Women are consistently more likely to have incomes below the poverty line, according to a new study by the Women’s Fund of Omaha on “How Women Are Doing in Omaha.” The report reveals that 11 percent of the population reported income below the poverty level, and women accounted for 57% of this total.  The poverty rate for African Americans was nearly four times that of white respondents.

Of those living in poverty, 36% are children, and 63% of families living in poverty are headed by a single female. 

The report also found that the median income for individuals in the Omaha area is $29,416 -- $34,360 for men and $24,852 for women. Earnings are lowest for Hispanic/Latino women ($16,866) and African American women ($17,950) and highest for white males ($37,327).

A separate Community Survey of nonprofit agency professionals identified employment, poverty and financial literacy as the most important issues facing Omaha women in the next 12 months. For girls, the issues identified as being most important were pregnancy, self-esteem and sexual literacy.