New City of San Antonio report: 44% in Bexar County can’t afford basic needs

A City of San Antonio report finds that 44% of Bexar County residents struggle to afford basic needs such as food and housing.

The report, from the city’s Department of Human Services, says 15% of Bexar County residents live in poverty. In San Antonio, the rate is higher, at 17%. Another 29% of county residents earn above the federal poverty line but still can’t afford basic expenses, and they often don’t qualify for federal assistance programs.

The report uses the U.S. Census Bureau’s official poverty threshold, which was $16,320 for a single person under 65 in 2024. A family of five with two adults and three children earning $37,437 a year or more would not be counted as living in poverty.

The United Way created a separate measure known as the ALICE threshold. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The report says the 29% of Bexar County residents who meet that threshold can’t afford the basics, such as housing and food.

The report says poverty is concentrated inside Loop 410 and in the southern parts of the city, according to a map of ZIP codes with poverty rates above 20%.

The report also outlines what many already know: Having a job doesn’t always mean a household can cover its basic needs.

While the poverty rate among children decreased, a slight improvement, the rate among adults 65 and older increased.

Other groups disproportionately affected by poverty include Black and American Indian residents, women and people with disabilities.

The report points out that while some salaries increase slowly, they can’t keep up with rising costs.