Assets
Asset poverty rate: 25.4%
Average college graduate debt: $30,938
Unbanked households: 15.8%
Economic well-being
Extreme poverty rate: 14%
Food insecurity: 19.2%
Minimum wage: No state minimum wage law (federal applies)
Number of Black and Hispanic children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment: N/A
Number of Hispanic children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment: n/a
Percent of individuals who are uninsured: 12.1%
Percent of jobs that are low-wage: 34.3%
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line: 42.5%
Poverty rate: 19.8%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%
Education
High school graduation rate: 83%
Percent of adult population with at least a high school degree: 84%
Percent of college graduates with debt: 57%
Percent of population over age 25 with at least a four year college degree: 23.2%
Percent of teens ages 16 to 19 not attending school and not working: 10%
Family
Children in foster care: 5,440
Number of households with grandparents responsible for grandchildren under age 18 87,772
Percent of children in immigrant families: 4%
Percent of children living in single parent families: 44%
Teen birth rate per 1,000 population ages 15-19: 31%
Housing
Home foreclosure rate: 1.1%
Homeless people: 1,738
Households paying more than 50% of income on housing: 83,600
Percent renters: 32%
Total households: 1,091,980
Justice System
Incarcerated persons per 100,000 residents: 619
Number of youth residing in juvenile justice and correctional facilities: 273
Participation in federal programs
Adults and children receiving welfare (TANF): 10,486
Children receiving food stamps (SNAP): 321,730
EITC recipients: 357,000
Families receiving child care subsidies: 9,700
Households receiving federal rental assistance: 62,000
Households receiving LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program): 46,361
Number of children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP: 413,921
Number of women and children receiving WIC (Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition program): 85,449
Participants in all Head Start programs: 23,908
Poverty by demographic
Child poverty rate: 28%
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty: N/A
Number of Black and Hispanic children below 200% poverty: 209,000
Number of Hispanic children below 200% poverty: n/a
Percent of single-parent families with related children that are below poverty: 46%
Senior poverty rate: 13.7%
Women in poverty: 21.6%

State governments play a significant role in developing policies that help support low-income families. Below is a list of some key Mississippi policies and a link to an  organization that tracks the issue.

Tax & Asset-Building Policy

Family and Work Supports