Numerous individuals throughout the six-county region and the Commonwealth face physical, economic, or social challenges. The recipients of social services are often older individuals, those with mental and physical health challenges or disabilities, and lower-income families. Additionally, the COVID-19 Pandemic caused a spike in the acute need for support among families facing income loss. The pandemic has appeared to widen already existing economic inequalities across gender, age, and race. While the economy has returned to a growth trajectory overall, some households have continued to fall through the cracks, and rising costs of essentials have made it more difficult for some to get ahead.
Average Annual Pay
From 2013 through 2022, the six counties and the state reported increases in average annual pay. Through the period analyzed, all geographies averaged increases between 3.3 percent and 3.8 percent from year to year (not accounting for inflation). As of 2022, Montour County’s average salary was $13,601 (20.2 percent) higher than the state’s average, whereas the other counties’ average annual salaries were lower than the state’s average. Union County’s was $13,105 (19.5 percent) less, Lycoming County’s was $14,512 (21.6 percent) less, Northumberland County’s was $18,610 (27.7 percent less), and Columbia County’s was $19,828 (29.5 percent) less. Snyder County saw the greatest disparity, with $23,545 (35.0 percent) less average annual salary.
Median Household Income
The average median household income of the six-county region has steadily increased since 2017. As of 2021, the average median household income increased by 8.5 percent from the 2019 average median household income. Montour County has the highest median household income in the region, whereas Northumberland County has the lowest. Statewide, there was an 8.7 percent increase in the average median household income between 2019 and 2021.
Poverty
On average, residents under five years of age comprise the highest share of people living below the poverty line in the six-county region (17.4 percent). In contrast, residents between the ages of 35 and 64 years make up the smallest share on average (8.3 percent). As of 2021, only Columbia and Union Counties have higher overall percentages of residents living below the poverty line (14.9 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively) than that of the Commonwealth (12.1 percent). Additionally, the average share of residents living below the poverty level in the six-county region in 2021 was 10.8 percent, a decrease from the share of 2019 (12.0 percent). Decreases in the poverty rates despite the economic disruption due to the pandemic were likely influenced by increased assistance programs and direct federal aid payments implemented in 2020.
Public Assistance
On average, households in the six-county region are less dependent on SNAP benefits (13.7 percent) than the statewide share (14.1 percent). However, Northumberland and Snyder Counties have seen an increase in the share of households relying on SNAP benefits (33.8 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively). The remaining counties have seen either a decrease or no change in their share of households using SNAP benefits. Specifically, Columbia, Lycoming, and Union Counties experienced a decrease (8.0 percent, 2.5 percent, and 1.9 percent, respectively), whereas Montour County saw no change in its share of households enrolled in SNAP benefits (8.9 percent). Statewide, the share of households using SNAP benefits increased by over 4 percent between 2019 and 2021.
Transportation Challenges
As of 2021, the average share of households without a vehicle available in the six-county region (7.8 percent) is lower than that of the Commonwealth (10.0 percent). Montour County has the highest share in the region (11.5 percent), whereas Columbia County has the lowest share (6.2 percent). Furthermore, every county in the region has seen a decline in the share of households without an accessible vehicle except for Columbia County.
Food Security
A census tract is considered to have low access if a significant number or share of residents in the tract is far from a supermarket. There are three measures of food access used by the USDA: low-income census tracts where a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33 percent) of the population is greater than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area; low-income census tracts where a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33 percent) of the population is greater than one mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area; and low-income census tracts where a significant number (at least 500 people) or share (at least 33 percent) of the population is greater than one mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store for an urban area or greater than 20 miles for a rural area.rnrnThere is a fourth measure that delineates low-income tracts where a significant number of households are located far from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle; or are so far from a supermarket that the trip may be considered a burden. Under this measure, a tract is considered low access if at least 100 households are more than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket and have no access to a vehicle; or at least 500 people or 33 percent of the population live more than 20 miles from the nearest supermarket, regardless of vehicle access.rnrnIn the six-county region, there are a total of 46 low income and low access tracts. Of these tracts, 17.4 percent are greater than one mile for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area; 47.8 percent are greater than one-half miles for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area; 13.0 percent are greater than on mile from the nearest supermarket for an urban area or greater than 21.7 miles for a rural area. In terms of tracts with a significant number of households with no access to a vehicle or must travel a great distance to a supermarket, there are a total of 10 in the six-county region (21.7 percent). In all four low income and low access tract categories, Lycoming County has the greatest shares.rnrnAside from Lycoming County, only Columbia and Northumberland Counties exhibited any increase in low income and low access tracts. Specifically, Columbia County’s total number of tracts delineated by distance greater than one mile for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area and distance greater than one-half miles for an urban area or greater than 10 miles for a rural area each increased by one. Additionally, Northumberland’s total number of tracts delineated by vehicle inaccessibility or significant distance doubled from two in 2015 to four in 2019.
Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate of a region is often influenced by labor force participation and the availability of working-age adults. The average labor force participation rate of the six-county region in 2021 was 57.8 percent, unchanged from the average rate prior to the pandemic. However, the number of residents migrating out of the area has generally outweighed the number of those moving in. A declining population of working-age adults coupled with an aging workforce is a double bind for hiring as a smaller percentage of a shrinking workforce is available for hire.rnrnAll geographies’ unemployment rates peaked in April 2020 then slowly fell as the economy opened back up. In 2021, unemployment rates had fallen significantly, between 1.9 and 2.8 percentage points in all localities, but these were still above pre-pandemic numbers. Continued decreases in 2022 brought the rate in line with or below pre-pandemic levels. The average unemployment rate of the six-county region is 4.5 percent as of 2022, which is a 21.1 percent decrease from the 2021 unemployment rate. According to the most recent available data, Northumberland County has the highest unemployment rate (five percent) while Montour County has the lowest (3.4 percent). Statewide, the unemployment rate is 4.5 percent, which is almost 30 percent lower than the unemployment rate of 2021.rn
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