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Virginia Value:
Percentage of females ages 18-44 who live below the poverty level
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Percentage of females ages 18-44 who live below the poverty level
US Value: 15.5%
Top State(s): New Hampshire: 9.1%
Bottom State(s): Louisiana: 24.8%
Definition: Percentage of females ages 18-44 who live below the poverty level
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2021
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Poverty is associated with poor health outcomes. It influences environmental exposures and health-related behaviors, and is linked to increased risk of mortality and chronic disease. In 2020, 35% of families living in poverty were female-headed households with children younger than 18.
Women with incomes below the federal poverty level may struggle to consistently afford basic needs such as stable housing, food and health insurance coverage. Additional negative implications of poverty among women include increased risk of sexual exploitation and trafficking and lower rates of physical activity.
The cost of poverty adds up over time and can become a cycle; those with limited income spend a larger portion of their wages on basic necessities and are often taken advantage of by predatory lenders, forcing them deeper into debt.
According to America’s Health Rankings data, the poverty rate is higher among:
Additional research has found that poverty is also higher among:
Addressing the gender wage gap and implementing universal basic income could reduce poverty among women. Various government programs are available to assist and support women in poverty:
Healthy People 2030 tracks different objectives related to economic stability, including reducing the proportion of people living in poverty.
Adler, Nancy E., Thomas Boyce, Margaret A. Chesney, Sheldon Cohen, Susan Folkman, Robert L. Kahn, and S. Leonard Syme. “Socioeconomic Status and Health: The Challenge of the Gradient.” American Psychologist 49, no. 1 (1994): 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.49.1.15.
Bleiweis, Robin, Diana Boesch, and Alexandra Cawthorne Gaines. “The Basic Facts About Women in Poverty.” Center for American Progress, August 3, 2020. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2020/08/03/488536/basic-facts-women-poverty/.
Chetty, Raj, Michael Stepner, Sarah Abraham, Shelby Lin, Benjamin Scuderi, Nicholas Turner, Augustin Bergeron, and David Cutler. “The Association Between Income and Life Expectancy in the United States, 2001-2014.” JAMA 315, no. 16 (April 26, 2016): 1750. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.4226.
Coalition on Human Needs. “The High Cost of Being Poor in the U.S.: Anti-Poverty Programs Help Alleviate Costs, But More Must Be Done to Reduce Burdens.” Washington, D.C.: Coalition on Human Needs, September 20, 2016. https://www.chn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Final-CHN-Natl-Census-Poverty-Report-9.20.16.pdf.
Franchino-Olsen, Hannabeth. “Vulnerabilities Relevant for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children/Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors.” Trauma, Violence, & Abuse 22, no. 1 (January 2021): 99–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018821956.
Hoebeke, Roberta. “Low-Income Women’s Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity: Focus Group Results.” Applied Nursing Research 21, no. 2 (May 2008): 60–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2006.06.002.
Khullar, Dhruv, and Dave A. Chokshi. “Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help.” Health Affairs Health Policy Brief. Bethesda, MD: Project HOPE, October 4, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1377/hpb20180817.901935.
Pampel, Fred C., Patrick M. Krueger, and Justin T. Denney. “Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Behaviors.” Annual Review of Sociology 36, no. 1 (June 1, 2010): 349–70. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102529.
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.