What does this measure?

The number of children under 18 living below the federally defined poverty line, expressed as a percentage of all children under 18. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2008, the threshold for a four-person family with two children was $21,834.

Why is this important?

Children raised in impoverished environments are at higher risk for a wide variety of health and social problems, including poor performance in school. The challenges they face in childhood can diminish their chances for successful adult lives.

How is our region performing?

In 2006-08, about 17% of children in the region were living in poverty, an increase of 3 points since 2000, yet slightly below state and national figures. Child poverty is concentrated in the City of Rochester, where 42% of children were living in poverty in 2006-08. In the counties surrounding Monroe, the child poverty rate was 16%, up 5 points since 2000. Every county in the region experienced an increase in the proportion of children living in poverty, except for Orleans which remained flat at 16%.

Notes about the data

The 2006-08 figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined three years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Poverty status is not reported for people in institutions, including college dormitories and military barracks, and people in living situations without conventional housing.