Demographic Factors Associated with Poverty among American Indians and Alaska Natives

Kimberly R. Huyser, University of New Mexico
Isao Takei, University of Texas at Austin
Arthur Sakamoto, University of Texas at Austin

Using data from American Community Survey from 2006-2010, this study investigates absolute and relative poverty among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). Our analysis distinguishes between four racial groups of AI/ANs including: single-race AI/ANs; biracial white and AI/ANs; biracial black and AI/ANs; and other multi- AI/ANs. We also report some results for thirty-five of the largest self-reported tribal affiliations for single-race AI/ANs. In general, all of these racial groups of AI/ANs have higher odds of relative and absolute poverty than comparable non-Hispanic whites after taking into account age, gender, education, metropolitan status, and region of residence. We also find variation in both absolute and relative poverty across the thirty-five tribal groups compared to the overall AI/ANs rate. Although all of the thirty-five major tribal groups have higher poverty rates than whites, significant variation nonetheless is evident suggesting the need for further research into various tribal affiliations and tribal economies.