Income levels
The median (middle) household income in the City of Bend in 1989 (from the 1990 Census) was $25,787. The median household income in Deschutes County was a little higher, at $27,317 during the same period. Table 4-6 displays the 2000 Census data for household and family income for Bend. The 2000 Census showed the median household income was $40,857, and was $45,357 for families. The category of family with 2 workers represents the large share of family households in Bend and those households that had the greatest median income in 1999.
|
Household Category |
Median for 1999 |
Percent of Total |
|---|---|---|
|
Household |
$40,857 |
|
|
Family with no workers |
$34,140 |
12.6% |
|
Family with 1 worker |
$32,669 |
29.1% |
|
Family with 2 workers |
$60,907 |
48.9% |
|
All families |
$45,357 |
100% |
Source: U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 2000: Summary File 4
Table 4-7 shows the 1999 income levels of households by the age of the household. This information is particularly useful in planning for housing, especially in determining what forms of housing will be more affordable to certain households. The age groups with the lower income levels, according to this data, are younger individuals and families and older retired (75+) persons.
|
1999 Gross Income |
0 - 24 |
25 - 34 |
35 - 44 |
45 - 54 |
55 - 64 |
65 - 74 |
75+ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Less than $10,000 |
9.5% |
4.9% |
4.1% |
5.2% |
8.9% |
7.7% |
14.6% |
|
|
$10,000 to $14,999 |
14.6% |
5.8% |
4.9% |
3.8% |
3.5% |
6.3% |
18.0% |
|
|
$15,000 to $19,999 |
15.4% |
7.1% |
3.9% |
5.3% |
2.4% |
10.0% |
8.8% |
|
|
$20,000 to $24,999 |
10.6% |
6.8% |
4.4% |
5.3% |
5.1% |
7.5% |
10.4% |
|
|
$25,000 to $29,999 |
12.2% |
7.5% |
6.6% |
5.6% |
7.5% |
8.7% |
11.9% |
|
|
$30,000 to $34,999 |
10.6% |
8.5% |
8.6% |
4.6% |
8.4% |
12.6% |
8.2% |
|
|
$35,000 to $39,999 |
7.4% |
8.9% |
7.2% |
4.1% |
4.5% |
6.4% |
5.3% |
|
|
$40,000 to $44,999 |
7.2% |
5.6% |
6.9% |
5.8% |
4.9% |
5.8% |
2.3% |
|
|
$45,000 to $49,999 |
2.9% |
7.2% |
7.1% |
5.2% |
6.1% |
4.7% |
4.2% |
|
|
$50,000 to $59,999 |
4.8% |
13.9% |
10.6% |
11.9% |
8.1% |
4.9% |
3.9% |
|
|
$60,000 to $74,999 |
2.2% |
13.0% |
13.2% |
11.9% |
12.6% |
7.3% |
4.6% |
|
|
$75,000 to $99,999 |
1.2% |
6.1% |
13.6% |
14.2% |
13.4% |
8.9% |
3.1% |
|
|
$100,000 to $124,999 |
0.8% |
2.9% |
4.0% |
7.8% |
5.9% |
1.9% |
3.3% |
|
|
$125,000 to $149,999 |
0.6% |
0.6% |
1.6% |
3.4% |
2.6% |
3.6% |
0.9% |
|
|
$150,000 to $199,999 |
0.0% |
0.6% |
1.5% |
2.8% |
2.0% |
3.0% |
0.5% |
|
|
$200,000 or more |
0.0% |
0.6% |
1.8% |
3.1% |
4.1% |
0.7% |
0.0% |
|
|
Columns read down |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
|
Source: US Census of Population and Housing, 2000: Summary File 3.
A related measure of income levels is the number of persons below the poverty level. Poverty levels reported in the 2000 Census are determined by comparing local incomes to a national standard of 48 income thresholds tied to the number and age of persons in the household. The national standards are not adjusted for state, regional, or local cost of living variations.
Figure 4-4, using 2000 Census data, shows the relationship of persons in three broad age groups to the national poverty standards. Although the percentage of Bend residents living below the poverty level decreased from 13.2 percent in 1989 to 10.5 percent in 1999, the number of Bend residents living below the poverty level increased from 2,637 people in 1989 to 5,380 people in 1999. The poverty level in Bend is slightly higher than the county level of 9.2 percent. It is interesting to note that only 12.6 percent of Bend households below the poverty level are receiving public assistance. This may be due, in part, to the number of students and young recreational enthusiasts in Bend that generally have lower incomes.
Source: U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 2000: Summary File 3.
Figure 4-5 provides detail on the number of persons above or below poverty.
While Figures 4-4 and 4-5 show the relationship of Bend residents to the poverty levels, they do not show the magnitude of incomes below or above the poverty levels. Table 4-8 shows the levels at which Bend residents were below or above poverty in 1999.
|
Ratio of income to Poverty in 1999 |
Number of Persons |
Percent of Total Population |
|
Less than .50 |
1,670 |
3.3% |
|
.50 to .74 |
1,330 |
2.6% |
|
.75 to .99 |
2,380 |
4.7% |
|
1.00 to 1.24 |
2,199 |
4.3% |
|
1.25 to 1.50 |
2,100 |
4.1% |
|
1.50 to 1.74 |
2,165 |
4.2% |
|
1.75 to 1.84 |
816 |
1.6% |
|
1.85 to 1.99 |
1,369 |
2.7% |
|
2.00 and over |
37,013 |
72.5% |
Source: US Census of Population and Housing, 1990: Summary File 3
Both before and after the 1990 Census was taken, county income levels have shown a steady rise. The average income levels of county families and households increased almost 6 percent a year between 1984 and 1995, a rate faster than the statewide averages. Since Bend is the major employment center in the region it is assumed that income levels within the urban area more or less follow the county-wide patterns. The diverse and expanding economy in Bend provides a wide range of job possibilities, including entry level jobs in the trade and services, which allows young people and additional family workers access to jobs.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated the 2004 median family income in Deschutes County at $57,800— more than four thousand dollars above the average for non-metropolitan areas in the state. Since the last half of the 1980s the per-capita income levels in Deschutes County have steadily increased to match the state average. Even more interestingly, the county income levels have been above the Eugene, Medford, and Salem metropolitan areas since the early 1980s.
The Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reports personal income for counties on a per capita basis. For Deschutes County in 2002, the leading source of personal income was net earnings. Income in this category includes earnings from place of work (e.g. wages and salary) and accounted for 60 percent of total personal income in the county. Income from dividends, interest, and rent accounted for 24.2 percent of personal income. Finally, income from personal current transfer receipts (e.g. retirement benefits, Medicare, income maintenance benefits) accounted for 15.8 percent of total personal income.