Indianapolis-area poverty rate dipped in 2023
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The share of Indianapolis metro area residents living in poverty declined last year for the first time since the pandemic, recent census data shows.
Why it matters: The poverty rate has been declining locally and statewide over the years as wages have increased, particularly for low-income workers, but saw an uptick in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
By the numbers: The poverty rate in the Indianapolis metro area dropped to 10.6% in 2023, compared to 10.8% in 2022, according to new data released by the American Community Survey (ACS).
- The poverty rate was 15.2% a decade earlier.
Yes, but: The Marion County poverty rate was 15.3% last year, significantly higher than that of the whole metro region, which includes affluent suburbs in Hamilton, Boone and other surrounding counties.
The big picture: The trend in the metro area's poverty rate mirrors that of the state, though the state's rate is higher, at 12.3%.
How it works: The ACS uses an income threshold to determine whether a household is below poverty level and adjusts it for inflation, household size and number of children.
- The Census Bureau considered someone below the poverty line in December 2023 if they made less than about $15,800 as an individual, or under about $31,000 as a family with two adults and two children.
- Nationally in 2023, the poverty rate was 11.1%.