The percentage of people in poverty in various racial and ethnic groups is a measure of the overall economic health of these groups and may reflect disparities in access to economic opportunity. It also indicates the level of need for social and government supports.

Poverty rates were highest in Westchester County in 2016-20 among African American and Hispanic populations, at 15% and 13% respectively, compared to Asian residents and white populations, both at 6%. Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty in Westchester were similar to the state and nation. Although Westchester's poverty levels were lower for all groups, rates for African Americans and Hispanics were about twice the level as for whites and Asians, just as in the state and nation.

Poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanics in Westchester declined by 3 and 7 percentage points respectively, from 2000 to 2016-20. Rates for Asian and whites remained flat.

Among comparison counties, Westchester had the highest poverty rate among African Americans and the second highest rate among Hispanics behind Rockland at 17%. In Putnam County and in most municipalities within the county, the populations of African Americans and Hispanics were generally too small for reliable estimates of the poverty rate.

These large and persistent disparities in poverty rates are the result of historic and current policies and practices that disadvantaged people of color. Research has connected slavery and the inability of black Americans (even after emancipation) to fully participate in economic life to the wealth and income gaps still present today. In addition, these differences are attributed to the complex interplay of conditions including gender, occupation, family structure, education, employment status, wages, incarceration, unemployment and discrimination. African American workers across industries tend to earn lower wages than their white and Asian American peers. While education, especially the absence of a high school diploma, increases the likelihood of poverty, education credentials do not eliminate racial disparities. African Americans experience unemployment at twice the rate of whites regardless of education level. Also, the disproportionate and systemic incarceration of Black and Latinx males decreases job prospects and increases the likelihood of poverty.

The multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval).

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.