The Poorest States of America

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As part of its broad data release from the American Community Survey, the Census Bureau has also put out a report on poverty rates by state.

...

The poverty rate rose in 31 states last year. Here’s a map showing the poverty rates for each state:

The rate was highest in Mississippi, at 21.9 percent, and lowest in New Hampshire, where 8.5 percent of residents live in poverty. There were only four other states besides New Hampshire that had poverty rates below 10 percent: Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/the-poorest-states-of-america

[mawilson 2,133]

Are the numbers adjusted for the cost of living? $15k is extreme poverty in NY/NJ/CT, yet a comfortable wage in Alabama.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Wow. My state is poor.

[Krikit 1,165]

Wow. My state is poor.

You own a State?!!!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Come on California!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Are the numbers adjusted for the cost of living? $15k is extreme poverty in NY/NJ/CT, yet a comfortable wage in Alabama.

No! Can't do that. It would make things look better in some states when the message need to be it's "bad" all around!

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Are the numbers adjusted for the cost of living?

No, they are not. However, if you check out page 5 of http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-1.pdf, you can see how the number of poor have gone up or down in each state from 2008 to 2009. You can also view the numbers as a percentage of that states population. The data is in PDF form so you'll have to eyeball it.

Kansas and South Dakota have the highest increase in poverty from 2008 to 2009, measured as a percentage of their population. Wisconsin and Utah are tied at #2.

However, if the measure you're more interested in is the absolute numbers of poor, then the largest increases have been in Texas and Florida.

[mawilson 2,133]

However, if the measure you're more interested in is the absolute numbers of poor, then the largest increases have been in Texas and Florida.

I'm not interested in absolute numbers. Obviously, Delaware will have fewer poor people than

large states like California or Texas.

In percentage terms, the largest increases have been in Kansas and South Dakota (2.1%).

Interestingly, North Dakota has a negative change in poverty (fewer poor people in 2009),

so I'm not sure how statistically relevant the numbers are. Maybe the poor Dakotans

moved from North to South.

[lostinblue 1,989]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/28/pf/household_income_report/index.htm

D.C. workers have America's highest salaries

By Les Christie, staff writerSeptember 28, 2010: 2:55 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Washington, D.C.'s workers enjoy the highest salaries of any major U.S. city., with a median household income of $85,198.

The nation's capital fared better than most of the rest of the country in 2009, according to the Census Bureau's annual survey of income and poverty in the United States, which was released on Tuesday.

Email Print CommentWhile D.C.'s income was essentially flat from 2008 to 2009, nearly every other major metro area suffered a drop in income. Of the 52 largest metro areas with more than 1 million residents, only San Antonio did not record a loss. The city's median income grew 0.5% to $47,698.

"This goes to how broad-based the downturn was," said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics. "During other recessions, a region or two avoided the recession. This time, none did."

He attributed Washington's relative success to the fact that the federal government is a stable source of income and jobs. Plus, the city has largest percentage of college degrees -- both undergraduate and graduate.

[Heracles 417]

Wow. My state is poor.

No ###### sherlock

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Mississippi needs its own color, I suggest red.

In Vermont they are actually ADVERTISING on the radio for people to go and file for food stamps! You have to consider also that the amount of income to be consider in "poverty" increases every year. There is no desire on the part of government to "end poverty", it is big business for them.

On the other hand...wasn't Obama going to fix this?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I'm not interested in absolute numbers. Obviously, Delaware will have fewer poor people than

large states like California or Texas.

In percentage terms, the largest increases have been in Kansas and South Dakota (2.1%).

Interestingly, North Dakota has a negative change in poverty (fewer poor people in 2009),

so I'm not sure how statistically relevant the numbers are. Maybe the poor Dakotans

moved from North to South.

Three poor people hitchhiked from North Dakota to Mississippi.