[Vision2020] Poorest counties

[Kenneth Marcy]

Aside from noting that the Washington state median household income is 
27 percent higher than that of Idaho, it may be informative to notice 
that both of these counties contain four-year education institutions as 
a significant portion of their economies.

The Poorest County in Each State
*http://tinyurl.com/n942vv2 *

To identify the poorest counties in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 
five-year estimated median annual household incomes from 2009 through 
2013 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). 
Five-year estimated educational attainment rates also came from the 
Census Bureau. Annual unemployment rates are for 2013 and came from the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures on the percentage of populations 
that are classified as urban or rural are from the Census Bureau’s 2010 
decennial census.

*49. Whitman County, Washington*
*> County median household income, 2009-2013:* $36,257
*> State median household income, 2009-2013:* $59,478
*> Poverty rate, 2009-2013:* 32.6%
*> Unemployment, 2013:* 6.2%

While Washington residents earned nearly $60,000 annually between 2009 
and 2013, a typical Whitman County household earned over $23,000 less. 
Despite the low incomes, however, residents were exceptionally well 
educated. Nearly half of adults in the county had attained at least a 
bachelor’s degree during the five years through 2013, one of the highest 
rates. The region also had a extremely strong high school attainment 
rate, with 96.2% of adults having completed at least high school.


*21. Madison County, Idaho*
*> County median household income, 2009-2013:* $32,059
*> State median household income, 2009-2013:* $46,767
*> Poverty rate, 2009-2013:* 35.8%
*> Unemployment, 2013:* 4.6%

With a median household income of $32,059 between 2009 and 2013, Madison 
is Idaho’s poorest county. Despite the low incomes, residents had 
relatively high educational attainment rates. Nearly 95% of adults had 
attained at least a high school diploma, and nearly 34% had completed at 
least a bachelor’s degree during the five years through 2013. Both 
figures were among the highest reviewed. However, low incomes likely 
made it difficult for residents to own their homes. Less than half of 
housing units in Madison were owned by their occupants, one of the lower 
home ownership rates.


Ken

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