Title: Poverty among older Americans: the plight of the nonmetro elderly.

POPLINE Document Number: 299846

Author(s):

McLaughlin DK
Jensen L

Source citation:

University Park, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, Population Issues Research Center, 1991 Oct. [42] p. (Population Issues Research Center Working Papers Series No. 1991-22)

Abstract:

The elderly in nonmetropolitan areas are more likely to be poor than their metropolitan counterparts, and the gap between them increases with age. This study provides a comprehensive empirical comparison of the nature of income poverty among the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan elderly. Drawing on the 1990 Currens Population Survey, we document differences in poverty by age, and for various demographic subgroups of the elderly population. These analyses show that poverty rates are higher among nonmetro elders for virtually all demographic subgroups. We estimate logistic regression to predict the likelihood that elders are poor to separate the effects of population composition from those of nonmetro residence. These analyses show that even after controlling for age, sex, race, marital status and living arrangements, the nonmetro elderly are more likely to be poor than the metro elderly. In the discussion we consider possible explanations for this nonmetro effect. (author's)

Keywords:

United States
Literature Review
Census
Rural Population
Nonmetropolitan Population
Older Adults
Low Income Population
Poverty
Age Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Income
North America
Americas
Developed Countries
Population Statistics
Research Methodology
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Adults
Social Class
Socioeconomic Status
Economic Factors