Median household incomes in Onondaga County grew rapidly over the past decade. Even so, many local families are still struggling to make ends meet.

58,000 residents live just above the poverty line. This group is often called near-poor, similar to the group that some researchers label ALICE, for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These households typically earn incomes between about $35,000 and $70,000 a year for a family of four.

52,000 residents live in poverty. These households typically earn incomes less than about $35,000 a year for a family of four. Roughly 16,000 of the members of these families are children.

So, how does poverty in Onondaga County compare to similar counties?

[BULLET] The share of residents who are poor is similar to that in peer counties, and it has fallen significantly in recent years.

[BULLET] Among poor households, more than 9 in 10 poor families spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

[BULLET] The share of poor adults who are elderly or disabled is higher than the share among peers. About 42% of poor adults fall into this group.

Comparison data can also highlight shared opportunities for economic mobility. Here are examples of two local groups with unique pathways for moving out of poverty.

Single parents of young children.

Nearly 2,000 poor adults in the county are single parents raising a child under age 6. Studies find that connecting parents like these to accessible and affordable child care can boost their employment and earnings significantly.

Other underemployed workers.

Over 3,000 poor adults are in the workforce but held back from increasing their earnings by part-time work. Local data shows that for the average worker in the county, going from part-time to full-time work can more than double their earnings.

The shared opportunities among these adults have the potential to benefit more than just themselves. Together, their households include more than 6,000 children in poverty within the county.