Educational Attainment

Poverty

The ACS uses the Federal Poverty Level, which is set annually by the Department of Health and Human Services, when reporting on the number of people and households living in poverty. In 2010, about 9% of all families in Hanahan were living in poverty. Fortunately, this percentage decreased to about 7.6% by 2019. Still, approximately one thousand children under the age of 18 (16.5% of total) live in these disadvantaged situations. While income is a main factor that can place families into poverty, it is not the only determinant. Other influencing socioeconomic factors can include education, marital status, employment status, geographic location, and if they were born into poverty already.

Although the percentage of residents living in poverty decreased between 2010 and 2019, it is still important to continue to support community partners and outreach to families living in poverty. Supporting food banks, free community events, resource centers and safety net programs are just a few actions that can be taken to help reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for disadvantaged residents.

Educational Attainment The educational attainment of the residents can be an important economic catalyst to attract higher skilled and paid jobs, as well as provide insight into the potential income of the community. As mentioned in the Population Element, the percentage of residents who have at least earned a bachelor’s degree has increased (+8%), likely contributing to the increase in income levels. However, experience, trade skills, and job demand can also impact wages and salaries (income). There are many trades training programs in the vicinity of Hanahan. They are offered through Berkeley County School District, Trident Technical College, other area technical schools, and manufacturers such as Boeing, Volvo, and Mercedes Benz. With that being said, high educational attainment does not correlate with employment either, as seen in Figure X. This reveals an opportunity for Hanahan to adopt and implement policies that will attract businesses that could fulfill the need of the people based on their education. FIGURE X: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT 7% 2% 2%

5% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% NOV PC DRAFT 1% 0%

Less than high school graduate High school graduate

Some college or associate's degree Bachelor's degree or higher