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OKLAHOMA
Income & Poverty

Other facts sheets for Oklahoma:

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

Rankings
The following shows Oklahoma'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: 27 out of 51
Share of the foreign-born population living in poverty, 2011: 5 out of 51
Numeric change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 25 out of 51
Percent change in the foreign-born population in poverty, 2000 to 2011: 16 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 Oklahoma in 2011, 42.4 percent of foreign-born workers earned less than $25,000 a year and 18.9 percent earned $50,000 or more.
In Oklahoma in 2011, 13.0 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; 53.8 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 14.3 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 18.9 percent earned $50,000 or more. In comparison, 8.7 percent of full-time, year-round, native-born workers earned less than $15,000 a year; 37.2 percent earned between $15,000 and $35,000; 21 percent earned between $35,000 and $50,000; and 33.1 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 $28,972 compared to $24,904 for female immigrant workers.
Among full-time, year-round, foreign-born workers in Oklahoma in 2011, median earnings over the previous 12 months were $24,904 for women and $28,972 for men. The median earnings of noncitizen women were $21,267 and those of noncitizen men were $26,549. In comparison, naturalized-citizen women had median earnings of $29,240 and naturalized-citizen men $34,877. Among full-time, year-round, native-born workers, median earnings during the comparable period were $31,609 for women and $42,306 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 Oklahoma living below the federal poverty threshold changed by 87.9 percent between 2000 and 2011.
Between 2000 and 2011, the foreign-born population living in poverty went from 28,043 to 52,692, representing a change of 87.9 percent. In comparison, the foreign-born population living in poverty changed from 16,074 to 28,043 between 1990 and 2000, a difference of 74.5 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, 25.8 percent of the foreign-born population lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 25.8 percent of Oklahoma's immigrant population lived below the poverty threshold, compared with 22.2 percent in 2000 and 26.0 percent in 1990. Meanwhile, 16.7 percent of the native-born population in Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma, 33.4 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty in 2011, compared to 11.0 percent of naturalized citizens.

Of the foreign-born population in Oklahoma in 2011, 33.4 percent of noncitizens lived in poverty, compared to 11.0 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 Oklahoma, 25.8 percent of all foreign-born families lived below the poverty threshold.
In 2011, 25.8 percent of all families headed by an immigrant had incomes below the poverty threshold. At the same time, 32.6 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 (25.9 versus 60.6 percent).

In comparison, 11.9 percent of all families headed by a native-born person had incomes below the poverty threshold, as did 18.5 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 (7.7 versus 42.8 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 Oklahoma, 27.7 percent of persons who spoke Spanish at home lived in poverty, compared to 16.7 percent of persons who spoke Asian or Pacific Island languages, and 17.6 percent of persons who spoke other Indo-European languages.
Of both native and foreign-born persons in Oklahoma in 2011, 15.5 percent of those who spoke only English lived in poverty, compared to 27.7 percent of those who spoke Spanish at home, 17.6 percent who spoke other Indo-European languages, 16.7 percent who spoke Asian and Pacific Island languages, and 28.3 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 Oklahoma, 1990 to 2011
 

1990

2000

2011

  Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Household Population of Oklahoma for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 3,044,117 100.0 3,347,724 100.0 3,678,924 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 512,735 16.8 498,050 14.9 633,298 17.2
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 343,359 11.3 364,604 10.9 411,784 11.2
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,188,023 71.9 2,485,070 74.2 2,633,842 71.6
Native Born 2,982,238 100.0 3,221,222 100.0 3,474,595 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 496,661 16.7 470,007 14.6 580,606 16.7
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 335,732 11.3 345,490 10.7 382,397 11.0
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 2,149,845 72.1 2,405,725 74.7 2,511,592 72.3
Foreign Born 61,879 100.0 126,502 100.0 204,329 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 16,074 26.0 28,043 22.2 52,692 25.8
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 7,627 12.3 19,114 15.1 29,387 14.4
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 38,178 61.7 79,345 62.7 122,250 59.8
 

Change 1990 to 2000

Change 1990 to 2011

Change 2000 to 2011

  Numeric Percent Numeric Percent Numeric Percent
Household Population of Oklahoma for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 303,607 10.0 634,807 20.9 331,200 9.9
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -14,685 -2.9 120,563 23.5 135,248 27.2
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 21,245 6.2 68,425 19.9 47,180 12.9
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 297,047 13.6 445,819 20.4 148,772 6.0
Native Born 238,984 8.0 492,357 16.5 253,373 7.9
Below 100 percent of the poverty level -26,654 -5.4 83,945 16.9 110,599 23.5
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 9,758 2.9 46,665 13.9 36,907 10.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 255,880 11.9 361,747 16.8 105,867 4.4
Foreign Born 64,623 104.4 142,450 230.2 77,827 61.5
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11,969 74.5 36,618 227.8 24,649 87.9
100 to 149 percent of the poverty level 11,487 150.6 21,760 285.3 10,273 53.7
At or above 150 percent of the poverty level 41,167 107.8 84,072 220.2 42,905 54.1
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 Oklahoma, 2011
POVERTY STATUS BY CITIZENSHIP
Household Population of Oklahoma for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined 3,678,924
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 17.2
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 22.0
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 60.8
Native Born 3,474,595
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 16.7
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 21.7
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 61.6
Foreign Born 204,329
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 25.8
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 27.4
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 46.8
Noncitizen 134,505
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 33.4
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 30.4
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 36.2
Naturalized Citizen 69,824
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11.0
100 to 199 percent of the poverty level 21.8
At or above 200 percent of the poverty level 67.2
EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Oklahoma Age 16 And Older with Earnings, 2011 1,220,017
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.8
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.2
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 19.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 19.2
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 20.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 18.6
Earned $75,000 or more 13.5
Native Born 1,134,231
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.8
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 5.9
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 18.4
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 18.8
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 21
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 19.2
Earned $75,000 or more 13.9
Foreign Born 85,786
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.9
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 10.1
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 29.4
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 24.4
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 14.3
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 11.4
Earned $75,000 or more 7.5
Noncitizen 50,219
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 3.2
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 12.7
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 33.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 25.8
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 11.3
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 8.9
Earned $75,000 or more 4.9
Naturalized Citizen 35,567
Earned $1 to $9,999, or loss 2.5
Earned $10,000 to $14,999 6.4
Earned $15,000 to $24,999 24.2
Earned $25,000 to $34,999 22.3
Earned $35,000 to $49,999 18.6
Earned $50,000 to $74,999 14.9
Earned $75,000 or more 11.2
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round Workers in Oklahoma, 2011  
Male $41,420
Female $31,274
Native Born  
Male $42,306
Female $31,609
Foreign Born  
Male $28,972
Female $24,904
Noncitizen  
Male $26,549
Female $21,267
Naturalized Citizen  
Male $34,877
Female $29,240
SHARE OF FAMILIES IN POVERTY BY CITIZENSHIP AND FAMILY TYPE
All Families (Among Those for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined) 12.8
With related children under age 18 19.7
With related children under age 5 only 23.2
Married-couple families 6.5
With related children under age 18 9.5
With related children under age 5 only 9.1
Families with female householder, no husband present 36.0
With related children under age 18 43.9
With related children under age 5 only 53.4
Native-Born Families 11.9
With related children under age 18 18.5
With related children under age 5 only 22.3
Married-couple families 5.6
With related children under age 18 7.7
With related children under age 5 only 7.3
Families with female householder, no husband present 35.2
With related children under age 18 42.8
With related children under age 5 only 53.5
Foreign-Born Families 25.8
With related children under age 18 32.6
With related children under age 5 only 35.0
Married-couple families 21.5
With related children under age 18 25.9
With related children under age 5 only 31.0
Families with female householder, no husband present 48.8
With related children under age 18 60.6
With related children under age 5 only 51.7
Noncitizen 36.0
With related children under age 18 41.6
With related children under age 5 only 38.8
Married-couple families 31.9
With related children under age 18 35.2
With related children under age 5 only 36.1
Families with female householder, no husband present 63.1
With related children under age 18 69.6
With related children under age 5 only 52.1
Naturalized Citizen 11.6
With related children under age 18 15.3
With related children under age 5 only 24.4
Married-couple families 7.8
With related children under age 18 8.8
With related children under age 5 only 18.5
Families with female householder, no husband present 29.6
With related children under age 18 42.6
With related children under 5 age only 50.5
MEDIAN EARNINGS IN LAST 12 MONTHS BY PERIOD OF ENTRY
(IN 2011 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Full-Time, Year-Round, Foreign-Born Workers in Oklahoma, 2011  
Male $28,972
Female $24,904
Entered the United States in 2000 or Later  
Male $24,777
Female $19,684
Entered the United States between 1990 and 1999  
Male $29,814
Female $23,882
Entered the United States before 1990  
Male $34,010
Female $30,104
FOREIGN BORN IN POVERTY BY WORLD REGION OF BIRTH
Born in Africa N
Below 100 percent of the poverty level N
Born in Asia 49,545
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 15.9
Born in Europe 15,523
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 11.7
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 120,306
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 29.3
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 Oklahoma by Language Spoken at Home, 2011
 
Number
Percent
Household Population of Oklahoma for Whom Poverty Status Is Determined, Age 5 and Older 3,419,927 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 561,479 16.4
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 2,858,448 83.6
Speaks Only English 3,100,352 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 481,179 15.5
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 2,619,173 84.5
Speaks Spanish 217,057 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 60,218 27.7
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 156,839 72.3
Speaks Other Indo-European Languages 31,068 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 5,482 17.6
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 25,586 82.4
Speaks Asian or Pacific Island Languages 48,549 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 8,126 16.7
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 40,423 83.3
Speaks Other Languages 22,901 100.0
Below 100 percent of the poverty level 6,474 28.3
At or above 100 percent of the poverty level 16,427 71.7
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: