2019 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, Ferris Al Kurabi, Kate Filanoski, Kim Phillips, Karen Volle, Romy Eberle and Toni Sumner-Beebe.

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; and the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Policy and Measurement (EPM-RRTC), also funded by NIDILRR, grant number 90RT5037. 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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2019 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 the year of this 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. Paul, S., Rafal, M., & Houtenville, A. (2020). 2019 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 2019 county-level poverty statistics from Tennessee that are presented:

 

  • For people with disabilities: 

    • The poverty rate for people with disabilities in Tennessee was 28.6%.
    • The range, also known as the difference between largest and smallest values, of poverty rates for people with disabilities across Tennessee counties was 34.4%.
      • The county with the greatest poverty rate for people with disabilities was Lake (47.5%).
      • The county with the smallest poverty rate for people with disabilities was Williamson (13.1%).
    • The median, also known as the middle-most, poverty rate for people with disabilities across all counties in Tennessee was 30.9%.

 

  • For people without disabilities: 
    • The poverty rate for people without disabilities in Tennessee was 12.1%.
    • The range, also known as the difference between largest and smallest values, of poverty rates for people without disabilities across Tennessee counties was 23.8%.
      • The county with the greatest poverty rate for people without disabilities was Hancock (27.7%).
      • The county with the smallest poverty rate for people without disabilities was Williamson (3.9%).
    • The median, also known as the middle-most, poverty rate for people without disabilities across all counties in Tennessee was 13.3%.
Civilians with and without Disabilities in Poverty Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2019
County Disability No Disability   County Disability No Disability
Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2] Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2]
Tennessee  537,761 153,910 28.6 3,462,376 420,441 12.1  Franklin    4,122   1,378 33.4    19,243   2,139 11.1
 Anderson    7,996   2,977 37.2    36,230   4,513 12.5   Gibson     4,586   1,419 30.9    23,475   2,668 11.4
 Bedford     4,089   1,050 25.7    24,407   2,996 12.3   Giles      2,455     779 31.7    14,355   1,733 12.1
  Benton     2,147     615 28.6     6,911   1,250 18.1  Grainger    3,042   1,027 33.8    10,694   1,490 13.9
 Bledsoe     2,068     821 39.7     6,173   1,053 17.1   Greene     8,368   2,542 30.4    31,137   3,911 12.6
  Blount     8,664   2,064 23.8    67,225   6,193  9.2   Grundy     1,708     670 39.2     5,948     992 16.7
 Bradley     9,779   3,114 31.8    52,151   6,419 12.3  Hamblen     6,115   1,634 26.7    31,098   4,989 16.0
 Campbell    5,721   2,209 38.6    17,509   2,562 14.6  Hamilton   25,742   7,197 28.0   189,594  19,297 10.2
  Cannon     1,340     353 26.3     7,138     784 11.0  Hancock     1,109     403 36.3     2,596     718 27.7
 Carroll     3,329   1,175 35.3    12,516   1,826 14.6  Hardeman    2,367     894 37.8    10,089   1,352 13.4
  Carter     5,982   2,194 36.7    26,864   4,909 18.3   Hardin     2,166     880 40.6    12,378   2,155 17.4
 Cheatham    3,154     618 19.6    22,051   2,198 10.0  Hawkins     6,923   2,322 33.5    26,209   3,518 13.4
 Chester       941     258 27.4     8,277   1,080 13.0  Haywood     1,847     629 34.1     8,475   1,098 13.0
Claiborne    3,715   1,299 35.0    14,864   2,694 18.1 Henderson    2,956     991 33.5    13,388   2,111 15.8
   Clay        659     264 40.1     3,596     855 23.8   Henry      3,733   1,198 32.1    14,246   2,256 15.8
  Cocke      4,325   1,612 37.3    16,329   3,053 18.7  Hickman     2,935   1,029 35.1    10,917   1,392 12.8
  Coffee     5,039   1,456 28.9    26,969   2,569  9.5  Houston       725     191 26.3     3,905     480 12.3
 Crockett    1,389     418 30.1     6,838     943 13.8 Humphreys    2,095     601 28.7     8,800   1,082 12.3
Cumberland   5,610   1,435 25.6    24,895   3,064 12.3  Jackson     1,412     346 24.5     5,468     793 14.5
 Davidson   43,860  11,607 26.5   398,971  46,439 11.6 Jefferson    5,438   1,196 22.0    25,548   2,990 11.7
  DeKalb     1,887     715 37.9     9,890   1,287 13.0  Johnson     1,786     775 43.4     7,225   1,452 20.1
 Decatur       895     262 29.3     5,471     783 14.3    Knox     27,298   7,485 27.4   256,378  34,628 13.5
 Dickson     4,859   1,477 30.4    26,993   2,716 10.1    Lake        687     326 47.5     1,979     462 23.3
   Dyer      4,165   1,684 40.4    17,557   2,509 14.3 Lauderdale   2,702     982 36.3    10,659   1,711 16.1
 Fayette     3,105     660 21.3    20,599   2,397 11.6  Lawrence    4,334   1,449 33.4    20,208   2,400 11.9
 Fentress    2,164     721 33.3     8,298   1,509 18.2   Lewis      1,207     433 35.9     5,624     657 11.7
Civilians with and without Disabilities in Poverty Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2019
County Disability No Disability   County Disability No Disability
Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2] Total Count % [1] Total Count % [2]
 Lincoln     3,138     939 29.9    16,629   2,033 12.2   Sevier     9,483   1,974 20.8    48,295   5,699 11.8
  Loudon     3,103     910 29.3    25,220   2,210  8.8   Shelby    60,838  18,743 30.8   504,055  73,840 14.6
  Macon      2,857   1,026 35.9    11,226   1,565 13.9   Smith      1,820     626 34.4     9,998   1,372 13.7
 Madison     7,412   2,263 30.5    49,094   7,119 14.5  Stewart     1,406     383 27.2     6,404     636  9.9
  Marion     3,610   1,195 33.1    13,137   1,476 11.2  Sullivan   16,795   5,453 32.5    74,439   8,440 11.3
 Marshall    3,026     888 29.3    16,735   1,824 10.9   Sumner    13,493   2,533 18.8    96,800   6,736  7.0
  Maury      6,423   1,513 23.6    49,139   3,792  7.7   Tipton     5,412   1,184 21.9    31,474   2,995  9.5
  McMinn     5,823   1,661 28.5    24,857   4,286 17.2 Trousdale      804     152 18.9     5,249     563 10.7
 McNairy     2,560     917 35.8    12,129   1,778 14.7   Unicoi     1,953     828 42.4     8,530   1,131 13.3
  Meigs      1,212     426 35.1     5,701     755 13.2   Union      1,926     822 42.7     9,660   1,600 16.6
  Monroe     5,277   1,637 31.0    20,985   3,020 14.4 Van Buren      771     252 32.7     2,543     352 13.8
Montgomery  17,831   3,599 20.2    95,571  11,709 12.3   Warren     4,544   1,440 31.7    19,194   2,958 15.4
  Moore        476      72 15.1     3,245     223  6.9 Washington  11,858   3,509 29.6    64,825   8,846 13.6
  Morgan     2,176     847 38.9     8,720   1,607 18.4   Wayne      1,634     519 31.8     7,095     871 12.3
  Obion      3,596   1,069 29.7    13,841   2,495 18.0  Weakley     3,258   1,101 33.8    15,560   2,746 17.6
 Overton     1,596     441 27.6    11,011   1,564 14.2   White      2,365     653 27.6    12,821   1,662 13.0
  Perry        836     337 40.3     3,674     806 21.9 Williamson   7,363     961 13.1   127,392   5,003  3.9
 Pickett       661     157 23.8     2,101     326 15.5   Wilson     9,441   1,893 20.1    72,617   3,873  5.3
   Polk      1,197     404 33.8     8,670   1,029 11.9                                                       
  Putnam     5,749   1,746 30.4    40,036   7,693 19.2                                                       
   Rhea      3,959   1,178 29.8    14,660   2,185 14.9                                                       
  Roane      5,076   1,273 25.1    25,925   2,927 11.3                                                       
Robertson    5,600     980 17.5    36,774   3,299  9.0                                                       
Rutherford  19,214   3,557 18.5   181,921  18,007  9.9                                                       
  Scott      3,451   1,329 38.5     9,379   1,428 15.2                                                       
Sequatchie   1,998     686 34.3     6,687     887 13.3                                                       
Count of Civilians in Poverty with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2019

Poverty Rate for Civilians with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for Tennessee, by County: 2019

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 90RTGE0001, 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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