1. College Student and Non-College Student Poverty in San Marcos, Texas
Thomas Longoria, Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Center for Research, Public Policy, and Training

2. Summary of Major Findings
The overall poverty rate in San Marcos is 37% in the estimate but falls to 23% when students are taken out of the census data (See Figure 1)
The non-student poverty rate in San Marcos is increasing as well as in other large metro area suburbs (See Figure 2)
When students are taken out of the overall poverty statistics, only 1 census tract meets the definition of concentrated poverty, compared to 4 when students are included in the poverty statistics (See Table 1)
San Marcos is becoming less distinctive as a college town compared to other major Texas college towns (See Figure 3)

3. Research Question, Data, Method
What is the impact of the student population on City of San Marcos income and poverty statistics?
In other words, how much bias is there is the US census data due to the presence of college students?
College student poverty is not the same as poverty in the general population. For students, poverty is a temporary condition. Thus poverty and income statistics should be “adjusted” to improve information and decision making.
Data
American Community Survey
B Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by School Enrollment by Level of School for the Population 3 years and Over
Five year samples of data, based on survey of households
Data are estimates
Method
Recalculate values in the table using the methodology developed by Rorem and Juday (2016)
Overall Poverty Rate
Non-College Student Poverty Rate
College Student Poverty Rate

5. Additional insights into the estimated non-student poverty rate in San Marcos can be gained by comparing it to surrounding cities in the Austin-San Marcos-Round Rock metropolitan area above 25,000 residents. The chart presents the estimated non-student poverty rate for the suburbs of Austin as well as the city of Austin for comparison purposes.
This comparison is useful because the regional economy suggests that all cities should be moving in the same direction in terms of non-student poverty rates. However, all other cities have stable estimated non-student poverty rates except for San Marcos. The two best examples of the suburbanization of poverty are Round Rock and Pflugerville, other than San Marcos.
In order to focus more on the city of San Marcos, we next examine census tracts and Eric Johnson will continue the presentation.

6. Concentrated Non-Student Poverty in San Marcos Neighborhoods
Concentrated poverty refers to a spatial density of socio-economic deprivation.
Defined by the US census as areas with "40 percent of the census tract population living below the federal poverty threshold.”
Table 1: Number of Concentrated Poverty Census Tracts
Year
Overall
Non-Student
Census Tract
Neighborhood
2010 4 1
103.03
Blanco Gardens
2015 3
103.04
Millview East and Millview West

8. Future Research
Is the higher level of non-student poverty in San Marcos due to the suburbanization of poverty or due to the college town effect?
Additional research needed to answer the question
Focus groups and interviews with non-students and college-students
Selected college student focus group questions
How long do former students stay in San Marcos after graduation?
What do they do for employment while living in San Marcos?
Do they need support to start businesses?
Selected non-student focus group questions
Why did they move to San Marcos? Do they plan to relocate if their income situation improves?
Where and in what industries do these individuals work?
Can they access training in needed skill areas?