Financial Security
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance

Maintaining


Households Receiving Temporary Assistance

What does this measure?

The number of households that received any public assistance or welfare payments in the past 12 months, expressed as a percentage of total households.

Why is this important?

This measure represents the number of households which rely upon government support to meet their basic needs.

How is our region doing?

In 2016-20, 2.3% of MetroWest households received public assistance income. This was similar to the rate in 2000, but below the state (2.8%) and national rates (2.4%). Marlborough (2.9%) had the highest rate in MetroWest in 2016-20.

Notes about the data

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally funded program administered at the state level, meaning that eligibility requirements vary from state to state. ACS does not ask specifically which program provides the income, although TANF is the primary source of public assistance funds. Families are eligible for TANF benefits for up to 60 months, although most receive assistance for shorter periods of time.

Studies have found that national survey estimates (including the ACS) of enrollment in public benefit programs tend to underestimate the true rate due to underreporting by participants, when compared with state-level administrative data. Underreporting can occur for a variety of reasons, including the social stigma of program participation and participants' confusion about the source of the services they receive. For these reasons, the estimates reported above should be considered a lower bound of the true estimate.

Households Receiving Temporary Assistance
20002006-102011-152016-20
United States3.4%2.5%2.8%2.4%
Massachusetts2.9%2.7%3.0%2.8%
Region2.1%2.1%2.3%2.3%
Middlesex County1.9%1.8%2.0%2.0%
Norfolk County1.3%1.6%2.0%1.9%
Worcester County3.3%3.0%3.0%3.2%
Acton town, Middlesex County0.8%1.6%***2.3%***1.7%***
Ashland town, Middlesex County1.1%1.0%***1.3%***1.1%***
Bedford town, Middlesex County1.2%0.7%***2.1%***0.4%***
Bellingham town, Norfolk County1.8%1.1%***2.2%***2.0%***
Boxborough town, Middlesex County0.4%0.5%***1.4%***0.8%***
Carlisle town, Middlesex County0.0%3.6%***1.2%***0.0%***
Concord town, Middlesex County0.6%0.8%***0.7%***0.6%***
Dedham town, Norfolk County1.0%1.9%***1.0%**2.8%***
Dover town, Norfolk County0.2%0.4%***0.9%***0.3%***
Framingham city, Middlesex County2.4%2.7%*3.4%*2.7%*
Franklin town, Norfolk County1.1%***1.6%***0.3%***
Groton town, Middlesex County0.8%0.0%***0.8%***2.7%***
Harvard town, Worcester County0.0%0.9%***2.6%***0.0%***
Holliston town, Middlesex County0.9%1.1%***1.3%***1.4%***
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County0.5%0.8%***0.4%***2.1%***
Hudson town, Middlesex County2.6%1.5%***2.1%**1.1%***
Lexington town, Middlesex County0.8%0.7%***1.7%**1.4%**
Lincoln town, Middlesex County0.6%0.5%***0.3%***1.7%***
Littleton town, Middlesex County1.6%2.5%***1.0%***1.4%***
Marlborough city, Middlesex County2.0%2.4%**1.6%**2.9%*
Maynard town, Middlesex County2.3%1.3%***0.9%***2.7%***
Medfield town, Norfolk County0.1%0.7%***0.6%***0.9%***
Medway town, Norfolk County0.9%0.8%***0.4%***1.1%***
Milford town, Worcester County2.9%1.5%**2.8%**1.8%***
Millis town, Norfolk County1.8%1.9%***1.8%***0.3%***
Natick town, Middlesex County0.9%1.1%**1.1%**1.1%***
Needham town, Norfolk County1.0%1.4%**1.1%***1.9%***
Sherborn town, Middlesex County0.5%0.0%***0.5%***0.0%***
Southborough town, Worcester County0.4%0.7%***0.9%***2.0%***
Stow town, Middlesex County0.5%0.3%***0.6%***0.0%***
Sudbury town, Middlesex County0.6%0.7%***1.2%***0.8%***
Walpole town, Norfolk County0.4%1.3%***2.0%***1.2%***
Waltham city, Middlesex County1.9%2.4%*1.4%**1.6%*
Wayland town, Middlesex County0.7%1.0%***0.9%***2.6%***
Wellesley town, Norfolk County1.1%0.5%***1.5%**0.9%***
Westborough town, Worcester County0.4%1.0%***0.7%***0.7%***
Westford town, Middlesex County0.5%1.2%***1.7%***1.9%***
Weston town, Middlesex County0.1%0.3%***0.4%***1.6%***
Westwood town, Norfolk County0.6%0.6%***0.8%***1.2%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Households Receiving Temporary Assistance
20002006-102011-152016-20
United States3,629,7322,816,1273,223,7862,995,159
Massachusetts70,18368,83976,06675,002
Region23,14623,48625,95327,214
Middlesex County10,48610,52711,63712,010
Norfolk County3,3244,0365,2805,021
Worcester County9,3368,9239,03610,183
Acton town, Middlesex County58120***199***151***
Ashland town, Middlesex County6562***83***80***
Bedford town, Middlesex County5634***109***23***
Bellingham town, Norfolk County10064***139***132***
Boxborough town, Middlesex County810***29***19***
Carlisle town, Middlesex County058***22***0***
Concord town, Middlesex County3851***46***37***
Dedham town, Norfolk County87175***99**297***
Dover town, Norfolk County47***17***7***
Framingham city, Middlesex County616700*919*772*
Franklin town, Norfolk County123***177***33***
Groton town, Middlesex County270***32***107***
Harvard town, Worcester County017***48***0***
Holliston town, Middlesex County4252***66***75***
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County2241***23***134***
Hudson town, Middlesex County180110***162**84***
Lexington town, Middlesex County8583***191**165**
Lincoln town, Middlesex County1712***7***43***
Littleton town, Middlesex County4879***35***48***
Marlborough city, Middlesex County292373**244**466*
Maynard town, Middlesex County9755***37***116***
Medfield town, Norfolk County429***24***38***
Medway town, Norfolk County3933***18***54***
Milford town, Worcester County307158**299**204***
Millis town, Norfolk County5556***56***10***
Natick town, Middlesex County118139**148**171***
Needham town, Norfolk County110149**117***205***
Sherborn town, Middlesex County70***8***0***
Southborough town, Worcester County1321***31***69***
Stow town, Middlesex County117***15***0***
Sudbury town, Middlesex County3438***70***53***
Walpole town, Norfolk County32114***176***102***
Waltham city, Middlesex County444529*351**390*
Wayland town, Middlesex County3148***47***122***
Wellesley town, Norfolk County9240***126**76***
Westborough town, Worcester County2868***49***47***
Westford town, Middlesex County3687***136***160***
Weston town, Middlesex County512***17***61***
Westwood town, Norfolk County3329***42***64***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Maintaining
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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