We're wrapping up 2017 with the launch of “
Hispanic Family Facts,” a newsletter series that highlights key facts from our research. In this inaugural post, we take a closer look at the 11 million Hispanic children in need.
During the holiday season, many communities mobilize to help support the most vulnerable, including families whose income does not meet their basic needs. As the United States becomes more diverse, there is an increased need to understand the families who need support.
Hispanic children currently make up about one in four of all children in the United States, and are projected to make up one in three by 2050, similar to the number of white children. However, more Hispanic children live in families who struggle financially than do white children. In
A National Portrait of Hispanic Children in Need, we found that 61% of all Hispanic children–11 million children–live in or near poverty.
More than one in ten of all Hispanic children (12%) live in deep poverty. That is, 2.2 million Hispanic children live in households with incomes at or less than half of the federal poverty level.
An additional 19% of Hispanic children (3.5 million) live in households with incomes below the poverty level, but above deep poverty.
Almost one-third (30%) of all Hispanic children live near poverty. In other words, 5.4 million Hispanic children live in households with incomes above the poverty level, but less than twice the federal poverty level—a level where families still struggle to meet basic needs.
Though all Hispanic families with low incomes face real challenges in meeting their basic needs, what they look like varies—in terms of employment, family structure, and other characteristics. This means that efforts to support families may need to vary too. Check out the
brief and
infographic to learn more.
ICYMI
Identifying Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Human Services: A Conceptual Framework and Literature Review
Learn about existing research on racial and ethnic differences and disparities in access, services and treatment, and outcomes within six programs of the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) in this
synthesis from the Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE).
