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LOUISIANA
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Louisiana:

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

Rankings
The following shows Louisiana'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: 32 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 25 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 35 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 27 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 Louisiana in 2011, 35.2 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 29.6 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Louisiana in 2011, 12.4 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; 38.7 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 19.2 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 29.6 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 9.3 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 34.1 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 20.5 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 36.1 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 $35,658 compared to $30,382 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Louisiana in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $30,382 for women and $35,658 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $21,858 and those of noncitizen men were $30,242. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $36,224 and naturalized-citizen men $41,964. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $31,876 for women and $47,064 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 Louisiana living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 68.0 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 21,228 to 35,655, representing a change of 68.0 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 18,270 to 21,228 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 16.2 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, 21.3 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 21.3 percent of Louisiana's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 18.2 percent in 2000 and 22.1 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 20.4 percent of the native-born population in Louisiana 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 Louisiana, 27.1 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 12.9 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Louisiana in 2011, 27.1 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 12.9 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 Louisiana, 16.9 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 16.9 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 21.9 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 (13.7 versus 50.7 percent).

In comparison, 16.1 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 24.4 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 (7.1 versus 50.2 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 Louisiana, 21.8 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 18.8 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 15.7 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Louisiana in 2011, 19.6 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 21.8 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 15.7 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 18.8 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 36.0 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 Louisiana, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Louisiana for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 4,083,282 100.0 4,348,408 100.0 4,445,400 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 966,741 23.7 855,275 19.7 908,375 20.4
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 466,101 11.4 464,255 10.7 492,501 11.1
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,650,440 64.9 3,028,878 69.7 3,044,524 68.5
Native Born 4,000,578 100.0 4,231,610 100.0 4,277,818 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 948,471 23.7 834,047 19.7 872,720 20.4
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 455,631 11.4 451,061 10.7 467,966 10.9
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,596,476 64.9 2,946,502 69.6 2,937,132 68.7
Foreign Born 82,704 100.0 116,798 100.0 167,582 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 18,270 22.1 21,228 18.2 35,655 21.3
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 10,470 12.7 13,194 11.3 24,535 14.6
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 53,964 65.2 82,376 70.5 107,392 64.1
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Louisiana for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 265,126 6.5 362,118 8.9 96,992 2.2
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -111,466 -11.5 -58,366 -6.0 53,100 6.2
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level -1,846 -0.4 26,400 5.7 28,246 6.1
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 378,438 14.3 394,084 14.9 15,646 0.5
Native Born 231,032 5.8 277,240 6.9 46,208 1.1
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -114,424 -12.1 -75,751 -8.0 38,673 4.6
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level -4,570 -1.0 12,335 2.7 16,905 3.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 350,026 13.5 340,656 13.1 -9,370 -0.3
Foreign Born 34,094 41.2 84,878 102.6 50,784 43.5
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 2,958 16.2 17,385 95.2 14,427 68.0
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 2,724 26.0 14,065 134.3 11,341 86.0
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 28,412 52.6 53,428 99.0 25,016 30.4
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 Louisiana, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Louisiana for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 4,445,400
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 20.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 20.4
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 59.2
Native Born 4,277,818
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 20.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 20.2
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 59.4
Foreign Born 167,582
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 21.3
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 24.9
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 53.9
Noncitizen 99,272
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 27.1
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 29.5
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 43.4
Naturalized Citizen 68,310
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 12.9
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 18.1
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 69.0
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Louisiana Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 1,415,315
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.9
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 17.3
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 17.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 20.4
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 20.1
Earned $75,000 or more 15.7
Native Born 1,345,207
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.8
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 17
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 17.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 20.5
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 20.3
Earned $75,000 or more 15.8
Foreign Born 70,108
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 3.7
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 8.7
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 22.8
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 15.9
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 19.2
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 17.1
Earned $75,000 or more 12.5
Noncitizen 39,556
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 5.3
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 11.4
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 27.6
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 15.8
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 17
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 14.3
Earned $75,000 or more 8.5
Naturalized Citizen 30,552
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.6
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 5.1
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 16.7
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 16.1
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 22.1
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 20.8
Earned $75,000 or more 17.7
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Louisiana, 2011  
Male $46,313
Female $31,844
Native Born  
Male $47,064
Female $31,876
Foreign Born  
Male $35,658
Female $30,382
Noncitizen  
Male $30,242
Female $21,858
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $41,964
Female $36,224
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 16.1
With related children under age 18 24.3
With related children under age 5 only 26.4
Married-couple families 6.2
With related children under age 18 7.5
With related children under age 5 only 7.5
Families with female householder, no husband present 40.2
With related children under age 18 50.3
With related children under age 5 only 55.5
Native-Born Families 16.1
With related children under age 18 24.4
With related children under age 5 only 26.4
Married-couple families 6.0
With related children under age 18 7.1
With related children under age 5 only 6.6
Families with female householder, no husband present 40.2
With related children under age 18 50.2
With related children under age 5 only 55.4
Foreign-Born Families 16.9
With related children under age 18 21.9
With related children under age 5 only 25.4
Married-couple families 11.1
With related children under age 18 13.7
With related children under age 5 only 20.1
Families with female householder, no husband present 40.8
With related children under age 18 50.7
With related children under age 5 only 57.2
Noncitizen 22.7
With related children under age 18 28.7
With related children under age 5 only 32.3
Married-couple families 14.9
With related children under age 18 17.9
With related children under age 5 only 33.9
Families with female householder, no husband present 62.2
With related children under age 18 65.4
With related children under age 5 only 59.9
Naturalized Citizen 11.5
With related children under age 18 13.6
With related children under age 5 only 16.0
Married-couple families 7.7
With related children under age 18 9.1
With related children under age 5 only N
Families with female householder, no husband present 22.8
With related children under age 18 28.8
With related children under 5 age only 54.5
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS BY PERIOD OF ENTRY
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round, Foreign-Born Workers in Louisiana, 2011  
Male $35,658
Female $30,382
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $26,433
Female $21,577
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $43,703
Female $34,460
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $42,618
Female $35,824
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 54,002
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 16.6
Born in Europe 15,753
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 12.7
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 87,207
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 20.4
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 Louisiana by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Louisiana for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 4,137,176 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 809,094 19.6
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 3,328,082 80.4
Speaks Only English 3,777,338 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 739,825 19.6
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 3,037,513 80.4
Speaks Spanish 151,122 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 32,988 21.8
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 118,134 78.2
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 147,320 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 23,167 15.7
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 124,153 84.3
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 52,314 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 9,845 18.8
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 42,469 81.2
Speaks Other Languages 9,082 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 3,269 36.0
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 5,813 64.0
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: