LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL OCTOBER 15, 1955. Hon. PAUL H. DOUGLAS, Chairman, Joint Committee on the Economic Report, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR DOUGLAS: Transmitted herewith is a staff report which contains some of the more recent statistics relating to the lowincome population. The report was prepared at the request of the Subcommittee on Low-Income Families which, in accordance with instructions contained in the March 14, 1955, report of the full committee, is conducting a study of low-income problems. The subcommittee is appreciative of the generous cooperation of the executive departments of the Federal Government and other organizations in preparing materials included in this report. The data presented do not necessarily represent the views of the subcommittee or of its individual members. JOHN SPARKMAN, Chairman, Subcommittee on Low-Income Families. OCTOBER 15, 1955. Hon. JOHN SPARKMAN, Chairman, Subcommittee on Low-Income Families, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR SPARKMAN: Transmitted herewith is a staff report which presents some of the more recent additions to the statistical materials on the size and characteristics of the low-income population. A considerable portion of these materials represents data not previously published and which were especially prepared for the use of the Subcommittee on Low-Income Families by Government and private agencies. This report was prepared primarily for the use of the subcommittee, for those participating in the subcommittee's forthcoming hearings and others interested in the problems associated with low income. It is not intended to be all inclusive; in the selection of the materials, emphasis was placed on the particular topics on which the subcommittee will focus its attention this year. In many instances, however, the present report brings up to date statistical information contained in the earlier report assembled by the staff for the subcommittee's use, Low-Income Families and Economic Stability: Materials on the Problem of Low-Income Families (S. Doc. No. 231, 81st Cong., 2d sess.). Part 1 of the report contains a series of current estimates of the size and general characteristics of the low-income population as well as comparisons of the changes which occurred since the earlier staff report was issued. Part 2 presents materials relating to various com ponents of the low-income group-children, the aged, the disabled, the undereducated and part 3 contains some background information on rural and industrial areas characterized by chronic labor surpluses. Much of the material included was made available through the cooperation of the executive branch of the Federal Government. The contributions of each organization are clearly identified in the report. Unless otherwise noted, the assembling and organizing of the materials were the work of Miss Eleanor M. Snyder, economist for the subcommittee. GROVER W. ENSLEY, Staff Director. CONTENTS Part 1. Estimates of the size and general characteristics of the low-income population in the United States... Section 1. Characteristics of low-income families, 1948-54. Prepared by Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce--- Section 2. Characteristics of low-income families, 1948, 1953, and 1954. Prepared by Board of Governors of the Federal Section 3. Characteristics of low-income urban families, 1950. Pre- pared by Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Section 4. Comparisons of family-income distributions: Family-in- Page Section 5. Families and individuals at permanently depressed income levels: Summary of findings, Franklin D. Roosevelt Foundation study, Freedom From Want. Part 2. Materials on selected types of low-income families- Section 1. Children and low-income families. Bureau, Social Security Administration, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. - Section 2. The disabled: The role of vocational rehabilitation in im- proving the economic condition of low-income families. Prepared by Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Depart- ment of Health, Education, and Welfare... Section 3. Characteristics of the aged population.... A. Economic resources of persons aged 65 and over. Reprinted from the Social Security Bulletin, June 1955, Department of Health, Education, B. Estimates of the size of the aged population and statistics on related Federal programs.. C. Recipients of old-age assistance in early 1953: Re- quirements, incomes, resources, and social characteristics of recipients of old-age assistance. Partial reprint of Public Assistance Report No. 26, Bureau of Public Assistance, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.. Section 4. Selected materials reprinted from national family survey of B. Education and educational opportunities of the low- Section 6. Apprentice training programs: Opportunities provided to members of the low-income population. Prepared by Bureau of Apprenticeship, Department of Labor.. Part 3. Low-income families in depressed rural and industrial areas. Section 1. Selected statistics on low-income in agriculture (including tabular materials prepared by the Agricultural Marketing Part 3. Low-income families in depressed rural and industrial areas- Section 2. Seasonal farmworkers. Prepared by Office of Program Section 3. Classification of labor market areas according to relative Appendix. Selected statistics on the labor force___ Page 215 222 230 Families and individuals by total money income (in current dollars), for the United States: 1948 and 1954_. Families and individuals by total money income (in 1948 dollars) Major occupation group of heads of low-income families, employed at nonfarm jobs, for the United States: 1948 and 1954. Rural-farm families by total money income, by region and color, Number of families by family income, for the United States, 1954- Distribution of families and unrelated individuals by total Income distributions of families and unattached individuals, Distribution of families by income, size and location, 1954, 1953, Receipt of various types of income by spending units, ranked by size of money income before taxes, 1954. Median incomes of spending units classified by age and education and education of head of unit, 1952, 1953, and 1954----- Percentage distribution of spending units, by age and education Sampling errors of differences_ Percentage distribution of lower income urban consumer units, by 1950 annual net money income and family characteristics__ Percent distribution of urban consumer units by selected char- acteristics for nine classes of cities, 1950_.. Summary of consumer income and expenditure and savings: Average money expenditure for specified groups of goods and services; income before and after taxes; total expenditures for current consumption, insurance, and gifts and contributions; changes in assets and liabilities; for United States urban |