Child Poverty Rate (Ages 5 to 17) · Maine

## What this measures

The percentage of related children aged 5 to 17 living in families in Maine whose income falls below the official poverty threshold, from the Census Bureau's Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. Annual, from 1995.

## Why it matters

Child poverty bears on schooling, health and later earnings. This is the age group SAIPE estimates for the school-age population, the basis for federal education funding.

## How to read it

Percent of school-age children in families. Compare with the state's rate for all ages (us.state.me.poverty_rate) and the U.S. child rate (us.saipe.child_poverty_rate).

## What it does not say

SAIPE estimates are modelled: they combine survey data (the American Community Survey from 2005, the CPS before) with tax, SNAP and population records, so they are more stable than a survey alone, but each comes with a 90% confidence interval (kept with every point). The change of survey in 2005 means comparisons across it should be made with care. Poverty uses the official measure, which counts pre-tax money income only, so tax credits and non-cash benefits such as SNAP do not lift anyone above the line. Children not living with relatives (in foster care, for example) are outside this measure.

## Source

U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), state and county estimates files. Public domain.