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I wanted to see if there is any correlation between the degree to which a state is conservative and that state's poverty rate. In order to do this, I needed to find the right data sets and also control for variables that would obviously influence poverty rates. Results below:
Data Set I: The poverty rate in each US state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_poverty_rate
Data Set II: The population density of each state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population_density
Data Set III: The degree to which a state is "conservative"
http://www.gallup.com/poll/160196/alabama-north-dakota-wyoming-
conservative-states.aspx#2
Data Set IV: High school graduation rate in each state
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/high-school-graduation-rates-by-state.html
Using these data sets, I performed a multiple regression analysis in Excel. The results would allow me to see if there is any correlation between a states "conservativeness" and its poverty rate - controlling for graduation rates and population density.
The results were...not surprising at all. It turns out that the greater the degree to which a state is "conservative', the more poverty is present. I can even quantify that to a precise number.
Here we can see that in general - and excluding two clear outliers - the greater the degree to which a state is conservative, the greater the poverty rate.
Stated more precisely, with every 1% point increase in the "conservativeness" of a state, there is a 0.08% point increase in the rate of poverty.
This correlation between "conservativeness" and poverty is statistically significant at a 5% level.
Thank you for your time.
Data Set I: The poverty rate in each US state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_poverty_rate
Data Set II: The population density of each state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population_density
Data Set III: The degree to which a state is "conservative"
http://www.gallup.com/poll/160196/alabama-north-dakota-wyoming-
conservative-states.aspx#2
Data Set IV: High school graduation rate in each state
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/high-school-graduation-rates-by-state.html
Using these data sets, I performed a multiple regression analysis in Excel. The results would allow me to see if there is any correlation between a states "conservativeness" and its poverty rate - controlling for graduation rates and population density.
The results were...not surprising at all. It turns out that the greater the degree to which a state is "conservative', the more poverty is present. I can even quantify that to a precise number.
Here we can see that in general - and excluding two clear outliers - the greater the degree to which a state is conservative, the greater the poverty rate.
Stated more precisely, with every 1% point increase in the "conservativeness" of a state, there is a 0.08% point increase in the rate of poverty.
This correlation between "conservativeness" and poverty is statistically significant at a 5% level.
Thank you for your time.
