Material Hardship among Lower-Income Households: The Role of Liquid Assets and Place. Issue 5 (29th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Despard, Mathieu R.; Taing, Valerie; Weaver, Addie; Roll, Stephen; Grinstein-Weiss, Michal
• Is Part Of: Journal of poverty. Volume 26:Issue 5(2022)
• Page Start: 361
• Page End: 384
• Publication Date: 2022-07-29
• Subjects: Material hardship -- poverty -- urbanicity -- rural -- assets; Poverty -- United States -- Periodicals; Poor -- United States -- Periodicals; Public welfare -- United States -- Periodicals; 362.05
• DOI: 10.1080/10875549.2021.1925801
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1087-5549

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Lower income households are at risk for material hardship, particularly amidst the economic fallout of COVID-19. Where one lives (e.g., suburb, small town) may affect this risk due to variable access to resources, yet the evidence is mixed concerning the influence of place. We used a pooled, national cross-sectional sample of 66, 046 lower-income tax filers to examine differences in material hardship in rural, small town, micropolitan, and urban areas. Controlling only for standard demographic variables, hardship risk appears higher in non-urban areas, yet these differences disappear after controlling for financial characteristics such as liquid assets and home ownership.