Iowa

Iowa is home to a growing population of more than 3 million people. Minorities, women, and children are the most vulnerable to poverty in the state. As in the rest of the United States, they account for a majority of those living under the poverty line. On average, women and minorities are less likely to [Page 837]own a business or their own home. Poverty among minorities is three times the state average. The majority of the impoverished are youth, especially those with single mothers or minority parents. Families with children have a higher incidence of poverty than those without children, whereas the percentage of elderly living below the poverty line in Iowa is far below the state average.

A large proportion of the impoverished African American ...