Table 3
Poverty in the Midwest remained elevated long after the Great Recession: Three-year-average official poverty rates between 2005 and 2021 (U.S. and Midwestern states)
| 2005–2007 | 2007–2009 | 2009–2011 | 2011–2013 | 2013–2015 | 2015–2017 | 2017–2019 | 2019–2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 12.5% | 13.4% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.4% | 12.8% | 11.5% | 11.2% |
| Illinois | 10.7% | 11.8% | 13.8% | 13.4% | 12.7% | 11.3% | 10.4% | 9.3% |
| Indiana | 11.7% | 14.1% | 16.0% | 14.1% | 14.9% | 12.3% | 11.1% | 10.8% |
| Iowa | 10.2% | 9.7% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 11.3% | 9.7% | 8.7% | 9.5% |
| Kansas | 12.3% | 12.7% | 14.2% | 13.8% | 12.6% | 13.4% | 10.4% | 8.6% |
| Michigan | 12.0% | 12.6% | 14.9% | 14.4% | 13.4% | 12.2% | 10.7% | 11.0% |
| Minnesota | 8.5% | 10.1% | 10.6% | 10.7% | 9.0% | 8.6% | 7.4% | 7.0% |
| Missouri | 11.9% | 13.9% | 15.3% | 14.8% | 12.6% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 10.8% |
| Nebraska | 9.9% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 10.1% | 10.3% | 8.4% |
| North Dakota | 10.6% | 10.7% | 11.2% | 10.4% | 11.2% | 11.0% | 10.1% | 9.1% |
| Ohio | 12.4% | 13.3% | 14.6% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 13.3% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| South Dakota | 10.6% | 12.2% | 14.1% | 12.5% | 13.3% | 12.9% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| Wisconsin | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 11.9% | 10.5% | 8.7% | 8.6% |
Note: The official poverty measure compares pretax cash income to a set of thresholds that vary by the size of the family and the ages of family members. These calculations do not account for the value of in-kind benefits or tax credits, nor do they consider regional differences in living costs or expenses.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Table 21. Percent of people in poverty by state, 3-year averages [xlsx].
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