Market Failure: Poverty and Income Inequality Listed below are several summary s

Question

Market Failure: Poverty and Income Inequality

Listed below are several summary statements from the 2010 Census report:

1) The official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent - up from 14.3 percent in 2009. This was the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. Since 2007, the poverty rate has increased by 2.6 percentage points, from 12.5 percent to 15.1 percent.

2) In 2010, 46.2 million people were in poverty, up from 43.6 million in 2009 - the fourth consecutive annual increase in the number of people in poverty.

3) Between 2009 and 2010, the poverty rate increased for non-Hispanic Whites (from 9.4 percent to 9.9 percent), for Blacks (from 25.8 percent to 27.4 percent), and for Hispanics (from 25.3 percent to 26.6 percent). For Asians, the 2010 poverty rate (12.1 percent) was not statistically different from the 2009 poverty rate.

4) The poverty rate in 2010 (15.1 percent) was the highest poverty rate since 1993 but was 7.3 percentage points lower than the poverty rate in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available.

5)The number of people in poverty in 2010 (46.2 million) is the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published.

6) Between 2009 and 2010, the poverty rate increased for children under age 18 (from 20.7 percent to 22.0 percent) and people aged 18 to 64 (from 12.9 percent to 13.7 percent), but was not statistically different for people aged 65 and older (9.0 percent).

Required: Select any four of the six summary statements and explain in detail the significance and possible causes of each item. Be sure to use the economic concepts and polices discussed in your textbook where applicable. Identify possible economic policies that may explain these items and/or those which could be used to deal with the problems or situations described.

Explanation / Answer

Table A. Median Household Income

Region

U.S.

Northeast

Midwest.

South

West

Race and Hispanic Origin of Householder

White

   White, not Hispanic

Black

Asian

Hispanic origin

Nativity of Householder

Native-born

Foreign-born

   Naturalized citizen

   Not a citizen

*Change statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.

Table B. People in Poverty

Region

U.S.

Northeast

Midwest.

South

West

Race and Hispanic Origin

White

   White, not Hispanic

Black

Asian

Hispanic origin

Nativity

Native-born

Foreign-born

   Naturalized citizen

   Not a citizen

*Statistically different from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.

Table C. People Without Health Insurance Coverage

Region

U.S.

Northeast

Midwest.

South

West

Race and Hispanic Origin

White

   White, not Hispanic

Black

Asian

Hispanic origin

Nativity

Native-born

Foreign-born

   Naturalized citizen

   Not a citizen

*Change statistically significant from zero at the 90 percent confidence level.

Table A. Median Household Income

2009 2010 Percent change in real median income (in 2010 dollars)

Region

U.S.

$50,599 $49,445 *-2.3

Northeast

$53,949 $53,283 -1.2

Midwest.

$49,684 $48,445 *-2.5

South

$46,368 $45,492 *-1.9

West

$54,722 $53,142 *-2.9

Race and Hispanic Origin of Householder

White

$52,717 $51,846 *-1.7

   White, not Hispanic

$55,360 $54,620 -1.3

Black

$33,122 $32,068 *-3.2

Asian

$66,550 $64,308 -3.4

Hispanic origin

$38,667 $37,759 -2.3

Nativity of Householder

Native-born

$51,337 $50,288 *-2.0

Foreign-born

$44,648 $43,750 -2.0

   Naturalized citizen

$52,833 $52,642 -0.4

   Not a citizen

$36,685 $36,401 -0.8

*Change statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.

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