18 49.9
With related children under age 5 only 49.7
Noncitizen 25.4
With related children under age 18 33.4
With related children under age 5 only 31.2
Married-couple families 18.6
With related children under age 18 22.0
With related children under age 5 only 28.1
Families with female householder, no husband present 54.8
With related children under age 18 62.3
With related children under age 5 only 52.9
Naturalized Citizen 13.8
With related children under age 18 22.1
With related children under age 5 only 13.1
Married-couple families 9.8
With related children under age 18 15.5
With related children under age 5 only N
Families with female householder, no husband present 22.9
With related children under age 18 36.5
With related children under 5 age only N
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS BY PERIOD OF ENTRY
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round, Foreign-Born Workers in Rhode Island, 2011  
Male $37,792
Female $33,289
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $30,754
Female $32,033
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $40,689
Female $29,131
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $41,649
Female $36,769
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 22,428
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 18.4
Born in Europe 30,899
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 8.4
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 59,467
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 23.3
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 Rhode Island by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Rhode Island for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 955,159 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 133,031 13.9
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 822,128 86.1
Speaks Only English 752,742 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 84,449 11.2
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 668,293 88.8
Speaks Spanish 103,927 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 34,399 33.1
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 69,528 66.9
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 69,740 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 7,380 10.6
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 62,360 89.4
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 21,255 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 5,766 27.1
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 15,489 72.9
Speaks Other Languages 7,495 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 1,037 13.8
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 6,458 86.2
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: