Why Does the County with the Highest Median Household Income
and Lowest Poverty Rate in Indiana Need Food &/or Non-Food Pantries?
Poverty rate: the number of people in a given location or demographic group,
expressed as a percentage of the total population, whose income falls below the applicable threshold set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and adjusted by the U.S. Census Bureau to represent the minimum income required to meet a person or family’s basic food and shelter needs
without regard for geographic cost-of-living variations.
40 hours a week x $7.25 minimum wage
= $15,080
Barely enough for 1 adult.
NOT enough for an adult with just 1 child.
362,047 - 2022 Hamilton Cty Population
x 4.39% - 2022 Hamilton Cty Poverty Rate
= 15,854 - People ( to demographics chart)
But more than enough for 2 adults earning minimum wage + 2 children.
Or is it?
Living wage thresholds are set by analysts to represent the minimum income required to meet a person or family’s basic food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and cleaning needs as well as childcare, health care/ insurance, transportation, and tax expenses based on geographically specific cost-of-living data.
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Cost-of-living indices are based on a US average of 100.
Higher income areas tend to have higher costs of living.
Hamilton County ranks 1st out of Indiana's 92 counties in Income per household,
and 35th out of all 3,143 counties in the US.
Hamilton County also ranks 1st in Indiana in median home value and
2nd in highest average Fair Market Rent.
And at 106 the overall cost of living in Hamilton County, IN
is 6% higher than the US average.
