What does this measure?

The estimated proportion of residents 65 and older with incomes below the poverty line. In 2024, the threshold for a person 65 or older was $15,050.

Why is this important?

The percentage of seniors living in poverty is a measure of the overall economic health of the older population, and it can indicate the level of need for social and government supports among this population.

How is the region performing?

In 2020-24, 9% of seniors in the Mid-Hudson Valley had incomes below the poverty line, on par with the statewide (excluding NYC) rate and slightly below the national rate (11%). This is an increase of two percentage points since 2010-2014, which mirrors state and national increases.

Of counties with reliable data, Dutchess and Putnam had the lowest senior poverty rates, at 8%, while Columbia and Orange had the highest, at 11%. Over the last decade, rates of senior poverty have increased by 2-4 percentage points across counties. Populations of seniors in poverty were too small in Sullivan County and most municipalities to report reliable data.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau s American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35% 50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20% 35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval).

The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Poverty status is not reported for people in institutions, including college dormitories and military barracks, and people in living situations without conventional housing.