by James Hanson

A statewide study on family economics in Nebraska has concluded that families in towns both large and small need more income to make ends meet than many realize. The goal, therefore, of the "Family Bottom Line" is to help shape programs and policies to help working families in need.

Annemarie Bailey Fowler, the coordinator for Opportunity@Work in Omaha -- the organization that conducted this report -- said "The Family Bottom Line" reveals a realistic picture of what it takes for families to "just get by" in Nebraska.

The study was conducted to provide a way to compare how Nebraska families are faring economically relative to where they live. Nebraska counties were broken down into three categories: metro (25,000 to 1 million), non-metro urban (25,000 or more) and non-metro rural (under 25,000), which is the category Hamilton County falls under.

"Regardless of where a family lives or of family composition, the data in this report shows that the Family Bottom Line is far higher than what is most commonly recognized," she said. "With this report, policies and programs can be designed and targeted to truly meet the needs of hard-working families in Nebraska and provide opportunities for families to move above the Family Bottom Line; to not just get by, but to get ahead."

The report analyzed the state’s 93 counties and found that two-adult families with one preschooler needed to earn a minimum of $26,716 to make ends meet. That same family with an infant would need to earn $33,539, and that climbs higher for a family with three children to $34,090.

The report also noted that 62 percent of the people living in counties with fewer than 25,000 residents earned less than $35,000, with 27 percent of those earning between $15,000 and $25,000.

Several policy makers, community leaders and local family service providers across the state were part of the coalition and helped provide input for the report.

Key findings include necessary income estimates for 10 different family types across population density regions in Nebraska. Findings include budget and expense breakdowns of basic needs such as child care, housing, food, transportation, health care, miscellaneous expenses and taxes, as well as the number of hours one must actually work to simply maintain the Family Bottom Line.

For example, in order to meet basic family needs independently, households with two adults, a schoolage child and a preschooler need a minimum annual income of not less than $33,478.89 in Hamilton County.

Additional findings identify the percentage that each basic need requires of a family’s income and any variations that may exist within regions of Nebraska. Child care, identified as the highest cost for most families in Nebraska, can require 22 to 28 percent of a family budget in two-adult households, or 27 to 32 percent of a family budget in a one-adult household.

This number was found to be 22 percent for a two-adult household with a preschooler and an infant and 29 percent for a one-adult household with a preschooler and an infant in the non-metro rural regions, which includes Hamilton County.

Health care, housing and food were also among the highest costs for working families striving to meet their basic needs independently.

All of this information is based on the assumption that both adults in a two-adult home are working and the individual in a one-adult home is working.

The Family Bottom Line highlights the fact that Nebraska is often ranked highly for the number of individuals working in Nebraska and yet, Nebraska’s child and family poverty rates have been on the rise since 2000.

From 2000 to 2007, child poverty in Nebraska has increased from 10 percent to 15 percent and family poverty has increased from 6.5 percent to more than 8 percent.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, in 2007, a total of 8 percent of individuals in Hamilton County lived in poverty.

In 2007, 10.3 percent of children under 18, in Hamilton County, were living in poverty.

This data is unreflective of any increases that may have occurred since the economic downturn in 2008.

Fowler said there could be a large segment of the population that is struggling financially and not being recognized.

"In many ways, Nebraska is doing very well," she said. "Though we are doing very well it doesn’t mean there aren’t some people having struggles. They are just not being brought into the limelight."

"This report highlights several opportunities and solutions for communities to invest in the financial stability of their families," she added. "This will take a three-pronged approach that will include policy makers, the business community, communities or families themselves. It will take a comprehensive approach and comprehensive solutions that include investments now that will provide a return on that investment later."

Fowler said the coalition’s hopes to use this report for two purposes.

"One is to provide general education to the public and community leaders on the reality that many families are struggling to make ends meet," she said. "Two, we intend to use this report as a tool to help ensure more effective and targeted policies for Nebraska’s families."