Economic Security
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The proportion of seniors (65 and older) in various racial and ethnic groups with incomes below the poverty line. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2020, the threshold for a person 65 or over was $12,413.

Why is this important?

The percentage of seniors in various racial and ethnic groups with incomes below the poverty line 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 targeted social and government supports.

How is Westchester County performing?

Poverty rates were highest in Westchester County in 2016-20 among African American seniors at 16%, compared to Hispanic and white seniors, both at 6%. Westchester's rate for African American seniors was on par with the state at 17% and its rate for Hispanic seniors was slightly below the state rate of 8%. The population of Asian seniors in poverty in Westchester County was too small to report reliable data, as was also true for many of the racial and ethnic groups in municipalities.

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.

Seniors Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2016-20
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanicWhite
Westchester County11%*16%6%6%
Nassau County4%*8%5%5%
Putnam County47%***0%***4%*4%*
Rockland County6%**10%**6%6%
New York State20%17%8%9%
Mount Vernon0%***17%*8%**10%**
New Rochelle29%***13%***7%**7%*
Peekskill0%***15%***8%***9%**
Rye City0%***34%***6%***7%***
White Plains35%***13%**5%*6%*
Yonkers16%**21%*6%*8%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0%***15%***6%***6%***
Cortlandt0%***4%***5%*5%*
Eastchester8%***0%***7%**7%**
Greenburgh2%***11%***5%*6%*
Harrison0%***60%***4%***5%***
Lewisboro27%***N/A***4%***4%***
Mamaroneck0%***23%***7%***7%***
Mount Kisco0%***11%***4%***5%***
Mount Pleasant0%***32%***5%**6%*
New Castle0%***0%***3%***3%***
North Castle0%***0%***3%***2%***
North Salem0%***0%***2%***2%***
Ossining2%***18%***8%*8%*
Pelham2%***0%***2%***2%***
Pound Ridge0%***0%***1%***1%***
Rye16%***8%***5%**7%*
Scarsdale0%***N/A***2%***2%***
Somers0%***7%***7%**7%**
Yorktown0%***2%***6%**6%**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0%***100%***4%***5%***
Briarcliff Manor0%***5%***9%***9%***
Bronxville0%***N/A***12%***12%***
BuchananN/A***0%***8%***8%***
Croton-on-Hudson0%***N/A***6%***6%***
Dobbs Ferry0%***0%***2%***2%***
Elmsford0%***0%***13%***11%***
Village of Harrison0%***60%***4%***5%***
Hastings-on-Hudson0%***100%***6%***6%***
Irvington0%***N/A***7%***7%***
Larchmont0%***0%***0%***0%***
Village of Mamaroneck0%***36%***4%***4%***
Village of Mount Kisco0%***11%***4%***5%***
Village of Ossining0%***17%***4%***6%***
Village of Pelham3%***0%***0%***0%***
Pelham Manor0%***0%***4%***4%***
Pleasantville0%***100%***9%***9%***
Port Chester13%***10%***8%**11%**
Rye Brook32%***2%***4%***4%***
Village of Scarsdale0%***N/A***2%***2%***
Sleepy Hollow0%***39%***2%***5%***
Tarrytown2%***0%***5%***7%***
Tuckahoe0%***0%***12%***12%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: 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 Seniors Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity, 2016-20
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanicWhite
Westchester County924*2,9426,3937,900
Nassau County721*1,5378,5159,251
Putnam County134***0***595*602*
Rockland County240**493**2,0792,366
New York State43,05764,300164,879195,516
Mount Vernon0***1,176*289**365**
New Rochelle189***351***512**621*
Peekskill0***116***200***225**
Rye City0***10***142***150***
White Plains224***176**329*442*
Yonkers371**725*1,075*1,807
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0***8***141***141***
Cortlandt0***23***294*294*
Eastchester25***0***377**377**
Greenburgh33***145***627*722*
Harrison0***15***139***171***
Lewisboro34***0***72***72***
Mamaroneck0***16***270***285***
Mount Kisco0***9***57***70***
Mount Pleasant0***50***345**388*
New Castle0***0***68***68***
North Castle0***0***35***35***
North Salem0***0***12***12***
Ossining6***91***382*449*
Pelham3***0***29***29***
Pound Ridge0***0***9***9***
Rye39***21***259**422*
Scarsdale0***0***45***45***
Somers0***7***368**368**
Yorktown0***3***317**333**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0***2***33***42***
Briarcliff Manor0***1***127***127***
Bronxville0***0***112***112***
Buchanan0***0***25***25***
Croton-on-Hudson0***0***71***71***
Dobbs Ferry0***0***20***20***
Elmsford0***0***37***37***
Village of Harrison0***15***139***171***
Hastings-on-Hudson0***3***84***84***
Irvington0***0***57***57***
Larchmont0***0***0***0***
Village of Mamaroneck0***16***84***99***
Village of Mount Kisco0***9***57***70***
Village of Ossining0***84***105***172***
Village of Pelham3***0***0***0***
Pelham Manor0***0***29***29***
Pleasantville0***3***84***84***
Port Chester20***20***187**350**
Rye Brook19***1***62***62***
Village of Scarsdale0***0***45***45***
Sleepy Hollow0***47***18***61***
Tarrytown3***0***81***112***
Tuckahoe0***0***117***117***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: 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 1
Increasing
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 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single Female-Headed Households 0
Maintaining
Contributions as a Percentage of Income 0
Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate 1
Increasing
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 -1
Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 1
Increasing
Open Space in Westchester County 1
Increasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Age -1
Decreasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs -1
Decreasing
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 0
Maintaining
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty -1
Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
Seniors Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
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 1
Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
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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