Indicators of Welfare Dependence

Annual Report to Congress
2003

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

For on-line versions of this report (and previous annual reports)
see the Office of Human Services Policy's web page on the Indicators Reports:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/indicators-rtc/index.shtml

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

Contents

Executive Summary (in PDF format)

Chapters

1. Introduction and Overview (in PDF format)
   • Organization of Report
   • Measuring Welfare Dependence
   • Measuring Deprivation
   • Data Sources
2. Indicators of Dependence (in PDF format)
   • Indicator 1. Degree of Dependence
   • Indicator 2. Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance and Labor Force Attachment
   • Indicator 3. Rates of Receipt of Means-Tested Assistance
   • Indicator 4. Rates of Participation in Means-Tested Assistance Programs
   • Indicator 5. Multiple Program Receipt
   • Indicator 6. Dependence Transitions
   • Indicator 7. Dependence Spell Duration
   • Indicator 8. Program Spell Duration
   • Indicator 9. Long-Term Dependency
   • Indicator 10. Long-Term Receipt
   • Indicator 11. Events Associated with the Beginning and Ending of Program Spells
3. Predictors and Risk Factors Associated with Welfare Receipt (in PDF format)
   • Economic Security Risk Factors
     • ECON 1. Poverty Rates
     • ECON 2. Deep Poverty Rates
     • ECON 3. Experimental Poverty Measures
     • ECON 4. Poverty Rates with Various Means-Tested Benefits Included
     • ECON 5. Poverty Spells
     • ECON 6. Long-Term Poverty
     • ECON 7. Child Support
     • ECON 8. Food Insecurity
     • ECON 9. Lack of Health Insurance
   • Employment and Work-Related Risk Factors
     • WORK 1. Labor Force Attachment
     • WORK 2. Employment Among the Low-Skilled
     • WORK 3. Earnings of Low-Skilled Workers
     • WORK 4. Educational Attainment
     • WORK 5. High School Dropout Rates
     • WORK 6. Adult Alcohol and Substance Abuse
     • WORK 7. Adult and Child Disability
   • Non-Marital Birth Risk Factors
     • BIRTH 1. Births to Unmarried Women
     • BIRTH 2. Births to Unmarried Teens
     • BIRTH 3. Unmarried Teen Birth Rates within Age Groups
     • BIRTH 4. Never-Married Family Status

Appendices

1. Program Data (in PDF format)
   • Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
   • Food Stamp Program
   • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
2. Alternative Definition of Dependence Based on Income from TANF and Food Stamps (in PDF format)
3. Additional Non-Marital Birth Data (in PDF format)

List of Figures

Chapter I

• SUM 1. Recipiency and Dependency Rates: 1996-2001
• SUM 2. Percentage of Total Population in Poverty with Various Means-Tested Benefits Added to Total Cash Income: 1979-2001
• SUM 3. Recipiency and Dependency Rates from Two Data Sources: 1987-2000

Chapter II

• IND 1a. Percentage of Total Income from Means-Tested Assistance Programs: 2000
• IND 1b. Percentage of Total Income from Various Sources, by Poverty Status: 2000
• IND 2. Percentage of Recipients in Families with Labor Force Participants in that month, by Program: 2000
• IND 3a. Percentage of the Total Population Receiving AFDC/TANF, by Age: 1970-2001
• IND 3b. Percentage of the Total Population Receiving Food Stamps, by Age: 1975-2001
• IND 3c. Percentage of the Total Population Receiving SSI, by Age: 1974-2001
• IND 4a. Participation Rates in the AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp and SSI Programs: Selected Years
• IND 5. Percentage of Population Receiving Assistance from Multiple Programs (TANF, Food Stamps, SSI), Among Those Receiving Assistance: 2000
• IND 6. Dependency Status in 1999 of Persons Who Received More than 50 Percent of Income from Means-Tested Assistance in 1998, by Race/Ethnicity
• IND 7. Percentage of AFDC/TANF Spells of Individuals in Families with No Labor Force Participants for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1993 and 1996 SIPP Panels, by Length of Spell
• IND 8. Percentage of AFDC, Food Stamp, and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell
• IND 9. Percentage of AFDC Recipients with More than 50 Percent of Income from AFDC and Food Stamps Between 1987 and 1996, by Years of Dependency
• IND 10. Percentage of AFDC Recipients, by Years of Receipt Between 1987 and 1996

Chapter III

• ECON 1. Percentage of Persons in Poverty, by Age: 1959-2001
• ECON 2. Percentage of Total Population Below 50 and 100 Percent of Poverty: 1975-2001
• ECON 3. Percentage of Persons in Poverty Using Various Experimental Poverty Measures, by Age: 2001
• ECON 4. Percentage of Total Population in Poverty with Various Means-Tested Benefits Added to Total Cash Income: 1979-2001
• ECON 5. Percentage of Poverty Spells for Individuals Entering Poverty During the 1993 and 1996 SIPP Panels, by Length of Spell
• ECON 6. Percentage of Children Ages 0 to 5 in 1987 Living in Poverty Between 1987 and 1996, by Years in Poverty and Race
• ECON 7. Total, Non-AFDC/TANF, and AFDC/TANF Title IV-D Child Support Collections: 1978-2001
• ECON 8. Percentage of Households Classified by Food Security Status: 2001
• ECON 9. Percentage of Persons without Health Insurance, by Income: 2001
• WORK 1. Percentage of Individuals in Families with Labor Force Participants, by Race/Ethnicity: 2001
• WORK 2. Percentage of All Persons Ages 18 to 65 with No More than a High School Education Who Were Employed: 1969-2001
• WORK 3. Mean Weekly Wages of Men Working Full-Time, Full-Year with No More than a High School Education, by Race (2001 Dollars): Selected Years
• WORK 4. Percentage of Adults Age 25 and Over, by Level of Educational Attainment: 1960-2001
• WORK 5. Percentage of Students Enrolled in Grades 10 to 12 in the Previous Year Who Were Not Enrolled and Had Not Graduated in the Survey Year, by Race/Ethnicity: Selected Years
• WORK 6. Percentage of Adults Who Used Cocaine or Marijuana or Abused Alcohol, by Age: 2001
• WORK 7. Percentage of the Non-Elderly Population Reporting a Disability, by Age and Race/Ethnicity: 2001
• BIRTH 1. Percentage of Births to Unmarried Women, by Age Group:1940-2001
• BIRTH 2. Percentage of All Births to Unmarried Teens Ages 15 to 19, by Race: 1940-2001
• BIRTH 3a. Births per 1,000 Unmarried Teens Ages 15 to 17, by Race: 1960-2001
• BIRTH 3b. Births per 1,000 Unmarried Teens Ages 18 and 19, by Race: 1960-2001
• BIRTH 4. Percentage of All Children Living in Families with a Never-Married Female Head, by Race/Ethnicity: 1982-2002

Appendix A

• TANF 1. AFDC/TANF Families Receiving Income Assistance
• TANF 2. Average Monthly AFDC/TANF Benefit per Recipient in Constant Dollars
• FSP 1. Persons Receiving Food Stamps
• SSI 1. SSI Recipients by Age, 1974-2001

List of Tables

Chapter I

• SUM 1. Recipiency and Dependency Rates: 1996-2000

Chapter II

• IND 1a. Percentage of Total Income from Means-Tested Assistance Programs, by Race/Ethnicity and Age: 2000
• IND 1b. Percentage of Total Annual Family Income from Means-Tested Assistance Programs: 1993-2000
• IND 1c. Percentage of Total Annual Family Income from Various Sources, by Poverty Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Age: 2000
• IND 1d. Percentage of Total Income from Various Sources: Selected Years
• IND 2a. Percentage of Recipients in Families with Labor Force Participants, by Program, Race/Ethnicity, and Age: 2000
• IND 2b. Percentage of AFDC/TANF Recipients in Families with Labor Force Participants: 1993-2000
• IND 3a. Number and Percentage of the Total Population Receiving AFDC/TANF, by Age: 1970-2001
• IND 3b. Number and Percentage of the Total Population Receiving Food Stamps, by Age: 1975-2001
• IND 3c. Number and Percentage of the Total Population Receiving SSI, by Age: 1975-2001
• IND 4a. Number and Percentage of Eligible Families Participating in AFDC/TANF: Selected Years
• IND 4b. Number and Percentage of Eligible Households Participating in the Food Stamp Program: Selected Years
• IND 4c. Percentage of Eligible Adult Units Participating in the SSI Program, by Type: 1993-2000
• IND 5a. Percentage of Population Receiving Assistance from Multiple Programs (TANF, Food Stamps, SSI), by Race/Ethnicity and Age: 2000
• IND 5b. Percentage of Population Receiving Assistance from Multiple Programs (AFDC/TANF, Food Stamps, & SSI): 1993-2000
• IND 6a. Dependency Status in 1999 of Persons Who Received More than 50 Percent of Income from Means-Tested Assistance in 1998, by Race/Ethnicity and Age
• IND 6b. Dependency Status for All Persons Who Received More than 50 Percent of Income from Means-Tested Assistance in Previous Year
• IND 7a. Percentage of AFDC Spells of Individuals in Families with No Labor Force Participants for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell, Race/Ethnicity, and Age
• IND 7b. Percentage of AFDC/TANF Spells of Individuals in Families with No Labor Force Participants for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1993 and 1996 SIPP Panels
• IND 8a. Percentage of AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell, Race/Ethnicity, and Age
• IND 8b. Percentage of AFDC/TANF, Food Stamp and SSI Spells for Individuals Entering Programs During the 1992, 1993, and 1996 SIPP Panels
• IND 9. Percentage of AFDC Recipients with More than 50 Percent of Income from AFDC and Food Stamps Across Three Ten-Year Time Periods, by Years of Dependency, Race, and Age
• IND 10. Percentage of AFDC Recipients Across Three Ten-Year Time Periods by Years of Receipt, Race, and Age
• IND 11a. Percentage of First AFDC Spell Beginnings Associated with Specific Events: Selected Periods
• IND 11b. Percentage of First AFDC Spell Endings Associated with Specific Events: Selected Periods

Chapter III

• ECON 1a. Percentage of Persons in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity and Age: Selected Years
• ECON 2. Number and Percentage of Total Population Below 50, 75, 100, and 125 Percent of Poverty: Selected Years
• ECON 3a. Percentage of Persons in Poverty Using Various Experimental Poverty Measures, by Race/Ethnicity and Age: 2001
• ECON 3b. Percentage of Persons in Poverty Using Various Experimental Poverty Measures: 1999-2001
• ECON 4. Percentage of Total Population in Poverty with Various Means-Tested Benefits Added to Total Cash Income: Selected Years
• ECON 5a. Percentage of Poverty Spells for Individuals Entering Poverty During the 1996 SIPP Panel, by Length of Spell, Race/Ethnicity, and Age
• ECON 5b. Percentage of Poverty Spells for Individuals Entering Poverty During the 1993 and 1996 SIPP Panels, by Length of Spell and Year
• ECON 6. Percentage of Individuals Living in Poverty across Three Ten-Year Time Periods, by Years in Poverty, Race, and Age
• ECON 7. Total, Non-AFDC/TANF, and AFDC/TANF Title IV-D Child Support Collections: 1978-2001
• ECON 8a. Percentage of Households Classified by Food Security Status and Selected Characteristics: 2001
• ECON 8b. Percentage of Households Classified by Food Security Status: 1995-2001
• ECON 9. Percentage of Persons without Health Insurance, by Income and Selected Characteristics: 2001
• WORK 1a. Percentage of Individuals in Families with Labor Force Participants, by Race/Ethnicity and Age: 2001
• WORK 1b. Percentage of Individuals in Families with Labor Force Participants: 1990-2001
• WORK 2. Percentage of All Persons Ages 18 to 65 with No More than a High School Education Who Were Employed at Any Time: 1969-2001
• WORK 3. Mean Weekly Wages of Men Working Full-Time, Full-Year with No More than a High School Education, by Race (2001 Dollars): Selected Years
• WORK 4. Percentage of Adults Age 25 and Over, by Level of Educational Attainment: Selected Years: 1960-2001
• WORK 5. Percentage of Students Enrolled in Grades 10 to 12 in the Previous Year Who Were Not Enrolled and Had Not Graduated in the Survey Year, by Race/Ethnicity: Selected Years
• WORK 6. Percentage of Adults Who Used Cocaine or Marijuana or Abused Alcohol, by Age: 1999, 2000, and 2001
• WORK 7. Percentage of the Total Population Reporting a Disability, by Race/Ethnicity and Age: 2001
• BIRTH 1. Percentage of Births to Unmarried Women, by Age Group: 1940-2001.
• BIRTH 2. Percentage of All Births to Unmarried Teens Ages 15 to 19, by Race: 1940-2001
• BIRTH 3. Births per 1,000 Unmarried Teen Women Within Age Groups, by Race: 1960-2001
• BIRTH 4. Number and Percentage of All Children Living in Families with a Never-Married Female Head, by Race: Selected Years

Appendix A

• TANF 1. Trends in AFDC/TANF Caseloads, 1962-2001
• TANF 2. Number of AFDC/TANF Recipients, and Recipients as a Percentage of Various Population Groups, 1970-2001
• TANF 3. Total AFDC/TANF Expenditures on Cash Benefits and Administration, 1970-2001
• TANF 4. Federal and State AFDC Benefit Payments Under the Single Parent and Unemployed Parent Programs, Fiscal Years 1970 to 1996
• TANF 5. Federal and State TANF Program and Other Related Spending, Fiscal Years 1997 to 2001
• TANF 6. Trends in AFDC/TANF Average Monthly Payments, 1962-2001
• TANF 7. Characteristics of AFDC/TANF Families, Selected Years 1969-2001
• TANF 8. AFDC/TANF Benefits by State, Selected Fiscal Years 1978-2001
• TANF 9. Comparison of Federal Funding for AFDC and Related Programs and 20001Family Assistance Grants Awarded Under PRWORA
• TANF 10. AFDC/TANF Caseload by State, October 1989 to September 2002 Peak
• TANF 11. Average Monthly AFDC/TANF Recipients by State, Selected Fiscal Years
• TANF 12. AFDC/TANF Recipiency Rates for Total Population by State, Selected Fiscal Years
• TANF 13. Average Number of AFDC/TANF Child Recipients by State, Selected Fiscal Years
• TANF 14. AFDC/TANF Recipiency Rates for Children by State, Selected Fiscal Years 1965-2001
• FSP 1. Trends in Food Stamp Caseloads, Selected Years 1962-2001
• FSP 2. Trends in Food Stamp Expenditures, Selected Years 1975-2001
• FSP 3. Characteristics of Food Stamp Households, 1980-2001
• FSP 4. Value of Food Stamps Issued by State, Selected Fiscal Years 1975-2001
• FSP 5. Average Number of Food Stamp Recipients by State, Selected Fiscal Years
• FSP 6. Food Stamp Recipiency Rates by State, Selected Fiscal Years
• SSI 1. Number of Persons Receiving Federally Administered SSI Payments, 1974-2001
• SSI 2. SSI Recipiency Rates, 1974-2001
• SSI 3. Total, Federal, and State SSI Benefit and Administration, 1974-2001
• SSI 4. Average Monthly SSI Benefit Payments, 1974-2001
• SSI 5. Number of Persons Receiving SSI Payments by Type of Payment, 1974-2001
• SSI 6. Characteristics of SSI Recipients, by Age, Sex, Earnings/Income, and Citizenship, Selected Years 1980-2001
• SSI 7. Total SSI Payments, Federal SSI Payments and State Supplementary Payments, Calendar Year 2001
• SSI 8. SSI Recipiency Rates by State and Program Type for 1979 and 2001
• SSI 9. SSI Recipiency Rates by State, Selected Fiscal Years 1975-2001

Appendix B

• B-1. Percentage of the Total Population with More than 50 Percent of Income from Various Means-Tested Assistance Programs, by Race and Age: 2000

Appendix C

• C-1. Percentage of Births to Unmarried Women Within Age Groups, by Race: 1940-2001

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

A limited number of copies of this year's report are available from:

You may also obtain a printed copy by printing the following PDF files (Note: some are quite large):

• Title page and table of contents (298KB)
• Executive Summary (110KB)
• Chapter I (269KB)
• Chapter II (1.71MB)
• Chapter III (2.3MB)
• Appendix A (10.4MB)
• Appendix B (158KB)
• Appendix C (490KB)

Where to?

Top of Page | Contents

Home Pages:
Human Services Policy (HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Last updated: 04/27/05