Analysis - The Institute for Southern Studies

Minority & Low-Income Demographic Findings
Below is a summary of the three alternative but complementary comparison approaches based on the same minority and low-income population
data: (a) itemized plant-by-plant basis, (b) nationwide aggregation basis, and (c) state-by-state aggregation basis. For purpose of determining the
relative degree by which either group living near the 495 plants may exceed their respective statewide population percentages, the percentages
are compared as a numerical ratio whereby a ratio of 1.00 indicates that the group population percentage living near a plant is equal to the
statewide average, a ratio greater than 1.00 indicates the group population percentage near the plant is higher than the statewide population, and a
ratio less than 1.00 indicates the group population is less than the respective statewide average.
General population findings:
o 464 plants (i.e., 94% of the 495 universe) for which year 2000 Census plant address ZCTA data are available are located in 47
states.
o The plant address ZCTA population surrounding the 464 plants with ZCTA data is 6.08 million, which is an average of 13,091
surrounding population per plant.
Low-income population findings:
o 0.78 million low-income population surrounding the 464 plants represents 12.9% of the 6.08 million total surrounding
populations; this is higher than the 11.9% national percentage.
o State-by-state low-income population percentages surrounding these plants range from 4.6% in HI to 26.5% in NM.
o Extrapolated and aggregated across all 495 plants, 256 plants (52%) have surrounding populations which exceed their statewide
benchmark percentage of low-income population.
o The ratios of low-income population percentages surrounding these plants range from 0.43 to 1.95, and the average of the ratios
compared to the national average ratio of the low-income population is 1.08.
o Approximately 29 of the 47 states (62%) have higher percentages of low-income populations compared to their respective
statewide benchmarks.
o States with the largest difference in low-income populations surrounding the plants compared to their statewide benchmarks are:
1. Mississippi (26% vs. 16%)
2. Alabama (25% vs. 15%)
3. Illinois (18% vs. 11%)
4. New Jersey (15% vs. 8%)
5. Connecticut (15% vs. 8%)
Minority population findings:
o 1.32 million minority population surrounding the 464 plants represents 21.7% of the 6.08 million total surrounding populations;
this is lower than the 24.9% national minority population.
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