Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in South Carolina: 2003

The Census Bureau's report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003 was released on August 26, 2004. The report presented data on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States based on information collected in the 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. To view the entire report, please visit the U.S. Census Bureau.

Income

In South Carolina, the 2001-2003 three-year average median money income of households was $38,791, ranking the state 36th in the country. The national three-year-average median household income was $43,527.

Money Income of Households Using 2- and 3-Year Average Medians: 2001 to 2003
(Income in 2003 Dollars)

	3-year average 2001-2003		2-year average				Change in median income (2002-2003 average less 2001-2002 average)
	Median money income	90-percent confidence interval*	2001-2002		2002-2003		Dollars	Percentage change
			Median money income	90-percent confidence interval*	Median money income	90-percent confidence interval*
South Carolina	$38,791	1,328	$38,946	1,567	$38,579	1,605	-368	-0.9
United States	$43,527	178	$43,631	187	$43,349	224	**-282	**-0.9

*A 90-percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate's variability. The larger the confidence interval in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate.

**Statistically different from zero at the 90-percent confidence level.

Note: The 3-year-average median is the sum of three inflation-adjusted single-year medians divided by 3. The 2-year-average median is the sum of two inflation-adjusted single-year medians divided by 2.
 

Poverty

South Carolina's 2001-2003 three-year-average poverty rate was 14.0 percent, an increase from the state's 2000-2002 three-year-average poverty rate of 13.5 percent. The national three-year-average poverty rate for 2001-2003 was 12.1.

Percentage of People in Poverty Using 2- and 3-year Averages: 2001 to 2003
(People as of March the following year)

	3-year average 2001-2003		2-year average				Change in percentage points (2002-2003 average less 2001-2002 average)
	Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*	2001-2002		2002-2003		Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*
			Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*	Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*
South Carolina	14.0	1.3	14.7	1.6	13.5	1.5	-1.2	1.3
United States	12.1	0.2	11.9	0.2	12.3	0.2	**0.4	0.2

*A 90-percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate's variability. The larger the confidence interval in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate.

**Statistically different from zero at the 90-percent confidence level.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.
 

Health Insurance Coverage

An average of 13.1 percent of South Carolina's residents did not have health insurance coverage during the years 2001-2003. Nationwide, an average of 15.1 percent of the population did not have health insurance coverage in 2001-2003.

Percentage of People without Health Insurance Coverage Using 2- and 3-year Averages: 2001 to 2003
(People as of March the following year)

	3-year average 2001-2003		2-year average				Change in percentage points (2002-2003 average less 2001-2002 average)
	Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*	2001-2002		2002-2003		Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*
			Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*	Percentage	90-percent confidence interval*
South Carolina	13.1	0.9	12.4	1.0	13.4	1.0	**1.0	0.9
United States	15.1	0.1	14.9	0.1	15.4	0.1	**0.5	0.1

*A 90-percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate's variability. The larger the confidence interval in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate.

**Statistically different from zero at the 90-percent confidence level.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2002 to 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.