Fact Sheet on African Americans xvii
time in history. Looking at voter turnout by race and Hispanic origin, non-Hispanic
whites and blacks had the highest turnout levels (File, 2013).
INCOME AND POVERTY (U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2014A)
The annual median income of black households in 2012 was $33,321, compared to
the national average of $51,017, a decline of 2.7 percent from 2010.
From 2000 to 2010, real median household income declined by 14.6 percent
for African American households. Much of the income decline in the past dec-
ade resulted from the 2007–2009 recession. Since 2007, African American median
household income has declined by 10.1 percent—the largest decline of all major
racial and ethnic groups (Joint Economic Committee Democratic Staff, 2013).
The percentage of blacks aged 16 or older who worked in management, busi-
ness, science, and arts occupations was 28.2 percent.
The unemployment rates for whites (7.0 percent) and Hispanics (9.7 percent) in
January 2013 were somewhat lower than a year before, whereas the unemployment
rate for blacks (13.8 percent) was little changed (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).
FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND HOME OWNERSHIP
(U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2014A)
There were 9.7 million black family households in 2013. Among households with
a black householder, the percentage containing a family was 61.8 percent.
Among families with black householders, the percentage that were married cou-
ples in 2013 was 45.7 percent.
The percentage of blacks who were covered by health insurance in 2012 was
81.0%
REFERENCES
File, Thom. “The Diversifying Electorate. Population Characteristics.” U.S. Census Bureau.
May 2013. www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-568.pdf.
Joint Economic Committee Democratic Staff. “Fact Sheet: Black History Month, February
2013.” Washington, DC: U.S. Congress, 2013.
U.S. Census Bureau. “America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2010.” Washington,
DC, 2011. www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2010.html.
