Poverty Indicator
Poverty Rates
People Living in Poverty Jump to Section
People with incomes below the poverty line, as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status has been determined. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year.
The US Census Bureau poverty threshold for a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) in 2023 is $30,900. The range of poverty thresholds can be found here.
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Jump to Section
Total number of individuals living below the poverty line in our 8-county region, subdivided by their Race/Ethnicity.
Children in Poverty Jump to Section
Total number of children living below the poverty line in our 8-county region and its associated localities. A child is defined as living in poverty if they are in a household with earnings below the federal poverty threshold.
The US Census Bureau poverty threshold for a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child) in 2023 is $24,526. The poverty threshold for a family of 3 (1 adult, 2 children) is $24,549.
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Jump to Section
Total number of children living below the poverty line in our 8-county region and its localities further subdivided by their Race/Ethnicity.
Seniors in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Jump to Section
Total number of individuals over the age of 65 (seniors) living below the poverty line in our 8-county region, subdivided by their Race/Ethnicity.
The 2023 US Census Bureau poverty threshold for an individual 65 years of age and older is an annual income of $14,614.
For more information about the well-being of Monroe County older adults, please visit the Monroe County Aging Alliance and see our 2021 report Poverty in Later Life.
Females in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Jump to Section
Total number of females living below the poverty line in our 8-county region subdivided by their Race/Ethnicity.
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The US Census Bureau’s website provides data for people living in poverty for counties and localities within our area. The data spans from 2010 to 2022 and to 2023.
The US Census Bureau defines the poverty line each year by size of family unit and number of related children under 18 years of age.
We acknowledge that the racial/ethnic categories may not feel like a direct representation of your racial/ethnic identity and for some may not feel empowering. As these data are from Census and government-based datasets, we are limited to their categories. We hope that collectively we will work toward more expansive and inclusive terminology.
People Living in Poverty
-1.87%
There is a 1.87% decrease in the number of people living in poverty in the 8-county region since 2022.
Seneca County
As of 2023, over 13% of the population in Seneca County lives in poverty, highest of all counties in our region.
City of Rochester
Among all the localities in our region, Rochester stands out with the highest count of residents living below the poverty line, totaling 53k individuals as of 2023.
Pittsford
In 2022, Pittsford village had the smallest percentage of residents living below the poverty line among all localities, with only 2% of individuals living in poverty.
This infographic shows the number of people living below the poverty line in our 8-county region. The “Counties” tab has an area map of the counties in Rochester whereas the “Localities” tab has an icon map for different towns and localities. The data spans from 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: Use the + or - in the upper left corner to zoom in and out to capture the full region.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes.
This infographic displays a line graph depicting the percentage of Population living in Poverty in the 8-county region and the City of Rochester. The data spans from 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the county/city in the legend, it highlights the line.
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
Monroe County
Monroe County has the highest population of Black/African American families living in poverty in 2023 when compared to the other counties in our region, with 30,352 Black/African American households facing poverty. The majority of these families reside in the City of Rochester.
Increasing
The number of Asian people residing in poverty within our 8-county region has, on average, continued increasing from 2022 to 2023.
Pittsford
In 2023, only 34 people of any race are living in poverty in Pittsford. This is up from 19 people in 2021.
This infographic presents a line graph depicting the number of individuals living below the poverty line across various localities in our 8-county region, broken down by Race/Ethnicity. The data covers the period from 2010 to 2023. Use the drop down menu at the top to select the locality.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the line.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
This infographic displays a stacked column chart representing the number of people living below the poverty line in our 8-county region, subdivided by Race/Ethnicity, covering the years 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the relevant section.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
Children in Poverty
-1.28%
Compared to 2022, there are 1.28% less children living in poverty in the 8 county region in 2023.
18.1k Children
In 2023, Monroe County accounted for 72% of all children living in poverty within the 8-county region, with 63% of these children residing in the City of Rochester.
-21.36%
The number of children living in poverty in the City of Rochester has experienced a 21.36% drop from 23k in 2010 to 18.1k in 2023.
Pittsford
Pittsford has had no children living in poverty for the last 6 years (2018 - 2023).
The infographic for “Children Living in Poverty” shows a heat map with two tabs, “Counties” and “Localities” for count of children residing in households below the poverty line. The “Counties” tab has an area map of the counties in our region whereas the “Localities” tab has an “icon map.” The timespan represented is 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: Use the + or - in the upper left corner to zoom in and out to capture the full region.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes.
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
Black/African American
Rochester is home to over 80% of the total Black children living in poverty in Monroe County as of 2023.
Asian
The number of Asian children residing in poverty within our 8-county region has increased by 20% from 2022 to 2023.
No children in poverty
As of 2023, no children of any race are living in poverty in Honeoye Falls, Pittsford, or Churchville.
33% White
In our 8-county region in 2023, 33% of the children living in poverty are white followed by 28% children who are Black.
This infographic displays a stacked column chart representing the number of children living in poverty in the 8-county region, broken down by Race/Ethnicity, covering the years 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the relevant section.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
This infographic presents a line graph depicting the number of children living in poverty across various localities in the region, broken down by Race/Ethnicity. The data covers the period from 2010 to 2023. Use the drop down menu at the top to select different localities.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the line.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes.
Seniors in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
City of Rochester
The trajectory of seniors in poverty for all races/ethnicities in the City of Rochester has been increasing since 2015.
Monroe County
The variation by race/ethnicity of seniors in poverty in Monroe County most closely resembles the distribution of New York State and the US.
Pittsford Village
In 2022, Pittsford Village has only 8 seniors of any race living under the poverty rate, lowest of all localities in the 8-county region. In 2023, the county of Pittsford Village seniors living under the poverty rate decreased to 2.
This infographic presents a line graph depicting the number of seniors (defined as people over the age of 65) living below the poverty line across various localities in our 8-county region, broken down by Race/Ethnicity. The data covers the period from 2010 to 2023. Use the drop down menu at the top to select different localities.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the line.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
This infographic displays a stacked bar chart representing the number of seniors living below the poverty line for the 8 counties in our region, subdivided by Race/Ethnicity. The data covers the years from 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the relevant section.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
Females in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
Black/African American Women
The number of Black/African American females living below the poverty line in the city of Rochester has been in decline since 2014.
Rochester Suburbs
Since 2015, the rate of White, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino females living under the poverty rate has remained constant.
Seneca Falls
A place significant to women’s rights and the lives of women, the trend of females living under the poverty rate in Seneca Falls has been variable (see line graph below).
This infographic presents a line graph depicting the number of females living below the poverty line across various localities in our 8-county region, broken down by Race/Ethnicity. The data covers the period from 2010 to 2023. Use the drop down menu at the top to select different localities.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the line.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.
This infographic displays a stacked bar chart representing the number of females living below the poverty line in our 8-county region, subdivided by Race/Ethnicity, covering the years 2010 to 2023.
Pro Tip: If you hover over the Census racial/ethnic group in the legend, it highlights the relevant section.
Note: Counties outside of Monroe County tend to have lower numbers reflected in Census data, which increases the margin of error. This is particularly true when the population is disaggregated by category. In other words, be wary of dramatic changes/values.