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Poverty by Education

Poverty rates are higher among those with less educational attainment

In 2019, Lincoln residents with less than a high school diploma had higher poverty rates than those who achieved greater levels of educational attainment.

  • Of those who did not complete high school, 19% were in poverty.
  • Among those with a high school degree or equivalent, 11% were in poverty.
  • Those with some college or an associate degree had a poverty rate of 9%.
  • Of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, 3% were in poverty.

The poverty rate for those with less than a high school diploma was impacted the most by the Great Recession. The poverty rate for this group has decreased 40% from 2010 to 2019. The poverty rate for other educational attainment groups was not impacted as much by the Great Recession and has remained fairly level for the past decade.