New Census data show Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico lead the list. D.C. ranks high, too.By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – Roughly 12.5 percent of the U.S. population is living in poverty, according to recent data released from the Census Bureau.
Among kids under 18, the poor represent an even higher percentage: 17.6 percent.
In 2003 – the latest year for which Census data are available – a total of between 35.2 million and 36.5 million people fell under the poverty threshold.
That threshold varies depending on family size. In 2003, a single person making less than $9,393 a year and a family of eight making less than about $35,572 are both considered poor.
The oft-used example of a family of four is considered poor if they live on less than $18,660.
The national median income in 2003 was $43,318.
But the percentage of the population that is poor varies widely state by state.
The states with the highest percentage of poor residents relative to the state's total population were: Mississippi (18.3 percent), Louisiana (18.1 percent), New Mexico (17.7 percent), West Virginia (16.3 percent), and Texas (16.2 percent). In the District of Columbia, the poor represented 17.5 percent of the population.
The list is similar for states with the highest population of kids under 18 who are poor: Mississippi (26.8 percent); Louisiana (26.6 percent); New Mexico (25.9 percent); West Virginia (24.4 percent); Arkansas (23.5 percent); and Texas (22.8 percent).
The District of Columbia trumps them all, though, with a full 29.6 percent of its child population living below the poverty line.
Those percentages don't count foster kids, or children in delinquent centers or other institutions, said David Waddington, chief of Small Area Estimates at the Census Bureau.
The Census poverty data also drill down into counties and school districts. The school district numbers are used to help determine the distribution of federal education funding, Waddington said.
The poverty thresholds, it should be noted, do not account for cost-of-living differences in different states. So a family of four making less than $18,660 a year would be considered impoverished whether they lived in El Paso, Texas or in New York, New York.
That flag blanket is so amazing. '60's irreverance without the 'rebel without a clue' factor. Ominous.
ReplyDeleteThe D.C. thing continues to blow me away. Supposedly, gov't sponsored housing should bridge the gap in the cost-of-living discrepancy, but the numbers are still brutal........
I made $18k as a waitress there in 1989, never had any money left over at the end of the month, and lived in squalid, barfy conditions with one or 5 roommates in various slumlord havens in Mt. Pleasant, and would occasionally be physically accosted by a random drunk if out on a sunday for a leisurely stroll.
And I wasn't supporting a family (if you don't count my irresponsible-loser-blow-all-paychecks-on-luxury-items-boyfriend, that is...).
That's rough. Funny thing is, people either see the touristy Washignton or the Marion berry Washington. There's no provsion for the working poor.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many people in DC (and in other cities) who go to work each day and make little in return and can't afford to commute in from more appealing (and expensive) suburban housing.
Somebody's got to do something to help these people...
The oft-used example of a family of four is considered poor if they live on less than $18,660.
ReplyDeleteIt happens. I know two years ago, when my husband was laid off and working at Wal-Mart full time...he made less than that. We filled in the gaps with phone books(that I had already been doing for years)and temp jobs. It was kind of scary-but God provided our every need and saw us through. While things are much better now, I will never forget that year.
We've had some rough years here too, and as of late I've been in a lees upwardly moble patch that I hope Block will lessen or eliminate.
ReplyDeleteA lot of times all you do have is faith and hope, and that will be the thing that brings you through. Nothing comes without hard work, of course, but everybody needs that extra 10% to get it together ;-)