Student poverty

Poverty estimates can vary not only by their source, but by the definition of poverty. The state Education Department, for example, reports that 68% of the pupils attending Geneva schools – or 1,317 students – are economically disadvantaged.

The National Center for Education Statistics says 21.8% of families with children attending school in Geneva live below the poverty level. The chart below shows the most recent data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Geneva, with a more diverse population than nearby school districts, leads Ontario County in childhood poverty.

The inadequacies of poverty measures

The federal govvernment measures income against family size and age of family members in determining poverty thresholds, which are updated each year.

Many researchers are relying more and more on cost of living indexes, an acknowledgement that working families can struggle to pay for basic necessities such as food and housing.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides a state-by-state living wage calculator, searchable by county. The Ontario County figures show a significant difference between living wages and poverty wages. Living wages are also markedly higher than New York State’s minimum wage of $15.50/hour.

The map below shows boundaries of the Geneva City School District and other districts in Ontario County.