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How Income & Poverty Impacts Health
Income directly impacts education, housing, food, and healthcare access, influencing overall well-being and health. Individuals with lower incomes often experience higher rates of chronic diseases, lower life expectancy, and limited access to health resources1. Poor health may limit employment opportunities, further impacting access to essential resources for improving health. Poverty is complex, with many factors contributing to its cause and continuation, sometimes across generations. It can impact an individual’s health starting before birth and continuing throughout their lives. Understanding income distribution and poverty within a population can help communities make system changes to address the inequities and support economic well-being and overall quality of life.
Indicators on this page:
Food Security Indicators are located under Nutrition and Physical Activity
Median Household Income
Why this is important: Members of households with stable and adequate income are more likely to access healthier food options, quality healthcare, and secure housing. Adequate financial resources significantly enhance the ability to lead healthier lives and improve physical and mental well-being2.
Definition: Income of the householder and all other individuals 15 years and over. The median divides the income distribution into two equal parts: one half of households falling below the median income and one half above the median income.
Trend: The median household income in Whatcom County has been increasing since 2012.
Geography: Whatcom County had a lower median household income than Washington state in 2022.
Disparities: Disparities in median household income in Whatcom County exist among race and age of householders, as well as household type. Hover over the data in the subpopulation tabs to discover more.
Learn More:
- Poverty Literature Summary, Healthy People 2030.
- Association of Family Income With Morbidity and Mortality Among US Lower-Income Children and Adolescents, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2022.
- How are Income and Wealth Linked to Health and Longevity?, Urban Institute, 2015.
Population Living at or Below the Poverty Level
Why this is important: Poverty is complex, with many contributing factors that can last for generations. It can impact an individual’s health starting before birth and continuing throughout their life. Those living in poverty often lack access to healthy food, safe and stable housing, health care, or opportunities for physical activity3.
Definition: Percent of the population that is living at or below 100% of the federal poverty level.
Trend: From 2012 to 2022, the percent of the population living at or below the federal poverty level has been decreasing significantly.
Geography: In 2022, the percent of the population in Whatcom County living at or below 100% of the federal poverty level was significantly higher than Washington state.
Disparities: Disparities in the percent of the population living below 100% of the federal poverty level exist among race and age of Whatcom County residents. Hover over the data in the subpopulation tabs to discover more.
Learn more:
- Prosperity Project Community Needs Assessment, Opportunity Council, 2021.
- Poverty Literature Summary, Healthy People 2030.
ALICE Households
Why this is important: ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and refers to households earning above the Federal Poverty Level but still unable to afford basic living costs. These households include a growing number of individuals and families who, despite being employed, cannot meet the fundamental needs of housing, child care, food, transportation, healthcare, and technology.
Definition: Percent of households which are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed
Trend: The percent of households in Whatcom County that are Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, Employed has not been changing significantly since 2010.
Geography: The percent of households in Whatcom County that were Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed in 2021 was higher than Washington state.
Disparities: Disparities exist by geographic sub-county area within Whatcom County. Hover over the data in the subpopulation tabs to discover more.
Learn more:
- United for ALICE: Washington State
- An Update on Financial Hardship in Washington, United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, 2024.
- A profile of the working poor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020.
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