Which of the following statements about poverty in Texas is accurate?

• A. The poverty rate in Texas has remained unchanged for the past decade.
• B. Poverty in Texas is concentrated only in urban areas.
• C. Texas has a higher poverty rate than the national average.
• D. Texas has the lowest poverty rate among all U.S. states.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of poverty rate, which is the percentage of the population living below the poverty line, a threshold set to determine economic hardship.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the question asks for an accurate statement about poverty in Texas, so you need to evaluate each option based on known data or general economic knowledge.
3. Step 3: Analyze the first statement: 'The poverty rate in Texas has remained unchanged for the past decade.' Consider that poverty rates typically fluctuate due to economic conditions, so this statement may not be accurate without specific data.
4. Step 4: Analyze the second statement: 'Poverty in Texas is concentrated only in urban areas.' Understand that poverty can exist in both urban and rural areas, so this statement is likely too restrictive to be true.
5. Step 5: Analyze the third and fourth statements: 'Texas has a higher poverty rate than the national average' and 'Texas has the lowest poverty rate among all U.S. states.' Compare these two opposing claims and recall that Texas is often reported to have a poverty rate above the national average, making the third statement more plausible.