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Convergence and Disadvantage in Poverty Trends (1980–2010): What is Driving the Relative Socioeconomic Position of Hispanics and Whites?

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Abstract

The gap between white and Hispanic poverty has remained stable for decades despite dramatic changes in the size and composition of the two groups. The gap, however, conceals crucial differences within the Hispanic population whereby some leverage education and smaller families to stave off poverty while others facing barriers to citizenship and English language acquisition face particularly high rates. In this paper, we use Decennial Census and American Community Survey data to examine poverty rates between Hispanic and non-Hispanic, white heads of household. We find the usual suspects stratify poverty risks: gender, age, employment, education, marital status, family size, and metro area status. In addition, Hispanic ethnicity has become a weaker indicator of poverty. We then decompose trends in poverty gaps between racial and ethnic groups. Between 1980 and 2010, poverty gaps persisted between whites and Hispanics. We find support for a convergence of advantages hypothesis and only partial support (among Hispanic noncitizens and Hispanics with limited English language proficiency) for a rising disadvantages hypothesis. Poverty-reducing gains in educational attainment alongside smaller families kept white–Hispanic poverty gaps from rising. If educational attainment continues to rise and family size drops further, poverty rates could fall, particularly for Hispanics who still have lower education and larger families, on average. Gains toward citizenship and greater English language proficiency would also serve to reduce the Hispanic–white poverty gap.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, Stanford University, Building 370, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Marybeth J. Mattingly

  2. Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire, Huddleston Hall, 73 Main Street, Durham, NH, 03820, USA

    Marybeth J. Mattingly

  3. Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality and Department of Sociology, Stanford University, Building 120, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Juan M. Pedroza

Authors
  1. Marybeth J. Mattingly
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  2. Juan M. Pedroza
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marybeth J. Mattingly.

Appendix : Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Models

Appendix : Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition Models

 

Hispanic–white poverty

 

1980

1990

2000

2010

Gap

12.4%

13.5%

12.7%

11.6%

 

Change in Hispanic poverty

Variable

1980

1990

2000

2010

Speaks English not well or not at all

0.00945

0.00889

0.01900

0.02909

Foreign-born, naturalized citizen

− 0.00192

− 0.00173

0.00086

0.00300

Foreign-born, noncitizen

0.00773

0.00901

0.00984

0.00655

Professional occupation

0.00382

0.00363

0.00290

0.00334

Working in a typical “immigrant job”

− 0.00159

n.s.

0.00032

0.00288

Number of adult workers in family

− 0.00533

− 0.00983

− 0.00507

− 0.01326

Head employed < 50 weeks last year

0.00442

0.00602

0.00671

− 0.00673

Female

0.00035

0.00029*

0.00009

0.00036

25–34 years old

0.00224

0.00404

0.00299

0.00332

35–44 years old

0.00066

0.00108

0.00074

0.00073

45–54 years old

0.00033

0.00025

− 0.00039

− 0.00019

65–74 years old

0.00454

0.00620

0.00606

0.00608

75 + years old

0.00210

0.00562

0.01007

0.01031

Less than high school

0.01596

0.02405

0.02676

0.02909

High school, 12 years

− 0.00061

− 0.00083

− 0.00086

− 0.00056

College, 4 + years

0.00076

0.00186

0.00265

0.00392

Married, spouse absent

0.00185

0.00165

0.00188

0.00291

Separated

0.00533

0.00484

0.00398

0.00514

Divorced

0.00061

n.s

− 0.00141

− 0.00258

Widowed

− 0.00349

− 0.00358

− 0.00248

− 0.00258

Never married, single

0.00058

0.00132

0.00171

0.00502

No children under age 18

0.00045

0.00334

0.00295

0.00539

Two children under age 18

0.00116

0.00215

0.00215

0.00233

Three children under age 18

0.01030

0.01193

0.00965

0.00873

Presence of a child under age 5

0.00276

0.00205

0.00175

0.00171

Not in metro area

− 0.00130

− 0.00400

− 0.00114

− 0.00115

Metro area, central city

− 0.00588

− 0.00318

− 0.00195

− 0.00140

Other metro

0.00169

0.00052

0.00082

0.00029

Metro status not identifiable

0.00052

0.00069

− 0.00055

− 0.00063

Totala

5.7%

7.6%

10.0%

10.1%

Proportion of gap explained

46%

56%

79%

87%

  1. P values are < 0.01 (two-tailed tests) unless otherwise noted: * p < 0.05 or “n.s.” (p > 0.05). Authors’ calculations of IPUMS data from Ruggles et al. (2015). Analysis sample of heads of household age 25 years and older (excludes group quarters)
  2. aTotal includes only coefficients with p value < 0.01

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Mattingly, M.J., Pedroza, J.M. Convergence and Disadvantage in Poverty Trends (1980–2010): What is Driving the Relative Socioeconomic Position of Hispanics and Whites?. Race Soc Probl 10, 53–66 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-017-9221-1

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