Economic Well-Being
Family economic success provides a critical foundation for healthy child development, which in turn is related to more positive outcomes in adulthood. Ongoing exposure to economic stress and hardship can negatively affect children’s physical and mental health, academic achievement, and social-emotional well-being.
Opportunity Youth are young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are disconnected from both school and work. Sometimes referred to as “disconnected youth,” the term “Opportunity Youth” is preferred because it suggests that engaging this population in the workforce and educational system presents opportunities and benefits.
Years included: 2020, 2021
Source: Measure of America, Youth Disconnection
Household employment is a measure of how many members of a household had employment within the past 12 months.
Years included: 2018-2022
Source: Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates S2302
Household employment is a measure of how many members of a household had employment within the past 12 months.
Years included: 2018-2022
Source: Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates S2302
High housing burden is calculated by determining what percentage of a household’s income is spent on housing. High housing burden has been separated into two categories used in measurement: cost burden and severe cost burden. A cost burden is when a household spends 30% or more of their income on housing. A severe cost burden is present when a household spends more than 50% of their income on housing.
Years included: 2012-2017, 2018-2022
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates DP04
High housing burden is calculated by determining what percentage of a household’s income is spent on housing. High housing burden has been separated into two categories used in measurement: cost burden and severe cost burden. A cost burden is when a household spends 30% or more of their income on housing. A severe cost burden is present when a household spends more than 50% of their income on housing.
Years included: 2012-2017, 2018-2022
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates DP04
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program that helps people and families with low incomes buy the nutritious foods they need for good health. Eligibility is set by federal guidelines and is determined using three tests to evaluate a household’s gross monthly income, net income, and assets. Once verified as eligible, a household’s benefits are then determined using the number of persons living in the household.
Years included: 2012-2017, 2018-2022
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates S2201
A CollegeChoice 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to help pay for education costs related to post-secondary education, K-12 education, and apprenticeships. They can also be used to pay off student loans. The rate per 1,000 represents the number of active accounts per every 1,000 youth under 18.
Years included: 2023
Source: Indiana Education Savings Authority
Poverty is a state in which an individual or group of individuals does not have sufficient resources to purchase basic necessities such as food, clothing, or housing. Poverty is most commonly calculated by using poverty thresholds, which vary based on family size and composition. If a family’s or individual’s total income is less than the family’s poverty threshold, then every member of that family, including children, is in poverty. The Census Bureau relies on two measure of poverty designed to work in tandem with, not replace, each other – the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) and the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM).
Years included: 2018-2022
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates B17001
Debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is a ratio of a household’s aggregate, or total, debt (excluding student loans) divided by aggregate annual income. Debt is money owed in exchange for loans or for goods or services purchased with credit.
Years included: 2021, 2022
Source: Federal Reserve System
Deep poverty, sometimes referred to as extreme poverty, occurs when an individual(s) is living in a household with a total cash income below 50% of its poverty threshold.
Years included: 2018-2022
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates B17024
Measure of the food environment accounts for both proximity to healthy foods and income. Access to healthy foods, locations for health food purchases, and the lack of access to healthy food due to cost barriers are included. Years included: 2020 | Source: County Health Rankings
The annual food budget shortfall is calculated by taking the average of the total annualized additional dollar amount that food-insecure populations report needing to cover just enough food to meet their needs. Years included: 2020, 2021 | Source: Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap
Students experiencing homelessness are any students who are enrolled in an Indiana school and do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Years included: 2023 | Source: Indiana Department of Education via IYI Data Request
Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent or dependable access to enough food or a disruption in routine nutrition so that every person in a household can live an active and healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity can be caused by long-term circumstances such as lack of income and resources or by external and sudden financial changes. Hunger is a feeling when an individual does not have food, whereas chronic hunger is a direct result of food insecurity and is a state of long-term undernourishment. Years included: 2020, 2021 | Source: Feeding America
Free and reduced-price lunches at school are provided to income-eligible families through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Years included: 2023 | Source: Indiana Department of Education via IYI Data Request
Research
Research
Indiana Youth Institute Data Brief
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2022). TANF Cash Assistance Should Reach Millions More Families to Lessen Hardship.
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2021). TANF policies reflect racist legacy of cash assistance.
Indiana Youth Institute Resource Guide
Indiana Youth Institute Data Brief
Source: Center for American Progress (2021). The basic facts about children in poverty.
Indiana Youth Institute Issue Brief
Indiana Youth Institute Data Brief
Source: Urban Institute (2019). Expanding Child Care Subsidies Would Support Parental Work and Raise Family Incomes across the United States.
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2019). Indiana Federal Rental Assistance Fact Sheet.
Source: Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) (2018) Measuring Housing Insecurity in the American Housing Survey.
Source: Mendelson T, Mmari K, Blum RW, Catalano RF, Brindis CD. (2018). Opportunity Youth: Insights and Opportunities for a Public Health Approach to Reengage Disconnected Teenagers and Young Adults.
Source: Indiana University, Public Policy Institute (2018). Lost Opportunities: The Impact of Inadequate Child Care on Indiana’s Workforce & Economy.
Source: Foundation for Child Development (2017). Children’s Experience with Parental Employment Insecurity and Family Income Inequality.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics (2016). Poverty and Child Health in the United States.
Source: Congressional Research Service (2015). Disconnected Youth: A Look at 16 to 24 Year Olds Who Are Not Working or in School.
Source: Purdue University, College of Health and Human Sciences (2015). What Do We Know About the Effects of Early Child Care?.
Source: Wilder Research (2014). Nutrition and Students’ Academic Performance.