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NEVADA
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Nevada:

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

Rankings
The following shows Nevada'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: 16 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 37 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 14 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 13 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 Nevada in 2011, 35.5 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 20.3 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Nevada in 2011, 8.8 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; 56.1 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 14.8 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 20.3 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 5.4 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 31.1 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 22.5 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 41.1 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 $30,515 compared to $28,798 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Nevada in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $28,798 for women and $30,515 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $23,890 and those of noncitizen men were $26,768. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $32,353 and naturalized-citizen men $34,250. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $38,679 for women and $47,838 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 Nevada living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 99.5 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 47,119 to 94,018, representing a change of 99.5 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 16,099 to 47,119 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 192.7 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, 18.1 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 18.1 percent of Nevada's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 14.9 percent in 2000 and 15.7 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 15.4 percent of the native-born population in Nevada 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 Nevada, 23.4 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 10.6 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Nevada in 2011, 23.4 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 10.6 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 Nevada, 17.6 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 17.6 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 22.5 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 (17.9 versus 34.0 percent).

In comparison, 10.0 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 15.6 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 (8.3 versus 31.4 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 Nevada, 23.8 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 12.7 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 13.5 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Nevada in 2011, 13.0 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 23.8 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 13.5 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 12.7 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 23.1 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 Nevada, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Nevada for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 1,171,696 100.0 1,973,893 100.0 2,684,536 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 121,807 10.4 207,431 10.5 426,741 15.9
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 90,031 7.7 162,460 8.2 293,202 10.9
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 959,858 81.9 1,604,002 81.3 1,964,593 73.2
Native Born 1,068,838 100.0 1,658,070 100.0 2,166,529 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 105,708 9.9 160,312 9.7 332,723 15.4
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 78,858 7.4 124,722 7.5 217,217 10.0
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 884,272 82.7 1,373,036 82.8 1,616,589 74.6
Foreign Born 102,858 100.0 315,823 100.0 518,007 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 16,099 15.7 47,119 14.9 94,018 18.1
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 11,173 10.9 37,738 11.9 75,985 14.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 75,586 73.5 230,966 73.1 348,004 67.2
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Nevada for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 802,197 68.5 1,512,840 129.1 710,643 36.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 85,624 70.3 304,934 250.3 219,310 105.7
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 72,429 80.4 203,171 225.7 130,742 80.5
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 644,144 67.1 1,004,735 104.7 360,591 22.5
Native Born 589,232 55.1 1,097,691 102.7 508,459 30.7
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 54,604 51.7 227,015 214.8 172,411 107.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 45,864 58.2 138,359 175.5 92,495 74.2
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 488,764 55.3 732,317 82.8 243,553 17.7
Foreign Born 212,965 207.0 415,149 403.6 202,184 64.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 31,020 192.7 77,919 484.0 46,899 99.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 26,565 237.8 64,812 580.1 38,247 101.3
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 155,380 205.6 272,418 360.4 117,038 50.7
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 Nevada, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Nevada for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 2,684,536
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 15.9
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 21.7
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 62.4
Native Born 2,166,529
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 15.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 20.3
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 64.4
Foreign Born 518,007
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 18.1
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 27.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 54.1
Noncitizen 305,101
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 23.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 33.4
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 43.2
Naturalized Citizen 212,906
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 10.6
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 19.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 69.6
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Nevada Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 842,063
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.7
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 4.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 16.9
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 20.5
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 20.5
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 19.1
Earned $75,000 or more 16.7
Native Born 627,787
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 3.9
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 13.6
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 17.5
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 22.5
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 21.8
Earned $75,000 or more 19.3
Foreign Born 214,276
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 26.7
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 29.4
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 14.8
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 11.2
Earned $75,000 or more 9.1
Noncitizen 113,397
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 3
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 7.6
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 35.3
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 29.5
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 11.4
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 7.2
Earned $75,000 or more 6.1
Naturalized Citizen 100,879
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 1.3
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 5.5
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 17.1
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 29.4
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 18.5
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 15.8
Earned $75,000 or more 12.4
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Nevada, 2011  
Male $41,803
Female $35,484
Native Born  
Male $47,838
Female $38,679
Foreign Born  
Male $30,515
Female $28,798
Noncitizen  
Male $26,768
Female $23,890
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $34,250
Female $32,353
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 11.9
With related children under age 18 17.8
With related children under age 5 only 16.1
Married-couple families 7.6
With related children under age 18 11.6
With related children under age 5 only 5.9
Families with female householder, no husband present 25.9
With related children under age 18 32.1
With related children under age 5 only 34.7
Native-Born Families 10.0
With related children under age 18 15.6
With related children under age 5 only 17.4
Married-couple families 5.7
With related children under age 18 8.3
With related children under age 5 only 6.2
Families with female householder, no husband present 25.3
With related children under age 18 31.4
With related children under age 5 only 37.4
Foreign-Born Families 17.6
With related children under age 18 22.5
With related children under age 5 only 12.5
Married-couple families 13.7
With related children under age 18 17.9
With related children under age 5 only 5.2
Families with female householder, no husband present 28.0
With related children under age 18 34.0
With related children under age 5 only 21.4
Noncitizen 25.4
With related children under age 18 30.3
With related children under age 5 only 18.0
Married-couple families 19.3
With related children under age 18 24.2
With related children under age 5 only 6.5
Families with female householder, no husband present 44.7
With related children under age 18 46.8
With related children under age 5 only 25.4
Naturalized Citizen 10.1
With related children under age 18 12.5
With related children under age 5 only 6.8
Married-couple families 8.8
With related children under age 18 10.5
With related children under age 5 only N
Families with female householder, no husband present 13.9
With related children under age 18 19.4
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 Nevada, 2011  
Male $30,515
Female $28,798
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $26,649
Female $25,398
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $30,611
Female $28,947
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $31,670
Female $31,016
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 146,311
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11.9
Born in Europe 43,697
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 9.1
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 304,911
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 22.7
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 Nevada by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Nevada for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 2,501,541 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 384,250 15.4
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 2,117,291 84.6
Speaks Only English 1,754,561 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 228,603 13.0
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 1,525,958 87.0
Speaks Spanish 523,235 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 124,510 23.8
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 398,725 76.2
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 64,424 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 8,707 13.5
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 55,717 86.5
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 138,263 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 17,574 12.7
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 120,689 87.3
Speaks Other Languages 21,058 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 4,856 23.1
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 16,202 76.9
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: