The Indicators
The proportion of people filing taxes who receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
The tax credit helps low-income individuals and families by reducing the taxes they pay or in some cases providing refunds. When the credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed, qualified filers receive a federal refund. The number of filers receiving the credit is one measure of the number of working poor people in a region, though not everyone who would qualify for the credit claims it. The infusion of cash to eligible households is also believed to help spur economic activity, prompting local efforts to ensure eligible families claim the credit to avoid leaving "cash on the table" that could benefit the whole community.
In 2022, 11% of tax filers in the Mid-Hudson Valley received the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), slightly lower than the statewide (excluding NYC) rate (12%) and the national rate (15%). Within the region, the rate was highest in Sullivan County, at 16%, and lowest in Putnam, at 7%.
While the rates in 2022 for the region, New York State and the nation were each 2 to 4 percentage points lower than a decade earlier, 2021 marked a high point for EITC participation across all three of these groups, so it remains to be seen whether lower 2022 rates are consistent going forward.
People must claim the credit to receive it; therefore, these numbers do not reflect the number of people eligible for the credit. The IRS and other experts estimate that between 80 and 85 percent of those who are eligible for the credit claim it.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 15% | 11% |
| Columbia | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 15% | 11% |
| Dutchess | 11% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 13% | 9% |
| Greene | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 12% | 16% | 12% |
| Orange | 14% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 17% | 13% |
| Putnam | 7% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 10% | 7% |
| Sullivan | 20% | 21% | 20% | 21% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 16% | 21% | 16% |
| Ulster | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 16% | 12% |
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 14% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 15% | 12% |
| U.S. | 19% | 19% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 18% | 17% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 15% |
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 72,310 | 73,210 | 75,530 | 76,560 | 76,480 | 74,960 | 73,750 | 71,760 | 71,880 | 68,590 | 87,050 | 64,340 |
| Columbia | 4,556 | 4,540 | 4,620 | 4,560 | 4,570 | 4,360 | 4,160 | 4,070 | 4,020 | 3,820 | 4,800 | 3,430 |
| Dutchess | 15,696 | 15,860 | 16,620 | 16,890 | 16,630 | 16,370 | 16,130 | 15,590 | 15,530 | 14,980 | 19,270 | 13,830 |
| Greene | 3,607 | 3,560 | 3,620 | 3,640 | 3,570 | 3,480 | 3,420 | 3,320 | 3,310 | 3,080 | 3,800 | 2,810 |
| Orange | 25,061 | 25,460 | 26,750 | 27,380 | 27,640 | 27,300 | 26,820 | 26,390 | 26,610 | 25,300 | 32,170 | 24,530 |
| Putnam | 3,599 | 3,690 | 3,960 | 3,870 | 3,830 | 3,860 | 3,870 | 3,810 | 3,770 | 3,770 | 5,070 | 3,600 |
| Sullivan | 6,917 | 7,070 | 6,790 | 6,960 | 6,960 | 6,760 | 6,690 | 6,560 | 6,650 | 6,260 | 7,630 | 5,780 |
| Ulster | 12,874 | 13,030 | 13,170 | 13,260 | 13,280 | 12,830 | 12,660 | 12,020 | 11,990 | 11,380 | 14,310 | 10,360 |
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 774,829 | 781,170 | 806,940 | 805,060 | 794,690 | 775,400 | 758,050 | 737,770 | 737,570 | 695,390 | 864,210 | 647,530 |
| U.S. | 27,917,759 | 27,745,410 | 28,452,560 | 28,207,380 | 27,972,330 | 27,295,960 | 26,815,230 | 26,119,780 | 26,558,520 | 25,536,190 | 32,048,530 | 23,695,170 |
| INDICATORS | TREND | STATE |
|---|
Children & Youth
Community
Demographics
Economy
Education
Financial Stability
Health
Housing
Racial Equity
