Maverick County Poverty Rate Among Highest in United States During Past 15 Years
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Eagle Pass Business Journal did an exclusive study on the poverty rate of Maverick County, Texas during the past 15 years, finding that generally the poverty rate in Maverick County has increased and fluctuated during the past 15 years, particularly among children, and that the County is afflicted with persistent generational poverty.
Maverick County has been consistently ranked among the top 20 counties in the United States with the highest poverty rates during the past 15 years.
Such high poverty rates precludes a community from prospering and growing and limits its residents with economic, social, health care, and educational opportunities and financial independence.
The persistent generational poverty rate found in Maverick County raises significant challenges to local governments, businesses, educational institutions, health care providers, religious institutions, law enforcement authorities, and the legal and judicial systems. Poverty affects the entire community and all its institutions and the quality of life in the community. No resident is exempt from the affect or impact of poverty within Maverick County. Everyone is touched and affected in one way or another. Among the hardest affected are children and their future to rise above poverty and become successful and productive citizens in the community. The high poverty rate in Maverick County is a serious crisis screaming for a total community strategy and solutions to attack and decrease it, providing better economic and quality of life opportunities for all local residents.
In 2001, the population of Maverick County was 47,561 people with 12,270 of these living under the poverty guidelines, that is, a County-wide poverty level of 25.8 %. The poverty rate among children (17 years or under) in Maverick County in 2001 was 24.6%.
During 2002, Maverick County’s population grew to 48,315 people and the poverty rate decreased slightly to 24.1%, that is, 11,643 people living under the poverty guidelines. 2002 experienced a 1.7% decrease in the County-wide poverty rate. Children had a poverty rate of 24.1% in Maverick County during 2002, a 0.5% decrease from 2001.
In 2003, Maverick County population grew to 48,958 people and so did the poverty rate up to 29.8%, a 5.7% increase from 2002, that is, a total of 14,589 people were reported living under the poverty guidelines. The Child poverty rate significantly jumped to 42.9%, a 18.8% increase from 2002, that is, a total of 7,671 children in Maverick County were reported living under the poverty guidelines. Children accounted for 53 % of all the people reported to be living in poverty in Maverick County during 2003.
During 2004, Maverick County population grew to 49,408 and the poverty rate slightly decrease to 27.9%, a 1.9% decrease from 2003, that is, a total of 13,784 people living in poverty. The Child poverty rate decreased to 39.1%, a decrease of 3.8% from 2003, that is, a total of 7.090 children living in poverty, accounting for 51% of all the people living in poverty in the county.
In 2005, Maverick County’s population grew to 49,852 people but the poverty rate spiked to 29.5%, an increase of 1.6% from 2004, that is, a total of 14,706 people living in poverty. The Child poverty rate was reported to slightly increase to 39.2%, a 0.01% increase from 2004, that is, a total of 6,985 kids living in poverty, accounting for 47% of all the people reported living in poverty in the county.
During 2006, Maverick County’s population grew to 50,615 people living and the poverty rate jumped to 36.6%, an increase of 7.1% from 2005, that is, a total of 18,252 people living under the poverty guidelines. The Child poverty spiked to 46.9%, an increase of 7.7% from 2005, that is, a total of 8,538 kids living in poverty, accounting for 47 % of all the people living in poverty in the county.
In 2007, Maverick County’s population grew to 50,999 people and the poverty rate dipped to 29.8% , a decrease of 6.8% from 2005, that is a total of 15,197 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate slightly decreased to 40.5%, a 5.4% decrease from 2006, that is , a total of 7,160 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 47% of the people living in poverty in the county.
During 2008, Maverick County’s population grew to 51,833 and the poverty rate decreased to 26.5 % , a decrease of 3.3% from 2007, that is, a total of 13,735 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate, too, decreased to 36.8%, a decrease of 3.7% from 2007, that is, a total of 6,366 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 46% of all the people living in poverty in the county.
In 2009, Maverick County’s population grew to 53,203 and the poverty rate slightly decreased to 25.2%, a decrease of 1.3% from 2008, that is, a total of 13,407 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate increased to 40.8%, an increase of 4% from 2008, that is, a total of 7,704 kids living in poverty, accounting for 57% of all people living in poverty in the county.
During 2010, Maverick County’s population grew to 54,477 and people and the poverty rate significantly increased to 39.9%, an increase of 14.7% from 2009, that is, a total of 21,736 people living in poverty. The Child poverty rate spiked to 45%, an increase of 4.2% from 2009, that is, a total of 9,705 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 45% of the total number of people living in poverty in the county.
In 2011, Maverick County’s population grew to 55,308 and the poverty rate decreased to 31.2%, a 8.7% decrease from 2010, that is, a total of 17,256 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate, too, decreased to 42.8%, a decrease of 2.2% from 2010, that is , a total of 7,801 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 45% of all the people living in poverty in the county.
During 2012, Maverick County’s population grew to 55,766 people and the poverty rate decreased to 28.4%, a decrease of 2.8% from 2011, that is, a total of 15,837 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate decreased to 39.5%, a decrease of 3.3% from 2010, that is, a total of 7,075 kids living in poverty, accounting for 45 % of the total people living in poverty county-wide.
During 2013, Maverick County’s population grew to 56,510 people and the poverty rate decreased to 24.4%, a decrease of 4.4% from 2012, that is, a total of 13,788 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate decreased to 34.8%, a decrease of 4.7% from 2013, that is, total of 6,289 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 46% of the total number of people living in poverty county-wide.
In 2014, Maverick County’s population grew to 57,023 and the poverty rate increased to 26.5%, an increase of 2.2% from 2013, that is, a total of 15,158 people living in poverty in the county. The Child poverty rate slightly increased to 35.5%, an increase of 0.7% from 2013, that is, a total of 6,418 kids living in poverty in the county, accounting for 42 % of the total number of people living in poverty county-wide.
During 2001 through 2014, Maverick County’s population has grown by an estimated a 20% (10,538 people), but the poverty rate fluctuates with high percentages ranging between 24.1% to 39.9% during these time period. Children account between 42% through 57% of the total number of people living in poverty in the county during this same period.
In comparison, the United States poverty rate during 2001 through 2014 fluctuated between 12.5% to 15.9% , while the United States children poverty rate during this same period ranged from 17.6% to 22.6%.
While these statistics reflect fluctuation among the poverty rate in Maverick County, these figures consistently places Maverick County among the 20 highest counties in the United States with the highest poverty rates, and the children poverty rate is no exception.
Maverick County has a persistent generational high poverty rate which affects the community’s ability to prosper and grow into a vibrant and dynamic international community and affects the quality of life and opportunities available to its residents. The high poverty rate in Maverick County is an important social and economic crisis which deserves greater scrutiny among community stakeholders and development of a community-wide strategy to eliminate poverty and increase opportunities for local residents, particularly children.
