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Nevada Value:
Ratio of the poverty rate of the racial/ethnic group with the highest rate (varies by state) to the non-Hispanic white rate among adults age 65 and older
Nevada Rank:
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Ratio of the poverty rate of the racial/ethnic group with the highest rate (varies by state) to the non-Hispanic white rate among adults age 65 and older
US Value: 2.3
Top State(s): Kentucky: 1.4
Bottom State(s): Vermont: 9.5
Definition: Ratio of the poverty rate of the racial/ethnic group with the highest rate (varies by state) to the non-Hispanic white rate among adults age 65 and older
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
In 2020, racial and ethnic minorities made up the majority of older adults in poverty, despite accounting for only 24% of the older adult population in the United States. The poverty rate among American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Hispanic older adults is more than double that of white older adults.
Poverty is associated with poor health outcomes. It influences environmental exposures and health-related behaviors, and increases the risk of chronic disease and mortality. Among older adults, poverty is linked to an increased risk of disability, homelessness, and physical and cognitive decline.
Racial disparities in poverty are caused by cumulative disadvantages that occur over generations. The negative effects of interpersonal and structural racism on social determinants of health interact with one another, deepening inequities and placing communities of color at higher risk for poor health outcomes.
Older adults of color are disproportionately affected by poverty:
For comparison, white older adults make up 76% of the senior population and 6.8% live in poverty.
Many federal, state and local government programs, as well as community interventions, exist to support and help reduce the number of older adults living in poverty. Some of them include Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, Medicaid and housing assistance, as well as food and nutrition support like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and congregate or home-delivered meal programs.
However, in order to address the racial gap in poverty among older adults, long-term approaches are needed to end cycles of generational poverty. Some ways to do this include:
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America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.