Poverty USA Webquest
By: Jake Ryan, Allie Just, and Chris Snyder
The Population of Poverty USA
- As of 2014, 47 million (15%) of Americans were living in poverty USA
- This rate is 2.3% higher than in 2007, one year before the economic Recession
- This is the 4th consecutive year in which the poverty rate has not changed from the previous year's estimate
Who lives in Poverty USA?
- Americans who earn less than the government-determined poverty threshold, or poverty line
- For a family of 4, this number is $24,000
Demographically:
- Men: 13%
- Women: 16%
- Married couples: 6%
- Single-parent families (without husband): 31%
- Single-parent families (without wife): 16%
- People with disabilities: 29%
Children in Poverty USA
- 15.5 million children (21%) lived in poverty in 2014; this is approximately 1 in every 5 children
- According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, about 1.6 million children experience homelessness every year (as of 2012)
- The National School Lunch Program helps poverty-stricken children by providing low to no-cost meals― they served about 31.6 million children in 2012
Seniors in Poverty USA
- In 2014, 10% of seniors were in poverty
- However, including the Supplemental Measure's findings of rising costs of health care, the senior poverty rate was about 14%
Poverty by Ethnicity
- Blacks: 26%
- Hispanics: 24%
- Asians: 12%
- Whites: 10%
Economics (Poverty Threshold)
- The Poverty Threshold (poverty line) is determined by the US government and differs based on family size and family members' age
- 21 million (7%) of the population live at 50% below their poverty threshold; this is known as deep poverty
- 105 million (33%) live with incomes at less than 2x (double) their poverty threshold; this is known as living close to poverty
- In 2014…
- An Individual: $12,000
- Two people: $15,000
- Three people: $19,000
- Four people: $24,000
- Five people: $29,000
- Six people: $32,000
- Seven people: $37,000
- Eight people: $41,000
- Nine+ people: $49,000
Economics (Employment)
- Median household income was unchanged 2013-2014― it remained 7% liwer than 2007
- In 2014…
- Median income for family households: $68,000
- Median income for non-family households: $32,000
- The Wage Gap (2014):
- 74% of men with earnings worked full time, year round
- 61% of women with earnings worked full time, year round
- However, these women earned only 79% of the wealth that the men were, even though the amount of time spent working was equivalent
Economics (Food Insecurity)
- Food insecurity: when households have difficulty providing enough food for everyone living there
- 17 million (14%) US households were food insecure in 2014
- Federal food and nutrition assistance programs, such as SNAP (food stamps), helped 61% of these households
Poverty Map
Kentucky
There is a wide variety of poverty in the U.S., not many states are below the 11% poverty line. Majority of our southern states are above the 17% poverty rate.
Mississippi
New Hampshire
Snapshots of Poverty
· Carlos's Backpack:
· He is living with relatives and has dreamed of becoming a chef after high school; so he borrowed money for culinary school but couldn’t afford to finish.
· He works a minimum wage job, but he is busy looking for a better paying job so that he can pay off his student loans and other bills
· Annual income: $10,250
· Single person poverty threshold: $11,702
· Payday Loans: He uses payday loans to help pay his bills
· Living wage: a living wage helps people get out of poverty― Carlos is below minimum wage
· Transportation: public transportation is his only means of transportation
· Food assistance: the SNAP program keeps millions of people out of poverty USA; with snap Carlos can pay for other expenses