Copyright 1999
Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, Inc.
420 NW 13th Street
Suite 101
Oklahoma City, 73103
Phone: 405-236-KIDS
Fax: 405-236-KIDX
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Map and Legend showing each of the 77 counties. Counties are placed in one of the following economic clusters: wealthiest, wealthier, middle, poorer, or poorest.
Two-page pdf file with narrative, map and legend, and a chart comparing the five economic clusters. Comparison is based on the eight state benchmarks and other economic factors.
On to State Benchmark Topics
Oklahoma's Economic Distress Clusters
For the third year, the 1999 Oklahoma KIDS COUNT Factbook divides Oklahoma's 77 counties into five clusters with similar conditions based on four economic factors:
- Child Poverty Rates (1993 Census Estimates, revised)—the best measure of the presence of very poor children in a community
- Per Capita Personal Income (1996)—the most current measure of income levels of people in a community
- Percent of Children Receiving Public Assistance (FY 1997)—the most current measure of children required to survive on inadequate resources
- Unemployment Rates (1997)—the best measure of people's ability to improve economic conditions through work
Taken together, these factors provide a comprehensive picture of a county's economic status in a manner which can be ranked, grouped into clusters, updated and tracked from year to year. Each county is ranked on each of the four factors. The four individual county rankings are combined into a Deprivation Index in which the lower the number, the wealthier the county. Each county was ranked again according to its Deprivation Index and grouped into one of five economic clusters: wealthiest, wealthier, middle, poorer or poorest. Each cluster is composed of approximately twenty percent (20%) of the state's population.
These five clusters continue to illustrate the diverse economic environments in which Oklahoma children live. When compared to the prior year investigated, fewer Oklahoma counties moved from one cluster to another. There was very little change among the very wealthy and the very poor. Oklahoma's wealthiest counties remain primarily concentrated in the northwestern corner of the state. The poorest counties remain primarily concentrated in the southeastern corner with substantial numbers found in the southwest.
Similar to past years, the profiles of the five clusters reveal clear patterns in Oklahoma's economic landscape. Children in Oklahoma's 27 poorest counties are twice as likely to be poor and twice as likely to be on welfare than children in the state's 21 wealthiest counties. Incomes are the lowest, unemployment rates are the worst, and economic distress is entrenched in these poorest counties.
The cluster of Oklahoma's 27 poorest counties has the worst indicators in four of the eight benchmark areas investigated by Oklahoma Kids Count. Taken together these counties have the highest rates of births to young teens, child abuse & neglect confirmations, child death and child poverty.
The cluster of Oklahoma's 21 wealthiest counties has the best indicators in seven of the eight benchmark areas investigated by Oklahoma Kids Count. Taken together these counties have the lowest rates of low birthweight infants, infant mortality, births to young teens, child death, high school dropouts, child poverty and juvenile violent crime arrests.