Running Head: COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA

Fall
08 1

16
Fall

Community Demographics of
Riverside County, CA
HSCI 610: Social and Behavioral
Influences on the Public Health
Marissa M. Cruz

C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, S a n B e r n a r d i n o
5 5 0 0 P k w y, S a n B e r n a r d i n o , C A 9 2 4 0 7
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 2

COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS

Riverside County is the 11th largest county in the nation and 4th in the state of California.

As of July 2015, according to the United States Census Bureau reported their estimated

population of 2,361,026 persons in Riverside County. Riverside County includes 25 different

cities and covers 7,206 miles of land in the diverse location of Southern California. People are

moving to Riverside County everyday doubling their population yearly, their annual growth rate

per year is 1.36%. The rate of births in Riverside County has sparked a variety of population

dynamics. Riverside County has 17.1% persons in poverty compared to the State of California

(population of 39,144,818 persons) has 15.3% individuals in poverty. Then compared to the

Nation has 13.5% persons below the poverty level. Be that as it may, Riverside County like most

large counties has many areas of needs of improvement from their socioeconomic status of

citizens to still only having 79.8% of the county has a completed high school diploma or

equivalent. Furthermore, the United States Census Bureau has enlightened us on our community

demographic status and predicted trends for the future regarding sex, race, income, poverty, and

education.

Population Estimate
California vs. Riverside County, CA
Population estimates
39,144,818

2,361,026
SEX

The estimated population of people in the Riverside County is 2,266,899. The demographics of

males make up 49.8% and females 50.2%. Men and women may be relatively close in estimated
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 3

population percentage; however, when it comes down to education status, poverty status, and

income status there is a sizable difference between the two sexes.

Population of Females and Males

in RIverside County, CA

Female; 50%
Male; 50%

RACE

The population of race in Riverside County is broken down by race in several categories.

Caucasians make up 61.0% the majority of the county. Black or African American make up

6.4%, American Indian and Alaska Native 1.1%, Asian 6%, Hispanic or Latino 45.5%, Mexican

39.5%, Puerto Rican 0.6%, Cuban 0.3%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders 0.3% to

name a few. The majority of Riverside County's race population made up of white, Mexican,

Hispanic or Latino. Although the percentages are higher in certain races than others, Riverside

County has an immense dynamics of diversity within their races and cultures. While Native

Americans make up only 1.1% of the population in Riverside County, they are 24.9% below

poverty level. As well as Native Hawaiian's and other Pacific Islander's who make only 0.3% of

the Riverside County population, but they rank at the highest of 35.7% below poverty level.

Another shocking rate among Blacks or African American, who make up 6.4% of the population

in Riverside County is below the poverty level at 22.2%. The Asian population is 6% in the

Riverside County and is the lowest level of poverty at 9.4% ranking.

COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 4

Race Population
in Riverside County, CA

Hispanic or Latino (of any race); 37%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; 0%White; 52%

Asian; 5%
American Indian and Alaska Native; 1%
Black or African American; 5%

POVERTY
STATUS

Based on the data from the United States Census Bureau Riverside County has an

estimated total of 17.1% individuals living in poverty status. The next table is determined the

status of poverty by age group of the 2,232,372 persons total in Riverside County. Within the

following categories; under 18 years, related children under 18 years, 18 to 64 years, and 65

years and over. The census data collected states the percentage below poverty are under 18 years

estimate at 23.4%, related children under 17 years at 23.0%, 18 to 64 years at 15.5%, and 65

years and over at 9.4%.

COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 5

Population of Riverside County Poverty Level

9.40%

15.50%

23.00%

23.40%

16.90%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Employment Status of
Civilian labor force 16 years and over

Male Female

67,799
Unemployed
81,291

401,677
Employed
492,134
Although the majority

of people may assume individuals who live within the poverty status are unemployed, however,

many are also in the workforce of their counties. California state laws require citizens must be at

least of the age 16 years and above to enter the workforce. These community demographics were

developed from the United States Census Bureau of employment status within the civilian labor

force 16 years and over among employed male and females and unemployed male and females.

Among employed males (8.0%) and females (8.6%), there was only 0.6% of a difference of

percentage below the poverty level. On the other hand, among unemployed males below the

poverty line is at 27.2% and females at 31.0% below poverty level. The reality of female's debt

percentage being higher than men may be due to many factors, for example; they may have
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 6

children to attend to, or they are getting paid less because they are women in the workforce.
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 7

Riverside County Population Below Poverty Status

Hispanic or
Population forLatino
whomorigin (of status
poverty any race); 0.1
is determined; 0.17
RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN; 0.17
Two or more races; 0.23
Some other race; 0.16 One race; 0.15

White; 0.22
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; 0.25

Black or African American; 0.25

Asian; 0.36 American Indian and Alaska Native; 0.09

IMPACT OF EDUCATION BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES

Additionally, poverty goes hand and hand with education status. The table above from the

Census Bureau provides an analysis on the rate of poverty based on education status, among the

population of 25 years and over. I found this table as one of the most shocking of information.

The truth of the matter we know education impacts the individual, the family, and the

community. The era we live in more women are becoming top earners within their families,

CEO's of companies, and even running for president of the United States, yet we still have

females in more poverty than males. Never the less, within Riverside County a little under half

of the women are less educated than men. From a poverty standpoint, men and women are less

than a percentage from each other. However, when it comes to monthly incomes associated with
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 8

degrees women are receiving the short end of the stick. Males are making more than $20,000 a

year more than women who have the same level of education.

POVERTY RATE FOR THE POPULATION 25 YEARS AND OVER FOR WHOM POVERTY STATUS IS DETERMINED BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT LEVEL
Male Female
27.30%

21.90%

17.00%

13.20%
11.60%
8.70%

5.00%5.50%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

MEDIAN EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2014 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)

81,181
61,889 64,688
39,828 45,553 43,338
33,870 29,669
27,334
24,632 23,199
15,391

Male female

INCOME DETERMENTS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS

COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 9

Furthermore, as we will look further into depth at socioeconomic status income deterrents

that make Riverside County's population. Being based in the diverse population of Southern

California, Riverside County has some of the wealthiest and poorest cities in the nation. The

factors that produce an individual or a family's socioeconomic status are whether the family has

both parents' incomes to rely on, single parent status, or how many children are living in the

household. The table provided below by the United State Census Bureau, represents a single

mother with no spouse present with the kids in the home are the most below poverty at 40.5%.

The least likely to live below poverty are households with two incomes, married couple families

are at 8.4% below poverty level.

Percentage of Families and People whose Income in the Past 12 Months is Below the Poverty Level
33.90%
15.00%
9.40%
14.30%
25.50%
26.00%
25.60%
25.90%
17.40%
40.10%
40.50%
27.50%
6.30%
11.80%
8.40%
15.00%
19.80%
13.50%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Next, the table from the Census Bureau estimated the income of 196,677 total households

in the Riverside County. Of the 196,677 households in the Riverside County; 8,308 earn less than

$10,000 per year; 37,418 of households make between $50,000 to $74,999, and households

making $200,000 or more per year is only estimated at 7,300 households. Most households are in

the middle-income spectrum, where the other households are at either end of the scale of income
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 10

Riverside County, CA Income Scale

and

benefits status. The average household income in Riverside County is $72,480 per calendar year.

The median household income in dollars is $58,592 among citizens in the Riverside County area.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

CONCLUSION

From education status to income it all boils down the person's rank on socioeconomic

status within the community. The level on the socioeconomic ladder will show their contribution

back to their community. I feel a majority of poverty rates in Riverside County have to do with

migrant workers and multiple college campuses throughout the country. Riverside County has

various 4-year university and junior colleges within their county. When colleges are present

within communities the poverty status becomes higher than countries without colleges present.

Due to college student are struggling with their studies are less likely to work, hold full-time jobs

or most jobs are paying minimum wage with little hours weekly. Being so close to the border of

Mexico has a large impact on the community. Most children are the first generation, learning

English as their second language, and struggle in school to catch up with their classmates.
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA 11

Parents are finding low-paying jobs and endeavor the hardships of feeding their children. Which

impacts their children's learning abilities, struggling families pressure their children into

dropping out of school early or only completing a high school level education. As a county that

ranks so high within California, we should have a higher rate of high school graduates rather

than 79.8% receiving a high school education or equivalent, as should California one of the most

populated states in the United States only has 81.5% of graduates from high school. The more

education we have as a county will lower the rate of single parents struggling to get out of the

poverty level.

Lastly, if I were planning healthcare services in Riverside County, I would try to achieve

the gap between married family and single parents healthcare status. Single mothers have the

worst health compared to households with both parents. A single mother in Riverside County is

40.5% below poverty status, which affects their children largely. A health service I would

implement within the county would be more food banks and health services provided to single

parent families, after business hours so they can attend.