For this Discovering Data exercise, go to FRED (fred.stlouisfed.org) to create a line graph that compares poverty rates for different counties across the United States. In the search bar enter “Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States” and select the subsequent series. Follow the steps below to add the series for additional counties. Then answer the questions that follow.
i. Select “Edit Graph” and under “Add Line” enter “Estimated Percent of People in Poverty for Wayne County, MI,” which includes Detroit, Michigan.
ii. Repeat step i to add the following counties:
i. King County, WA (for Seattle, Washington)
ii. Miami-Dade County, FL (for Miami, Florida)
iii. San Francisco County/City, CA (for San Francisco, California)
iv. Cuyahoga County, OH (for Cleveland, OH)
iii. In the graph frame change the start date to 1997-01-01 and the end date to 2014-01-01.
a. Which counties have the lowest poverty rates? Highest? How do poverty rates compare to the national average?
b. How has the difference in poverty rates changed from 2004 (prior to the Great Recession) to 2012 (after the Great Recession)?
c. Create a second line graph including “Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States” and a second line with your home county. How does the poverty rate in your home county compare with that of the national average?
