EXPLAINING VARIATION IN INCOME BETWEEN HISPANIC AND WHITE FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN WASHINGTON

Despite concern about the low incomes of female-headed families, compa ratively little research has been conducted on Hispanic-origin female- headed families. The authors consider the relationship of variables fr om past studies (employment, personal characteristics, and the presenc e of children) to the incomes of White (non-Hispanic origin) and Hispa nic-origin, female-headed families with children. They also consider t he effect of two additional variables representing contentious politic al issues-citizenship and whether the household used English as its pr imary language. Confirming part research, employment variables had the strongest relationship to income for both groups. The number and pres ence of children younger than 6 were not as important, and marital sta tus showed little relationship to income once age and education were i ncluded in a multiple regression equation, More interesting is the fac t that citizenship and English usage made little difference in the abo ve relationships for Hispanic-origin, female-headed families.