U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

March 2002

Report 957



	

	






	

	



		




	

	



		





			


	
 



			
	



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A Profile of the Working

Poor, 2000

	

	 	 
			
				




	 	 	 

	 	
	 

Total persons ............. 

In poverty .............. 

Rate ....................... 

Unrelated individuals .

In poverty ..............

Rate .......................

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1††Includes persons in families not shown separately.

2 Primary families with at least one member†in the labor force for

more than half of the year.

 130,047 131,731 133,651 135,626

 7,453 7,158 6,796 6,351

 5.7 5.4 5.1 4.7

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 9.7 8.5 8.2 7.6

 58,815 59,621 60,454 60,870

 4,068 4,019 3,755 3,417

 6.9 6.7 6.2 5.6

Table A. Poverty status of persons and primary families in

the labor force for 27 week or more, 1997-2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic 1997 1998 1999 2000

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Table 1. Persons in the labor force: Poverty status and work experience by weeks in the labor force, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Poverty status and work experience Total in the labor force

27 weeks or more in the labor force

Total 50 to 52 weeks

TOTAL

Total in labor force ................................................................................ 150,002 135,626 121,540

 Did not work during the year ............................................................... 1,425 640 522

 Worked during the year ...................................................................... 148,577 134,986 121,018

 Usual full-time workers ..................................................................... 119,829 113,923 105,591

 Usual part-time workers .................................................................... 28,748 21,063 15,427

 Involuntary part-time workers ......................................................... 3,433 2,652 2,035

 Voluntary part-time workers ............................................................ 25,315 18,410 13,391

At or above poverty level

Total in labor force ................................................................................ 141,132 129,275 116,512

 Did not work during the year ............................................................... 881 378 296

 Worked during the year ...................................................................... 140,252 128,897 116,216

 Usual full-time workers ..................................................................... 114,763 109,983 102,351

 Usual part-time workers .................................................................... 25,489 18,914 13,866

 Involuntary part-time workers ......................................................... 2,575 2,036 1,583

 Voluntary part-time workers ............................................................ 22,914 16,877 12,282

Below poverty level

Total in labor force ................................................................................ 8,869 6,351 5,028

 Did not work during the year ............................................................... 544 262 226

 Worked during the year ...................................................................... 8,325 6,089 4,802

 Usual full-time workers ..................................................................... 5,066 3,940 3,240

 Usual part-time workers .................................................................... 3,259 2,149 1,561

 Involuntary part-time workers ......................................................... 858 616 452

 Voluntary part-time workers ............................................................ 2,401 1,533 1,109

Rate1

Total in labor force ................................................................................ 5.9 4.7 4.1

 Did not work during the year ............................................................... 38.2 41.0 43.3

 Worked during the year ...................................................................... 5.6 4.5 4.0

 Usual full-time workers ..................................................................... 4.2 3.5 3.1

 Usual part-time workers .................................................................... 11.3 10.2 10.1

 Involuntary part-time workers ......................................................... 25.0 23.2 22.2

 Voluntary part-time workers ............................................................ 9.5 8.3 8.3

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the labor force.

5
Table 2. Persons in the labor force for 27 weeks or more: Poverty status by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Age and sex Total White Black Hispanic

origin

Below poverty level Rate1

Total White Black Hispanic

origin Total White Black Hispanicorigin

 Total, 16 years and older .................. 135,626 113,022 15,974 14,636 6,351 4,561 1,397 1,463 4.7 4.0 8.7 10.0

16 to 19 years ....................................... 5,228 4,499 547 720 483 355 113 96 9.2 7.9 20.7 13.4

20 to 24 years ....................................... 13,048 10,742 1,721 2,009 1,141 834 241 244 8.7 7.8 14.0 12.2

25 to 34 years ....................................... 30,459 24,489 4,153 4,275 1,746 1,238 404 499 5.7 5.1 9.7 11.7

35 to 44 years ....................................... 37,056 30,510 4,630 3,952 1,663 1,165 394 376 4.5 3.8 8.5 9.5

45 to 54 years ....................................... 31,056 26,357 3,297 2,444 825 573 172 174 2.7 2.2 5.2 7.1

55 to 64 years ....................................... 14,361 12,490 1,282 1,015 397 313 61 55 2.8 2.5 4.8 5.4

65 years and older ................................ 4,417 3,936 346 221 96 83 11 18 2.2 2.1 3.2 8.1

 Men, 16 years and older ................... 72,758 61,664 7,435 8,525 2,901 2,279 420 871 4.0 3.7 5.6 10.2

16 to 19 years ....................................... 2,612 2,244 267 419 206 161 36 52 7.9 7.2 13.4 12.5

20 to 24 years ....................................... 6,749 5,692 769 1,191 490 387 71 143 7.3 6.8 9.2 12.0

25 to 34 years ....................................... 16,485 13,588 1,857 2,552 722 592 83 309 4.4 4.4 4.5 12.1

35 to 44 years ....................................... 20,187 16,927 2,215 2,330 790 607 133 223 3.9 3.6 6.0 9.6

45 to 54 years ....................................... 16,345 14,073 1,527 1,303 459 328 76 103 2.8 2.3 5.0 7.9

55 to 64 years ....................................... 7,734 6,773 620 590 196 165 21 26 2.5 2.4 3.3 4.4

65 years and older ................................ 2,647 2,367 180 140 39 39 - 13 1.5 1.7 - 9.6

 Women, 16 years and older ............. 62,867 51,358 8,539 6,111 3,450 2,282 977 592 5.5 4.4 11.4 9.7

16 to 19 years ....................................... 2,617 2,255 280 301 278 194 77 44 10.6 8.6 27.6 14.7

20 to 24 years ....................................... 6,299 5,050 952 819 651 447 170 101 10.3 8.9 17.8 12.4

25 to 34 years ....................................... 13,974 10,901 2,296 1,723 1,024 646 321 190 7.3 5.9 14.0 11.0

35 to 44 years ....................................... 16,869 13,583 2,415 1,622 873 558 261 153 5.2 4.1 10.8 9.4

45 to 54 years ....................................... 14,710 12,284 1,770 1,141 365 245 96 71 2.5 2.0 5.4 6.2

55 to 64 years ....................................... 6,627 5,717 662 426 201 148 41 29 3.0 2.6 6.2 6.8

65 years and older ................................ 1,770 1,569 165 80 57 43 11 4 3.2 2.8 6.7 5.6

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the labor

force for 27 weeks or more.

 NOTE: Detail for race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals

because data for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics

are included in both the white and black population groups. Dash

represents zero or rounds to zero. 

6
Table 3. Persons in the labor force for 27 weeks or more: Poverty status by educational attainment, race, and sex, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Educational attainment and race Total Men Women

Below poverty level Rate1

Total Men Women Total Men Women

 Total, 16 years and older ............................ 135,626 72,758 62,867 6,351 2,901 3,450 4.7 4.0 5.5

Less than a high school diploma .................... 16,013 9,674 6,339 2,071 1,086 985 12.9 11.2 15.5

 Less than 1 year of high school .................... 4,566 2,978 1,588 685 461 223 15.0 15.5 14.1

 1-3 years of high school ............................... 9,832 5,715 4,116 1,234 562 672 12.6 9.8 16.3

 4 years of high school, no diploma ............... 1,616 981 635 152 62 90 9.4 6.3 14.2

High school graduates, no college ................. 42,673 23,141 19,531 2,314 961 1,353 5.4 4.2 6.9

Some college, no degree ................................ 27,249 13,829 13,421 1,158 473 685 4.2 3.4 5.1

Associate degree ............................................ 11,968 5,737 6,230 297 108 189 2.5 1.9 3.0

College graduates .......................................... 37,723 20,377 17,346 511 274 238 1.4 1.3 1.4

 White, 16 years and older ......................... 113,022 61,664 51,358 4,561 2,279 2,282 4.0 3.7 4.4

Less than a high school diploma .................... 13,058 8,140 4,918 1,518 899 619 11.6 11.1 12.6

 Less than 1 year of high school .................... 4,008 2,674 1,335 616 427 189 15.4 16.0 14.2

 1-3 years of high school ............................... 7,825 4,680 3,145 792 419 373 10.1 9.0 11.9

 4 years of high school, no diploma ............... 1,225 786 439 111 53 57 9.0 6.8 13.1

High school graduates, no college ................. 35,260 19,369 15,891 1,553 703 850 4.4 3.6 5.3

Some college, no degree ................................ 22,567 11,654 10,913 853 368 485 3.8 3.2 4.4

Associate degree ............................................ 10,065 4,981 5,085 229 90 140 2.3 1.8 2.7

College graduates .......................................... 32,072 17,520 14,552 408 219 189 1.3 1.2 1.3

 Black, 16 years and older ......................... 15,974 7,435 8,539 1,397 420 977 8.7 5.6 11.4

Less than a high school diploma .................... 2,273 1,154 1,119 463 142 321 20.4 12.3 28.7

 Less than 1 year of high school .................... 314 190 124 38 19 19 12.1 10.1 15.2

 1-3 years of high school ............................... 1,636 811 825 387 114 273 23.7 14.1 33.1

 4 years of high school, no diploma ............... 323 153 170 37 8 29 11.5 5.4 17.1

High school graduates, no college ................. 5,868 2,960 2,908 639 194 445 10.9 6.6 15.3

Some college, no degree ................................ 3,608 1,565 2,043 220 58 162 6.1 3.7 7.9

Associate degree ............................................ 1,382 513 869 34 7 27 2.5 1.5 3.1

College graduates .......................................... 2,843 1,242 1,600 41 19 22 1.4 1.5 1.4

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the labor force for 27 weeks or more.

7
Table 4. Persons in the labor force for 27 weeks or more who worked during the year: Poverty status by occupation of longest job

held, race, and sex, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Occupation and race Total Men Women

Below poverty level Rate1

Total Men Women Total Men Women

 Total, 16 years and older2 .............................................. 134,986 72,400 62,586 6,089 2,756 3,333 4.5 3.8 5.3

Managerial and professional specialty ............................... 41,510 20,821 20,689 579 256 323 1.4 1.2 1.6

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ....................... 20,654 11,065 9,589 291 144 147 1.4 1.3 1.5

 Professional specialty ....................................................... 20,856 9,756 11,100 287 111 176 1.4 1.1 1.6

Technical, sales, and administrative support ...................... 39,088 14,078 25,010 1,566 406 1,160 4.0 2.9 4.6

 Technicians and related support ...................................... 4,617 2,125 2,492 34 11 24 .7 .5 .9

 Sales occupations ............................................................ 15,801 8,065 7,736 900 252 649 5.7 3.1 8.4

 Administrative support, including clerical .......................... 18,670 3,888 14,782 632 143 488 3.4 3.7 3.3

Service occupations ........................................................... 17,599 6,940 10,660 1,868 491 1,376 10.6 7.1 12.9

 Private household ............................................................. 710 32 677 142 11 131 20.0 3 ( ) 19.3

 Protective service ............................................................. 2,372 1,928 444 66 42 24 2.8 2.2 5.4

 Service, except private household and protective ............ 14,517 4,979 9,539 1,660 438 1,222 11.4 8.8 12.8

Precision production, craft, and repair ................................ 15,045 13,803 1,242 475 424 51 3.2 3.1 4.1

Operators, fabricators, and laborers ................................... 18,451 14,078 4,373 1,155 818 338 6.3 5.8 7.7

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .............. 7,388 4,632 2,755 391 211 180 5.3 4.6 6.5

 Transportation and material moving occupations ............. 5,763 5,146 617 264 218 47 4.6 4.2 7.5

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ...... 5,301 4,299 1,001 500 389 111 9.4 9.1 11.1

Farming, forestry, and fishing ............................................. 3,236 2,632 604 444 359 85 13.7 13.7 14.0

 White, 16 years and older2 ........................................... 112,655 61,454 51,201 4,417 2,185 2,232 3.9 3.6 4.4

Managerial and professional specialty ............................... 35,633 18,204 17,429 450 214 237 1.3 1.2 1.4

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ....................... 17,869 9,852 8,018 224 123 101 1.3 1.3 1.3

 Professional specialty ....................................................... 17,763 8,352 9,411 226 90 136 1.3 1.1 1.4

Technical, sales, and administrative support ...................... 32,786 12,004 20,782 1,044 310 734 3.2 2.6 3.5

 Technicians and related support ...................................... 3,792 1,801 1,991 30 8 22 .8 .4 1.1

 Sales occupations ............................................................ 13,672 7,140 6,533 610 205 405 4.5 2.9 6.2

 Administrative support, including clerical .......................... 15,322 3,063 12,258 404 97 308 2.6 3.2 2.5

Service occupations ........................................................... 13,315 5,227 8,088 1,237 339 897 9.3 6.5 11.1

 Private household ............................................................. 543 18 525 100 6 94 18.5 3 ( ) 17.9

 Protective service ............................................................. 1,809 1,506 303 35 22 13 1.9 1.5 4.3

 Service, except private household and protective ............ 10,963 3,703 7,260 1,102 311 791 10.0 8.4 10.9

Precision production, craft, and repair ................................ 13,280 12,274 1,006 413 372 41 3.1 3.0 4.0

Operators, fabricators, and laborers ................................... 14,617 11,297 3,319 859 616 243 5.9 5.5 7.3

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .............. 5,839 3,800 2,040 291 166 125 5.0 4.4 6.1

 Transportation and material moving occupations ............. 4,590 4,110 480 195 158 37 4.2 3.8 7.7

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ...... 4,187 3,388 799 373 292 80 8.9 8.6 10.1

Farming, forestry, and fishing ............................................. 2,975 2,406 570 415 334 81 14.0 13.9 14.2

 Black, 16 years and older2 ........................................... 15,725 7,298 8,426 1,291 379 912 8.2 5.2 10.8

Managerial and professional specialty ............................... 3,502 1,315 2,187 79 17 61 2.2 1.3 2.8

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ....................... 1,742 700 1,042 48 11 37 2.8 1.6 3.6

 Professional specialty ....................................................... 1,760 615 1,146 31 6 24 1.7 1.0 2.1

Technical, sales, and administrative support ...................... 4,497 1,293 3,204 410 52 358 9.1 4.1 11.2

 Technicians and related support ...................................... 536 172 365 ------

 Sales occupations ............................................................ 1,412 561 851 237 27 210 16.8 4.9 24.7

 Administrative support, including clerical .......................... 2,548 560 1,988 172 25 147 6.8 4.5 7.4

Service occupations ........................................................... 3,348 1,281 2,067 524 114 409 15.6 8.9 19.8

 Private household ............................................................. 138 10 128 38 3 36 27.7 3 ( ) 27.8

 Protective service ............................................................. 496 367 129 25 15 11 5.1 4.0 8.4

 Service, except private household and protective ............ 2,714 904 1,810 460 97 363 17.0 10.8 20.1

Precision production, craft, and repair ................................ 1,229 1,068 162 39 35 5 3.2 3.2 2.9

Operators, fabricators, and laborers ................................... 2,969 2,175 794 214 138 76 7.2 6.3 9.6

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors .............. 1,109 594 515 73 32 42 6.6 5.4 8.1

 Transportation and material moving occupations ............. 958 841 117 41 31 9 4.3 3.7 8.1

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ...... 901 740 161 99 74 25 11.0 10.1 15.5

Farming, forestry, and fishing ............................................. 174 161 13 23 20 3 13.4 12.7 3 ( )

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the labor

force for 27 weeks or more who worked during the year. 2 Includes a small number of persons whose last job was in the Armed

Forces. 3 Data not shown where base is less than 80,000.

 NOTE: Dash represents zero or rounds to zero.

8
Table 5. Persons in families and unrelated individuals: Poverty status and work experience, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Poverty status and work

experience

Total

persons

In married-couple families In families maintained by

women

In families maintained by

men Unrelated

individuals Husbands Wives

Related

children

under

18

Other

relatives

Householder

Related

children

under

18

Other

relatives

Householder

Related

children

under

18

Other

relatives

TOTAL

 All persons1 ................................ 211,180 54,973 55,563 5,424 17,106 12,507 1,685 9,502 4,213 482 4,072 45,652

With labor force activity .................. 150,002 44,016 36,783 2,425 12,329 9,281 721 6,555 3,439 197 2,840 31,417

 1 to 26 weeks ............................... 14,376 1,492 3,640 1,362 2,666 848 415 940 208 119 311 2,376

 27 weeks or more ......................... 135,626 42,524 33,143 1,063 9,663 8,433 307 5,615 3,231 78 2,528 29,041

With no labor force activity ............. 61,179 10,957 18,780 2,999 4,777 3,226 963 2,947 775 285 1,232 14,236

At or above poverty level

 All persons1 ................................ 190,610 52,349 52,927 5,064 16,464 9,413 1,208 8,288 3,731 422 3,792 36,952

With labor force activity .................. 141,132 42,523 35,914 2,349 12,082 7,391 594 6,039 3,152 181 2,720 28,187

 1 to 26 weeks ............................... 11,858 1,271 3,367 1,308 2,585 366 340 769 130 110 267 1,345

 27 weeks or more ......................... 129,275 41,251 32,547 1,040 9,497 7,025 254 5,270 3,022 71 2,454 26,842

With no labor force activity ............. 49,477 9,826 17,013 2,715 4,382 2,022 613 2,249 579 241 1,071 8,765

Below poverty level

 All persons1 ................................ 20,571 2,623 2,636 360 642 3,095 477 1,214 483 60 280 8,700

With labor force activity .................. 8,869 1,493 869 76 247 1,890 127 516 287 16 119 3,229

 1 to 26 weeks ............................... 2,518 220 273 53 81 483 74 172 78 9 45 1,031

 27 weeks or more ......................... 6,351 1,273 596 23 166 1,408 53 345 209 7 75 2,198

With no labor force activity ............. 11,701 1,131 1,767 284 395 1,204 350 697 196 44 161 5,471

Rate2

 All persons1 ................................ 9.7 4.8 4.7 6.6 3.8 24.7 28.3 12.8 11.5 12.4 6.9 19.1

With labor force activity .................. 5.9 3.4 2.4 3.1 2.0 20.4 17.6 7.9 8.3 7.9 4.2 10.3

 1 to 26 weeks ............................... 17.5 14.8 7.5 3.9 3.0 56.9 17.9 18.2 37.3 7.2 14.4 43.4

 27 weeks or more ......................... 4.7 3.0 1.8 2.2 1.7 16.7 17.1 6.1 6.5 9.0 3.0 7.6

With no labor force activity ............. 19.1 10.3 9.4 9.5 8.3 37.3 36.3 23.7 25.3 15.6 13.1 38.4

1 Data on families include persons in primary families and unrelated

subfamilies.

2 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total.

 NOTE: Data refer to persons 16 years and older. 

9
Table 6. Primary families: Poverty status, presence of related children, and work experience of family members

in the labor force for 27 weeks or more, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic Total families

At or above

poverty level

Below poverty

level Rate1

 Total primary families ................................................ 60,870 57,453 3,417 5.6

With related children under 18 .......................................... 34,734 31,772 2,962 8.5

Without children ................................................................ 26,136 25,681 455 1.7

With one member in the labor force .................................. 24,836 22,014 2,822 11.4

With two or more members in the labor force ................... 36,034 35,439 595 1.7

 With two members .......................................................... 30,013 29,483 531 1.8

 With three or more members .......................................... 6,021 5,956 64 1.1

Married-couple families:

With related children under 18 ...................................... 25,793 24,530 1,264 4.9

Without children ............................................................ 21,169 20,869 300 1.4

With one member in the labor force .............................. 15,201 14,066 1,134 7.5

 Husband ...................................................................... 11,456 10,593 863 7.5

 Wife ............................................................................. 3,116 2,886 230 7.4

 Relative ....................................................................... 628 587 42 6.7

With two or more members in the labor force ............... 31,761 31,332 429 1.4

 With two members ...................................................... 26,662 26,275 386 1.4

 With three or more members ...................................... 5,099 5,057 43 .8

Families maintained by women:

With related children under 18 ...................................... 6,910 5,417 1,493 21.6

Without children ............................................................ 3,257 3,146 111 3.4

With one member in the labor force .............................. 7,332 5,867 1,465 20.0

 Householder ................................................................ 5,924 4,635 1,290 21.8

 Relative ....................................................................... 1,408 1,233 175 12.5

With two or more members in the labor force ............... 2,835 2,696 139 4.9

Families maintained by men:

With related children under 18 ...................................... 2,030 1,826 205 10.1

Without children ............................................................ 1,711 1,666 45 2.6

With one member in the labor force .............................. 2,303 2,081 223 9.7

 Householder ................................................................ 1,931 1,745 186 9.6

 Relative ....................................................................... 372 336 36 9.8

With two or more members in the labor force ............... 1,438 1,411 27 1.9

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in

the labor force for 27 weeks or more.

 NOTE: Data relate to primary families with at least one member

in the labor force for 27 weeks or more. 

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Table 7. Unrelated individuals in the labor force for 27 weeks or more: Poverty status by age, sex, race, Hispanic

origin, and living arrangement, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic Total At or above

poverty level

Below poverty

level Rate1

Age and sex

 Total unrelated individuals ....................................................................... 29,041 26,842 2,198 7.6

16 to 19 years ................................................................................................... 574 372 203 35.3

20 to 24 years ................................................................................................... 4,167 3,526 641 15.4

25 to 64 years ................................................................................................... 23,155 21,842 1,313 5.7

65 years and older ............................................................................................ 1,145 1,103 42 3.6

Men ................................................................................................................... 15,941 14,876 1,065 6.7

Women ............................................................................................................. 13,100 11,967 1,133 8.6

Race and Hispanic origin

White ................................................................................................................ 23,883 22,161 1,722 7.2

 Men ................................................................................................................ 13,108 12,297 811 6.2

 Women .......................................................................................................... 10,775 9,864 911 8.5

Black ................................................................................................................. 3,921 3,581 340 8.7

 Men ................................................................................................................ 2,094 1,911 183 8.7

 Women .......................................................................................................... 1,827 1,670 157 8.6

Hispanic origin .................................................................................................. 2,495 2,189 306 12.3

 Men ................................................................................................................ 1,607 1,438 170 10.6

 Women .......................................................................................................... 888 752 136 15.3

Living arrangement

Living alone ...................................................................................................... 15,176 14,452 724 4.8

Living with others .............................................................................................. 13,865 12,391 1,474 10.6

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the

labor force for 27 weeks or more.

 NOTE: Detail for race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to

totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented

and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population

groups. 

Table 8. Persons in the labor force for 27 weeks or more: Poverty status and labor market problems of full-time

wage and salary workers, 2000

(Numbers in thousands)

Poverty status and labor market problems Total At or above

poverty level

Below poverty

level Rate1

 Total, full-time wage and salary workers ..................................................... 107,055 103,693 3,362 3.1

No unemployment, involuntary part-time employment, or low earnings2 ......... 89,085 88,571 514 .6

Unemployment only .......................................................................................... 5,001 4,698 304 6.1

Involuntary part-time employment only ............................................................. 2,020 1,984 36 1.8

Low earnings only ............................................................................................. 7,830 6,191 1,639 20.9

Unemployment and involuntary part-time employment .................................... 861 807 53 6.2

Unemployment and low earnings ..................................................................... 1,300 765 534 41.1

Involuntary part-time employment and low earnings ........................................ 634 475 159 25.1

Unemployment, involuntary part-time employment, and low earnings ............. 324 202 122 37.7

1 Number below the poverty level as a percent of the total in the

labor force for 27 weeks or more.

2 The low earnings threshold in 2000 was $253.45 per week.

 NOTE: Data refer to persons 16 years and older. 

11