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COLORADO
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Colorado:

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

Rankings
The following shows Colorado'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: 15 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 21 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 18 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 32 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 Colorado in 2011, 32.6 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 29.5 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Colorado in 2011, 10.8 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; 42.7 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 16.9 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 29.5 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 5.5 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 26.4 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 21 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 $35,504 compared to $30,374 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Colorado in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $30,374 for women and $35,504 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $24,408 and those of noncitizen men were $30,534. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $36,187 and naturalized-citizen men $50,284. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $40,996 for women and $51,916 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 Colorado living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 59.1 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 66,044 to 105,100, representing a change of 59.1 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 28,071 to 66,044 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 135.3 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, 21.6 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 21.6 percent of Colorado's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 17.9 percent in 2000 and 20.4 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 12.6 percent of the native-born population in Colorado 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 Colorado, 28.7 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 9.0 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Colorado in 2011, 28.7 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 9.0 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 Colorado, 19.6 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 19.6 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 25.0 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 (18.1 versus 52.1 percent).

In comparison, 7.8 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 12.5 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 (4.9 versus 34.3 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 Colorado, 25.0 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 12.2 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 9.7 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Colorado in 2011, 11.2 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 25.0 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 9.7 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 12.2 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 Colorado, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Colorado for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 3,204,894 100.0 4,215,256 100.0 5,002,128 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 370,017 11.5 396,523 9.4 674,195 13.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 265,749 8.3 298,651 7.1 450,325 9.0
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,569,128 80.2 3,520,082 83.5 3,877,608 77.5
Native Born 3,067,248 100.0 3,846,978 100.0 4,515,431 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 341,946 11.1 330,479 8.6 569,095 12.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 249,180 8.1 252,384 6.6 380,547 8.4
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,476,122 80.7 3,264,115 84.8 3,565,789 79.0
Foreign Born 137,646 100.0 368,278 100.0 486,697 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 28,071 20.4 66,044 17.9 105,100 21.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 16,569 12.0 46,267 12.6 69,778 14.3
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 93,006 67.6 255,967 69.5 311,819 64.1
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Colorado for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 1,010,362 31.5 1,797,234 56.1 786,872 18.7
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 26,506 7.2 304,178 82.2 277,672 70.0
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 32,902 12.4 184,576 69.5 151,674 50.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 950,954 37.0 1,308,480 50.9 357,526 10.2
Native Born 779,730 25.4 1,448,183 47.2 668,453 17.4
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -11,467 -3.4 227,149 66.4 238,616 72.2
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 3,204 1.3 131,367 52.7 128,163 50.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 787,993 31.8 1,089,667 44.0 301,674 9.2
Foreign Born 230,632 167.6 349,051 253.6 118,419 32.2
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 37,973 135.3 77,029 274.4 39,056 59.1
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 29,698 179.2 53,209 321.1 23,511 50.8
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 162,961 175.2 218,813 235.3 55,852 21.8
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 Colorado, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Colorado for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 5,002,128
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 13.5
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 17.9
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 68.7
Native Born 4,515,431
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 12.6
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 16.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 70.6
Foreign Born 486,697
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 21.6
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 27.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 50.6
Noncitizen 311,013
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 28.7
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 31.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 39.5
Naturalized Citizen 175,684
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 9.0
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 20.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 70.2
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Colorado Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 1,718,618
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 3.8
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 12.5
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 15.6
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 20.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 22.2
Earned $75,000 or more 23.1
Native Born 1,534,101
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 3.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 11.4
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 15
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 21
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 23.2
Earned $75,000 or more 24
Foreign Born 184,517
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 4.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 21.8
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 20.9
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 16.9
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 13.8
Earned $75,000 or more 15.7
Noncitizen 104,708
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 5.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 8.2
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 28.4
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 23.8
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 13.4
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 9.8
Earned $75,000 or more 10.8
Naturalized Citizen 79,809
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.4
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 4.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 13.3
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 17.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 21.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 19.1
Earned $75,000 or more 22.1
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Colorado, 2011  
Male $50,987
Female $40,236
Native Born  
Male $51,916
Female $40,996
Foreign Born  
Male $35,504
Female $30,374
Noncitizen  
Male $30,534
Female $24,408
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $50,284
Female $36,187
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 9.1
With related children under age 18 14.4
With related children under age 5 only 15.2
Married-couple families 4.7
With related children under age 18 7.2
With related children under age 5 only 6.6
Families with female householder, no husband present 28.0
With related children under age 18 36.5
With related children under age 5 only 44.8
Native-Born Families 7.8
With related children under age 18 12.5
With related children under age 5 only 12.9
Married-couple families 3.5
With related children under age 18 4.9
With related children under age 5 only 4.4
Families with female householder, no husband present 26.1
With related children under age 18 34.3
With related children under age 5 only 42.0
Foreign-Born Families 19.6
With related children under age 18 25.0
With related children under age 5 only 31.9
Married-couple families 14.0
With related children under age 18 18.1
With related children under age 5 only 22.3
Families with female householder, no husband present 43.2
With related children under age 18 52.1
With related children under age 5 only 65.9
Noncitizen 30.0
With related children under age 18 34.6
With related children under age 5 only 40.3
Married-couple families 23.0
With related children under age 18 26.3
With related children under age 5 only 27.4
Families with female householder, no husband present 56.5
With related children under age 18 63.2
With related children under age 5 only 72.1
Naturalized Citizen 6.4
With related children under age 18 8.3
With related children under age 5 only 10.9
Married-couple families 4.1
With related children under age 18 5.7
With related children under age 5 only 11.2
Families with female householder, no husband present 20.4
With related children under age 18 25.8
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 Colorado, 2011  
Male $35,504
Female $30,374
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $27,467
Female $26,028
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $34,633
Female $28,163
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $45,648
Female $34,988
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 105,555
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 12.5
Born in Europe 66,901
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 271,339
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 28.1
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 Colorado by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Colorado for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 4,665,276 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 601,597 12.9
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 4,063,679 87.1
Speaks Only English 3,883,882 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 434,223 11.2
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 3,449,659 88.8
Speaks Spanish 545,905 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 136,265 25.0
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 409,640 75.0
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 109,907 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 10,690 9.7
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 99,217 90.3
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 91,144 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11,125 12.2
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 80,019 87.8
Speaks Other Languages 34,438 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 9,294 27.0
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 25,144 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: