Decreasing
What does this measure?
The average percentage of people of all ages receiving public assistance each month. This includes both major welfare programs: Family Assistance and Safety Net. Safety Net covers single adults, children living without their parents, and others not eligible for Family Assistance.
Why is this important?
This measure represents the numbers of individuals dependent upon government support for their basic needs.
How is our region performing?
In 2019, 1.9% of residents in the region were receiving public assistance on average each month, compared to 2.5% in the state. Rates in the region (and state) had been rising since 2008, when they were their lowest for the decade, but have decreased since 2015. Monroe and Orleans had the highest rate at 2.4% in 2019 followed by Livingston at 1.5%. Since 2001, Monroe's rate has consistently been around 3 times that of the surrounding counties.
Notes about the data
National data were not available in comparable form. Data do not necessarily reflect the actual number of people eligible for this benefit, only those who receive it.
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NYS | 3.6% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.5% |
NYS (excluding NYC) | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
Region | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
Monroe | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.5% | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 2.4% |
Surrounding Counties | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
Genesee | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
Livingston | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.5% |
Ontario | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
Orleans | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
Seneca | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
Wayne | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
Wyoming | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
Yates | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
Notes: Comparable national data were not available.
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NYS | 688,547 | 620,518 | 612,422 | 629,063 | 604,922 | 572,151 | 530,916 | 510,160 | 529,404 | 547,600 | 565,224 | 570,095 | 578,482 | 565,859 | 573,563 | 564,208 | 546,013 | 520,339 | 476,864 |
NYS (excluding NYC) | 196,270 | 187,773 | 188,478 | 195,129 | 188,913 | 180,227 | 171,503 | 170,024 | 184,174 | 202,886 | 219,044 | 222,079 | 228,511 | 230,154 | 220,633 | 202,597 | 187,203 | 170,903 | 151,448 |
Region | 37,332 | 35,810 | 36,410 | 39,056 | 37,642 | 36,015 | 34,529 | 33,909 | 34,629 | 35,979 | 38,568 | 38,919 | 40,589 | 40,839 | 37,678 | 34,223 | 31,328 | 27,446 | 23,355 |
Monroe | 31,894 | 30,264 | 30,593 | 33,009 | 31,738 | 30,277 | 29,470 | 29,040 | 29,310 | 30,194 | 32,396 | 32,604 | 33,649 | 33,448 | 30,736 | 27,586 | 25,077 | 21,562 | 18,105 |
Surrounding Counties | 5,438 | 5,546 | 5,817 | 6,047 | 5,904 | 5,738 | 5,059 | 4,869 | 5,319 | 5,785 | 6,172 | 6,315 | 6,940 | 7,391 | 6,942 | 6,637 | 6,251 | 5,884 | 5,250 |
Genesee | 590 | 552 | 616 | 673 | 667 | 694 | 611 | 582 | 576 | 549 | 598 | 620 | 634 | 622 | 569 | 596 | 610 | 593 | 504 |
Livingston | 1,038 | 1,107 | 1,157 | 1,174 | 1,048 | 920 | 615 | 690 | 912 | 1,019 | 1,148 | 1,237 | 1,528 | 1,645 | 1,498 | 1,380 | 1,309 | 1,109 | 913 |
Ontario | 1,075 | 1,186 | 1,280 | 1,380 | 1,362 | 1,354 | 1,262 | 1,149 | 1,217 | 1,367 | 1,466 | 1,431 | 1,460 | 1,547 | 1,484 | 1,427 | 1,350 | 1,381 | 1,212 |
Orleans | 1,054 | 994 | 877 | 919 | 861 | 902 | 905 | 861 | 941 | 1,079 | 1,164 | 1,124 | 1,234 | 1,351 | 1,207 | 1,159 | 1,073 | 1,030 | 968 |
Seneca | 331 | 301 | 340 | 323 | 283 | 253 | 212 | 220 | 247 | 261 | 243 | 322 | 434 | 527 | 533 | 438 | 414 | 371 | 382 |
Wayne | 844 | 957 | 1,068 | 1,038 | 1,100 | 1,028 | 919 | 890 | 932 | 1,019 | 1,068 | 1,026 | 1,076 | 1,105 | 1,073 | 1,042 | 985 | 946 | 849 |
Wyoming | 359 | 266 | 282 | 264 | 312 | 352 | 352 | 304 | 318 | 340 | 338 | 327 | 344 | 334 | 315 | 354 | 297 | 275 | 247 |
Yates | 147 | 183 | 197 | 276 | 271 | 235 | 183 | 173 | 176 | 151 | 147 | 228 | 230 | 260 | 263 | 241 | 213 | 179 | 175 |
Notes: Comparable national data were not available.



INDICATORS - Grouped by Topic | REGIONAL VALUE | YEAR | NYS COMPARISON | TREND | REGION |
---|---|---|---|---|
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 | 6% | 2015-19 |
3
![]() |
-1
Decreasing
|
Median Household Income | $59,871 | 2015-19 |
1
![]() |
-1
Decreasing
|
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity | 2015-19 | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | |
People Living in Poverty | 13% | 2015-19 |
3
![]() |
1
Increasing
|
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity | 2015-19 | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | |
Public Assistance Recipients | 1.9% | 2019 |
3
![]() |
-1
Decreasing
|
Approval Rate for Public Assistance Applications | 24% | 2019 | 0 |
-1
Decreasing
|
Households Receiving SNAP | 14% | 2015-19 |
3
![]() |
1
Increasing
|
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity | 2015-19 | 0 | 10 Not Applicable* | |
Tax Filers Receiving Earned Income Tax Credit | 15% | 2018 |
3
![]() |
-1
Decreasing
|
EITC Dollars | $172 | 2018 |
1
![]() |
-1
Decreasing
|


