Characteristics of animal slaughtering and processing workers in the top five meatpacking and poultry processing states
| Meatpacking | Poultry processing | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (mean) | 41.9 | 40.6 | |
| Female | 32.2% | 40.1% | |
| Race | |||
| White | 29.2% | 29.5% | |
| Black | 12.0% | 37.2% | |
| Latinx | 47.7% | 26.5% | |
| Asian American/Pacific Islander | 9.8% | 4.8% | |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 0.5% | 0.9% | |
| Other | 0.8% | 1.2% | |
| Foreign-born | 56.1% | 28.1% | |
| Top countries of origin among foreign-born workers | |||
| Mexico | 49.0% | Mexico | 50.1% |
| Guatemala | 7.1% | El Salvador | 10.6% |
| Burma/Myanmar | 6.1% | Guatemala | 6.8% |
| El Salvador | 4.8% | Marshall Islands | 3.9% |
| Cuba | 4.5% | Honduras | 3.6% |
| Other* | 28.5% | Other** | 25.0% |
| Top languages among foreign-born workers | |||
| Spanish | 66.8% | Spanish | 70.9% |
| Vietnamese | 4.4% | English | 7.5% |
| French | 3.5% | Marshallese | 3.4% |
| Cushitic languages | 2.7% | French/Haitian Creole | 2.8% |
| English | 2.6% | Vietnamese | 1.9% |
| Other | 20.1% | Other | 13.6% |
| Citizenship status among foreign-born workers | |||
| Naturalized citizen | 32.9% | 23.7% | |
| Noncitizen | 67.1% | 76.3% | |
| Median wage and salary income | $35,000 | $26,449 | |
| Below poverty line | 5.6% | 11.4% | |
Notes: *The broad regional breakdown of countries of origin in the “Other” category for foreign-born workers in the top meatpacking states is: Latin American/Caribbean countries (3.4%); Asian countries (10.1%); African countries (13.0%); all other countries (2.0%). **For foreign-born workers in the top poultry states, the “Other” category includes: Latin American/Caribbean countries (9.4%); Asian countries (11.6%); African countries (3.3%); all other countries (0.6%). Regional classifications adopted from the United Nations. Figures were calculated using the population weights provided by IPUMS. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. “Noncitizen” includes permanent residents, residents with legal temporary status, and undocumented residents. The top five meatpacking states, by number of workers, are Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Kansas, and Illinois. The top five poultry processing states, by number of workers, are Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Source: Integrated Public-Use Microsample (IPUMS) of 2018 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates (Meatpacking, N=3,130) (Poultry, N=5,626).