2017 State Report for County-Level Data: Poverty

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the following individuals who have contributed to the success of this effort: Deb Brucker, Erin Dame, Adam Lavoie, Kate Filanoski, Karen Volle, and Anna Brennan-Curry.

Funding for this publication is made possible by:

The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC), funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), grant number 90RTGE0001-01-00; and the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Policy and Measurement (EPM-RRTC), also funded by NIDILRR, grant number 90RT5037-03-00. The information developed by the StatsRRTC and EPM-RRTC does not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government (Edgar, 75.620 (b)).

The StatsRRTC and EPM-RRTC are part of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. The Institute on Disability/UCED (IOD) was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of people with disabilities and their families and is New Hampshire’s University Center for Excellence in Disability (UCED). Located within the University of New Hampshire, the IOD is a federally designated center authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Act. Through innovative and interdisciplinary research, academic, service, and dissemination initiatives, the IOD builds local, state, and national capacities to respond to the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.

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2017 Tennessee Report for County-Level Data: Poverty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on

Disability Statistics and Demographics

A NIDILRR-Funded Center

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Introduction

The State Reports for County-Level Data on Poverty are designed to provide the users of disability statistics with the number and percentage in poverty for civilians with disabilities, ages 18 to 64 years and living in the community, for any given state and county in the United States (U.S.). This report is intended to be an online complement to Section 3: Poverty of the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and Annual Disability Statistics Supplement, providing greater detail within each state. The State Reports for County-Level Data on Poverty can be used to compare county-level statistics between counties in any given state or states. The following report provides county-level statistics for Tennessee.

The proportion of the civilian non-institutionalized population with disabilities in poverty, also called the poverty rate, presented in the State Reports for County-Level Data is a useful tool for advocates, researchers, and policy-makers to plan and provide services and supports for people with disabilities experiencing poverty. In this report, poverty of people with disabilities is presented as the number of civilians with disabilities, ages 18 to 64 years and living in the community, in a given state and county per total state and county populations, respectively. Counts and percentages (the poverty rate) are provided in tables and maps.

The data for this report come from the American Community Survey 5-year data. The American Community Survey (ACS) is a national survey developed by the U.S. Census Bureau to provide information on a number of topics about social, economic, and demographic characteristics of the U.S. population. ACS 5-year data is collected over a longer period of time than 1-year data, providing larger sample sizes and increased reliability for less populated areas and small population subgroups. All of the statistics in this report use the ACS 5-year data which includes data from 2017, the year of the report, and data from the four previous years. In the ACS, people are identified as having a disability based on responses to a series of six questions asking about having difficulties with vision, hearing, ambulation, cognition, self-care, and independent living (see glossary for further details). 

Poverty is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and set as a dollar threshold by the U.S. Census Bureau (see the glossary for further details).

 

Specific to Tennessee, the state chosen for this report, sentences providing interpretation and context for poverty statistics are included on the following page. A short glossary of terms is also provided at the end of the report explaining the statistics that are illustrated in each sentence.

Additional Resources. The Annual Disability Statistics Compendium and its complement, the Annual Disability Statistics Supplement, are summaries of statistics about people with disabilities, available both in hard copy and online at https://www.disabilitycompendium.org

Help navigating any of the resources described here can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section at https://www.disabilitycompendium.org/faq. Assistance interpreting and locating additional statistics is available via our toll-free number, 866.538.9521, or by email, disability.statistics@unh.edu. For more information about our research projects, please visit https://www.researchondisability.org.

Suggested Citation. Boege, S.L., Lauer, E.A., & Houtenville, A.J., 2019. 2017 State Report for Tennessee County-Level Data: Poverty. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability.

Interpretation

The following statements are designed to help understand the 2017 county-level poverty statistics from Tennessee that are presented:

 

  • For people with disabilities: 

    • The poverty rate for people with disabilities in Tennessee was 30.1%.
    • The range, also known as the difference between largest and smallest values, of poverty rates for people with disabilities across Tennessee counties was 41.0%.
      • The county with the greatest poverty rate for people with disabilities was Perry (50.3%).
      • The county with the smallest poverty rate for people with disabilities was Moore (9.3%).
    • The median, also known as the middle-most, poverty rate for people with disabilities across all counties in Tennessee was 32.2%.

 

  • For people without disabilities: 
    • The poverty rate for people without disabilities in Tennessee was 13.4%.
    • The range, also known as the difference between largest and smallest values, of poverty rates for people without disabilities across Tennessee counties was 19.6%.
      • The county with the greatest poverty rate for people without disabilities was Clay and Grundy (23.7%).
      • The county with the smallest poverty rate for people without disabilities was Williamson (4.1%).
    • The median, also known as the middle-most, poverty rate for people without disabilities across all counties in Tennessee was 14.3%.
Civilians with and without Disabilities in Poverty Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2017
County Disability No Disability   County Disability No Disability
Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2] Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2]
Tennessee  543,438 163,626 30.1 3,418,567 457,518 13.4  Franklin    3,794   1,338 35.3    19,558   2,405 12.3
 Anderson    7,875   2,474 31.4    36,653   4,599 12.5   Gibson     4,235   1,369 32.3    23,811   2,783 11.7
 Bedford     4,198   1,414 33.7    23,516   3,183 13.5   Giles      2,689     943 35.1    14,174   1,874 13.2
  Benton     2,115     690 32.6     7,021   1,428 20.3  Grainger    2,863     947 33.1    10,847   1,599 14.7
 Bledsoe     2,109     959 45.5     6,306     891 14.1   Greene     8,411   2,669 31.7    31,407   4,297 13.7
  Blount     9,246   2,340 25.3    65,975   7,037 10.7   Grundy     1,774     803 45.3     5,822   1,382 23.7
 Bradley     9,870   2,878 29.2    51,391   7,524 14.6  Hamblen     6,318   1,857 29.4    30,754   5,391 17.5
 Campbell    5,348   1,972 36.9    18,292   2,621 14.3  Hamilton   25,063   7,584 30.3   188,619  21,566 11.4
  Cannon     1,445     444 30.7     6,884     893 13.0  Hancock     1,147     382 33.3     2,731     583 21.3
 Carroll     2,968   1,147 38.6    13,139   2,251 17.1  Hardeman    2,322     957 41.2    10,607   1,712 16.1
  Carter     6,195   2,158 34.8    26,928   5,811 21.6   Hardin     2,414     923 38.2    12,373   2,352 19.0
 Cheatham    3,306     825 25.0    21,556   2,102  9.8  Hawkins     7,050   2,387 33.9    26,432   3,846 14.6
 Chester       890     341 38.3     8,373   1,443 17.2  Haywood     1,619     598 36.9     8,989   1,203 13.4
Claiborne    3,547   1,232 34.7    15,130   2,898 19.2 Henderson    2,803   1,133 40.4    13,664   2,041 14.9
   Clay        749     290 38.7     3,564     843 23.7   Henry      3,885   1,280 32.9    14,243   2,215 15.6
  Cocke      4,264   1,623 38.1    16,515   3,324 20.1  Hickman     2,875   1,056 36.7    11,018   1,562 14.2
  Coffee     5,414   1,470 27.2    26,026   2,812 10.8  Houston       972     307 31.6     3,653     392 10.7
 Crockett    1,462     462 31.6     6,894     879 12.8 Humphreys    1,987     701 35.3     8,774   1,297 14.8
Cumberland   6,027   1,996 33.1    24,255   3,478 14.3  Jackson     1,384     367 26.5     5,448     925 17.0
 Davidson   45,893  12,912 28.1   392,624  52,093 13.3 Jefferson    5,605   1,526 27.2    24,858   2,728 11.0
  DeKalb     1,810     596 32.9     9,753   1,481 15.2  Johnson     1,918     881 45.9     7,263   1,485 20.4
 Decatur     1,197     362 30.2     5,302     994 18.7    Knox     30,665   9,736 31.7   249,707  35,455 14.2
 Dickson     4,931   1,282 26.0    26,085   3,047 11.7    Lake        743     373 50.2     2,077     395 19.0
   Dyer      4,198   1,537 36.6    17,941   2,321 12.9 Lauderdale   2,946   1,221 41.4    10,719   1,905 17.8
 Fayette     2,821     708 25.1    20,621   2,410 11.7  Lawrence    4,058   1,406 34.6    20,172   2,644 13.1
 Fentress    2,121     682 32.2     8,143   1,792 22.0   Lewis      1,245     478 38.4     5,530     861 15.6
Civilians with and without Disabilities in Poverty Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2017
County Disability No Disability   County Disability No Disability
Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2] Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2]
 Lincoln     3,595   1,220 33.9    16,009   1,973 12.3   Sevier     9,560   2,449 25.6    47,998   6,544 13.6
  Loudon     3,647     878 24.1    24,216   2,713 11.2   Shelby    64,548  20,838 32.3   507,772  79,953 15.7
  Macon      2,807     942 33.6    10,930   1,646 15.1   Smith      1,951     596 30.5     9,554   1,036 10.8
 Madison     8,462   2,707 32.0    48,885   8,186 16.7  Stewart     1,320     411 31.1     6,404     918 14.3
  Marion     3,079     978 31.8    13,643   1,920 14.1  Sullivan   16,517   5,612 34.0    75,351   9,179 12.2
 Marshall    2,869     795 27.7    16,299   1,722 10.6   Sumner    12,240   2,944 24.1    93,972   6,584  7.0
  Maury      7,215   1,659 23.0    45,961   4,624 10.1   Tipton     5,255   1,262 24.0    31,761   3,677 11.6
  McMinn     5,302   1,489 28.1    25,312   4,625 18.3 Trousdale      937     229 24.4     4,571     531 11.6
 McNairy     2,421     977 40.4    12,441   2,396 19.3   Unicoi     2,276     748 32.9     8,102   1,287 15.9
  Meigs      1,354     331 24.4     5,590     771 13.8   Union      1,896     688 36.3     9,675   1,698 17.6
  Monroe     4,464   1,440 32.3    21,981   3,776 17.2 Van Buren      724     228 31.5     2,602     468 18.0
Montgomery  16,668   3,625 21.7    92,494  12,303 13.3   Warren     4,242   1,459 34.4    19,320   3,059 15.8
  Moore        474      44  9.3     3,179     223  7.0 Washington  11,895   3,514 29.5    64,610   9,684 15.0
  Morgan     2,344     850 36.3     8,876   1,637 18.4   Wayne      1,542     436 28.3     7,220   1,092 15.1
  Obion      2,964     936 31.6    14,861   3,001 20.2  Weakley     3,052     955 31.3    16,000   3,042 19.0
 Overton     1,806     562 31.1    10,729   1,744 16.3   White      2,923     867 29.7    12,188   1,709 14.0
  Perry        787     396 50.3     3,721     833 22.4 Williamson   7,295     766 10.5   120,102   4,946  4.1
 Pickett       523     130 24.9     2,277     289 12.7   Wilson     8,486   1,636 19.3    69,317   4,837  7.0
   Polk      1,505     537 35.7     8,356   1,006 12.0                                                       
  Putnam     5,561   1,836 33.0    39,124   8,893 22.7                                                       
   Rhea      4,114   1,697 41.2    14,446   2,190 15.2                                                       
  Roane      5,961   1,775 29.8    24,929   3,241 13.0                                                       
Robertson    5,333     922 17.3    36,229   3,294  9.1                                                       
Rutherford  17,626   3,207 18.2   173,049  18,658 10.8                                                       
  Scott      3,374   1,486 44.0     9,600   1,837 19.1                                                       
Sequatchie   1,740     553 31.8     6,774     720 10.6                                                       
Count of Civilians in Poverty with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2017

Poverty Rate for Civilians with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2017

Discussion

There are a number of concepts and factors which complicate the interpretation of the estimates presented in this report. These concerns affect all statistics from population-based surveys. The estimates included in this document should be interpreted the following limitations in mind and generalized with caution. In each point, a link to the U.S. Census Bureau website describing the limitation or concept in greater detail in the ACS has been provided.

Additional links to resources for the ACS:

Glossary

American Community Survey (ACS) — The American Community Survey is a large, continuous demographic survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that will provide accurate and up-to-date profiles of America’s communities every year. Annual and multiyear estimates of population and housing data are generated for small areas, including tracts and population subgroups. This information is collected by mailing questionnaires to a sample of addresses. See the U.S. Census Bureau website for additional details.

The Six Disability Questions in the American Community Survey:

  1. Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing? (yes or no)
  2. Is this person blind or does he/she have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses? (yes or no)
  3. (If person 5 years old or over) Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions? (yes or no)
  4. (If person 5 years or old over) Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs? (yes or no)
  5. (If person 5 years old or over) Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing? (yes or no)
  6. (If person 15 years old or over) Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping? (yes or no)

Average — The sum of all of the values in a sample divided by the number of values in the sample.

Civilian — A person not in active-duty military.

Living in the Community – A person lives in the community, if the person is not living in an institution, such as jail, prison, nursing home, and hospital. A college dormitory is not considered an institution.

Median — The middle-most value of a sample that separates the upper half of the values from the lower half of the values. 

Non-Institutionalized Population — Describes individuals who are residing in the community and who are not living in institutions such as jails, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.

Population — The total number of inhabitants in a defined geographic area including all races, classes, and groups.

Poverty — The U.S. Office of Management and Budget in Statistical Policy, Directive 14 sets the standards for which poverty is calculated. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of dollar value thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a family’s total income is less than the dollar value of the appropriate threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered to be in poverty.

Poverty Rate — Percent of the population who are determined to be in poverty.

Range — The difference between the largest and smallest values in a sample. In a sample, when the smallest value is subtracted from the largest value the resulting value is called the range. 

Sampling Variability — The variation of a statistic when estimated from repeated samples.

United States Census Bureau — An agency within the United States Federal Statistical System tasked with producing data about the American people and economy. Their primary task is to conduct the United States Census every ten years.

About the Center

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC)

Led by the University of New Hampshire, the StatsRRTC is a collaborative effort involving the following partners: American Association of People with Disabilities, Center for Essential Management Services, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, Kessler Foundation, Mathematica Policy Research, and Public Health Institute.

The StatsRRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research under grant number 90RTGE00010100, from 2018–2023.

Employment Policy and Measurement Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (EPM-RRTC)

Led by the University of New Hampshire, the EPM-RRTC is a collaborative effort involving the following partners: Association of University Centers on Disability, Hunter College, Kessler Foundation, Mathematica Policy Research, and the University of Chicago.

The EPM-RRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research under grant number 90RT503701, from 2015–2020.

Contact Information
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