Economic Security
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The proportion of people in various racial and ethnic groups with incomes below the poverty line. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2022, the threshold for a four-person family with two children was $29,678.

Why is this important?

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.

How is Westchester County performing?

Poverty rates were highest in Westchester County in 2018-22 among African American and Hispanic populations, at 16% and 13%, respectively, compared to Asian residents and White populations, at 6% and 5%, respectively. 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 to three times the level as for Whites and Asians, often just higher than the state and nation.

Poverty rates have modestly improved over time: while poverty rates for African Americans, Asian and Whites in Westchester declined by 1 percentage point from 2008-12 to 2018-22, rates among Hispanics declined by 6 percentage points over the same period.

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.

Why do these disparities exist?

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.

Notes about the data

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.

People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County6%*16%13%5%
Nassau County5%7%9%4%
Putnam County25%**9%**9%*5%
Rockland County3%*8%*16%17%
New York State14%21%20%10%
Mount Vernon11%***14%19%**9%**
New Rochelle15%***15%**13%*6%*
Peekskill3%***13%***9%**9%**
Rye City2%***16%***7%***3%**
White Plains9%**20%*15%*6%*
Yonkers6%**19%*16%9%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford1%***37%***13%***10%**
Cortlandt3%***9%***5%**5%*
Eastchester12%***12%***6%***4%**
Greenburgh3%***12%***7%**4%*
Harrison5%***30%***13%***2%***
Lewisboro0%***26%***2%***4%***
Mamaroneck0%***19%***6%***4%***
Mount Kisco0%***23%***9%***6%***
Mount Pleasant11%***12%**14%**4%*
New Castle7%***6%***2%***2%***
North Castle1%***1%***4%***2%***
North Salem0%***N/A***0%***2%***
Ossining5%***17%***10%**7%*
Pelham7%***8%***5%***1%**
Pound Ridge10%***5%***1%***2%***
Rye14%***12%***16%*7%**
Scarsdale2%***0%***4%***3%***
Somers0%***8%***0%***3%**
Yorktown0%***11%***6%***4%**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0%***1%***0%***3%***
Briarcliff Manor13%***48%***23%***3%**
Bronxville15%***0%***3%***6%***
Buchanan0%***0%***6%***4%***
Croton-on-Hudson0%***0%***1%***3%***
Dobbs Ferry1%***1%***8%***4%***
Elmsford5%***12%***16%***8%***
Village of Harrison5%***30%***13%***2%***
Hastings-on-Hudson13%***6%***4%***1%***
Irvington0%***73%***3%***1%***
Larchmont0%***0%***0%***2%***
Village of Mamaroneck3%***27%***7%***5%***
Village of Mount Kisco0%***23%***9%***6%***
Village of Ossining1%***16%***9%***7%**
Village of Pelham12%***13%***3%***2%***
Pelham Manor0%***0%***9%***1%***
Pleasantville0%***11%***7%***6%***
Port Chester36%***14%***17%*10%***
Rye Brook5%***3%***3%***6%***
Village of Scarsdale2%***0%***4%***3%***
Sleepy Hollow0%***1%***15%***6%***
Tarrytown0%***13%***5%***8%***
Tuckahoe14%***20%***13%***3%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Data not shown where sample sizes were too small. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County3,811*21,99832,36930,534
Nassau County7,97310,97022,33735,109
Putnam County543**288**1,447*4,074
Rockland County609*3,095*9,89038,284
New York State238,648597,402767,8151,156,701
Mount Vernon147***6,4712,331**1,078**
New Rochelle694***2,308**3,080*2,474*
Peekskill15***643***924**926**
Rye City29***45***84***352**
White Plains386**1,496*2,712*1,847*
Yonkers710**7,344*13,6758,047
Westchester County Towns
Bedford6***148***399***1,234**
Cortlandt39***304***352**1,620*
Eastchester464***76***212***999**
Greenburgh293***1,192***1,076**2,185*
Harrison100***249***501***462***
Lewisboro0***32***14***397***
Mamaroneck1***214***301***885***
Mount Kisco0***146***337***412***
Mount Pleasant247***135**1,108**1,365*
New Castle120***30***25***263***
North Castle7***2***64***201***
North Salem0***0***0***103***
Ossining109***463***1,175**1,495*
Pelham60***73***75***133**
Pound Ridge11***7***3***75***
Rye307***348***3,597*1,864**
Scarsdale66***0***50***390***
Somers0***31***10***536**
Yorktown0***241***264***1,191**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0***2***0***85***
Briarcliff Manor73***46***147***170**
Bronxville67***0***11***334***
Buchanan0***0***26***58***
Croton-on-Hudson0***0***5***185***
Dobbs Ferry11***1***105***343***
Elmsford30***129***394***133***
Village of Harrison100***249***501***462***
Hastings-on-Hudson53***3***29***83***
Irvington0***53***17***48***
Larchmont0***0***0***117***
Village of Mamaroneck26***211***400***690***
Village of Mount Kisco0***146***337***412***
Village of Ossining9***401***981***962**
Village of Pelham60***73***33***78***
Pelham Manor0***0***42***55***
Pleasantville0***7***58***364***
Port Chester232***340***3,412*1,249***
Rye Brook49***3***31***459***
Village of Scarsdale66***0***50***390***
Sleepy Hollow0***4***777***258***
Tarrytown3***52***127***647***
Tuckahoe163***73***182***128***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Data not shown where sample sizes were too small. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.








People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County7%17%19%6%
Nassau County5%11%13%4%
Putnam County16%***11%**12%*5%*
Rockland County3%**12%16%13%
New York State17%23%25%11%
Mount Vernon23%***16%23%*13%*
New Rochelle12%***16%*18%*9%*
Peekskill0%***14%**20%*9%*
Rye City2%***17%***15%***2%**
White Plains6%***20%**14%*6%*
Yonkers14%**21%25%11%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford5%***22%***20%***7%**
Cortlandt0%***6%***10%**4%*
Eastchester7%***12%***8%***3%*
Greenburgh1%***6%**8%**4%*
Harrison3%***8%***21%**5%**
Lewisboro3%***2%***1%***1%***
Mamaroneck2%***31%***17%***4%*
Mount Kisco0%***22%***21%**6%***
Mount Pleasant11%***20%***13%**5%*
New Castle1%***13%***2%***2%***
North Castle2%***29%***16%***2%***
North SalemN/A***3%***0%***2%***
Ossining10%***16%***30%*8%*
Pelham4%***4%***3%***2%***
Pound Ridge32%***0%***0%***4%***
Rye6%***20%***18%5%*
Scarsdale2%***5%***0%***2%***
Somers0%***1%***14%***3%**
Yorktown1%***17%***6%***1%**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley2%***0%***0%***1%***
Briarcliff Manor0%***20%***3%***4%***
Bronxville18%***33%***1%***2%***
Buchanan0%***4%***11%***1%***
Croton-on-Hudson0%***2%***3%***3%***
Dobbs Ferry0%***33%***4%***3%***
Elmsford4%***2%***36%***2%***
Village of Harrison3%***8%***21%**5%**
Hastings-on-Hudson0%***0%***15%***4%***
Irvington0%***0%***0%***7%***
Larchmont7%***100%***4%***4%***
Village of Mamaroneck2%***18%***16%***4%**
Village of Mount Kisco0%***22%***21%**6%***
Village of Ossining17%***16%***32%*11%*
Village of Pelham5%***3%***3%***1%**
Pelham Manor0%***7%***0%***3%***
Pleasantville0%***26%***0%***1%***
Port Chester15%***22%***20%8%**
Rye Brook0%***13%***11%***3%**
Village of Scarsdale2%***5%***0%***2%***
Sleepy Hollow0%***24%***17%**10%**
Tarrytown1%***2%***6%***6%**
Tuckahoe0%***6%***20%***5%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Data not shown where sample sizes were too small. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County3,73421,57639,35337,230
Nassau County4,85515,32325,27338,928
Putnam County305***215**1,423*4,446*
Rockland County687**4,3757,83929,033
New York State245,116661,732849,5981,356,256
Mount Vernon327***6,4752,389*2,232*
New Rochelle341***2,263*3,543*4,590*
Peekskill0***765**1,744*1,009*
Rye City21***28***161***340**
White Plains243***1,416**2,380*2,208*
Yonkers1,739**7,80616,38711,644
Westchester County Towns
Bedford27***130***407***925**
Cortlandt2***121***627**1,270*
Eastchester151***152***200***927*
Greenburgh122***658**829**2,310*
Harrison61***20***783**1,090**
Lewisboro11***3***3***144***
Mamaroneck29***123***637***927*
Mount Kisco0***157***843**434***
Mount Pleasant212***151***1,008**1,621*
New Castle18***35***10***352***
North Castle10***82***116***233***
North Salem0***2***0***86***
Ossining198***389***3,473*1,967*
Pelham24***40***30***219***
Pound Ridge63***0***0***176***
Rye73***598***3,4721,441*
Scarsdale43***12***2***219***
Somers0***2***100***479**
Yorktown19***148***209***387**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley14***0***2***40***
Briarcliff Manor0***12***6***292***
Bronxville66***1***5***103***
Buchanan0***4***58***16***
Croton-on-Hudson1***7***35***232***
Dobbs Ferry0***147***43***236***
Elmsford21***18***429***48***
Village of Harrison61***20***783**1,090**
Hastings-on-Hudson0***0***77***246***
Irvington0***0***0***407***
Larchmont10***5***17***228***
Village of Mamaroneck19***118***625***514**
Village of Mount Kisco0***157***843**434***
Village of Ossining194***370***3,462*1,405*
Village of Pelham24***21***30***73**
Pelham Manor0***19***0***146***
Pleasantville0***21***0***77***
Port Chester73***563***3,3341,000**
Rye Brook0***29***120***279**
Village of Scarsdale43***12***2***219***
Sleepy Hollow1***80***874**685**
Tarrytown7***16***106***537**
Tuckahoe0***54***173***216***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Data not shown where sample sizes were too small. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




INDICATORS TREND | WESTCHESTER
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0
Maintaining
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Single Female-Headed Households -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Serious Crimes -1
Decreasing
Reported Victims of Domestic Violence -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households With Internet Access, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 10 Not Applicable*
Open Space in Westchester County 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Population, by Age 10 Not Applicable*
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone -1
Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs 1
Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 10 Not Applicable*
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Seniors Living in Poverty 1
Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 0
Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households -1
Decreasing
Homelessness, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness, by Sex 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Student Spending 0
Maintaining
Student Suspensions -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Mortality Rate from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Diabetes Mortality, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Suicide Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*


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