State of the Georgia Girl Report

Poverty & Financial Hardship DATA HIGHLIGHT: RACE & ETHNICITY The financial health of Georgia girls presents two competing truths: the portion of girls living beneath the federal poverty level is declining, while the cost of living to afford basic needs rises to affect a growing portion of the total population. However, among many girls of color, both measures are worsening. Girls of color experience considerably higher rates of poverty in Georgia compared to girls identifying as White (Non-Hispanic). The same trend holds among ALICE households: a higher portion of households identifying as Black or African American meet the ALICE criteria compared to households identifying as White. Studies consistently show that the barriers all youth living in poverty face are systematically compounded for Black girls , who often experience lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, and limited long-term earning potential as a result of living in households experiencing poverty (Bazzell, 2019). The mental health of Black girls is also disproportionately affected by the stress of living with insufficient resources, added layers of discrimination, and exposure to violence (Williams, 2003).

Black households experience the highest poverty rate and second highest rate of households below the ALICE threshold. ALICE Threshold, United for ALICE, 2024; U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2024.

2024 Total Households in Georgia by Poverty and ALICE Status

65% 111,017

46% 587,353

51% 1,120

49% 161,638

44% 5,444

63% 1,374,650

54% 139,850

48% 5,889

41% 532,585

44% 146,312

42% 931

38% 97,434

31% 664,923

28% 47,752

13% 170,056

9% | 1,055 6% | 139,603 8% | 20,545

7% | 166

7% | 23,327

6% | 10,892

Asian

Black

Hawaiian Hispanic

AI/AN

White

2+ Races

Poverty

ALICE

Above ALICE

POWERED BY THE GIRL SCOUT COUNCILS SERVING THE STATE OF GEORGIA 21