SANDAG says 29.7 percent living below poverty level

The number of individuals living below the federal poverty level in Fallbrook amount to 29.7 percent of the population, according to a recently released San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) report. In terms of families, that percentage is reportedly 28.5 percent.

In Bonsall, the percentage of individuals in that economic category is reportedly 14.4 percent or 26.6 percent of families.

The report, “Poverty in the San Diego Region,” released in December 2013, says the overall county average shows 13 percent of individuals are living below the poverty level.

In reporting on the individuals throughout the county as a whole, 54 percent are female and 46 percent male.

An examination of this group’s ethnic makeup revealed the following:

• White/Caucasian - 32 percent

• Hispanic - 48 percent

• Black - 6 percent

• Asian - 10 percent

• Other - 3 percent

The SANDAG report also revealed statistics on birth place data of the county-wide group:

• California born - 50 percent

• Foreign born - 30 percent

• Born in another state - 18 percent

• Native but born outside the U.S. - 1 percent

Established by the U.S. Census Bureau, the federal poverty level for an individual is an annual income of no more than $11,945 for a person under 65 years old; $11,011 for those over 65 years old.

On a household level, the poverty level is determined by the number of occupants in the dwelling. An example is if there were four people in the home, income could not exceed $23,492. These numbers are annual household income before taxes.

The study showed that a large percentage of those living below the poverty level are those who had low educational achievements. In San Diego County, 34 percent of those living below poverty level had not completed high school.

In terms of government assistance, 28 percent of San Diego County families living below the poverty level said they had received supplemental Social Security income and/or cash public assistance income in the past 12 months.