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September 4, 2005
Charles Dickens Is Alive and Well
Number of people living in poverty in 2004: 37.0 million (up 1.1 from 2003)
Poverty rate: 12.7%
Number of blacks and latinos remained unchanged (24.7% and 21.9% respectively) but the number of whites went up (8.6%, up from 8.2%).
For a family with two parents and two children the poverty line is drawn at $19,157 a year. (Which means if you make 21g's and have two parents and two kids, you're officially not poor, even though you probably have the same economic problems as those who are. You can just buy Coke instead of Faygo.)
The above numbers are from the US Census.
Also, in 1973 the wealthiest 20 percent of households accounted for 44 percent of the total US income. In 2002, they accounted for half. Everyone else's percentage has been falling, including the bottom fifth, down from 4.2 percent to 2.5 percent. (US Census)
In New Orleans:
Percentage of the city black: 67.9%
Median household income (regardless of color): $31,369
Per capita household income (regardless of color): $19,711
Percent of families below the poverty level: 14.5
Percent of individuals below the poverty level: 23.2
(From Population Reference Bureau)
According to a Free Press article in May '05, Detroit has a 35% poverty rate. It is one of the poorest cities in the US, also the most segregated.
20% of Detroit homes do not own cars. (Motor City?)
Think about what it would have been like if Katrina had hit Detroit. (Geographically impossible, I know.) Would it have been the same as New Orleans or worse?
Posted by emily at September 4, 2005 11:29 PM
Comments
Not one of the poorest. The poorest.
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-27/1125416340164590.xml&storylist=newsmichigan
It's no longer the fattest of the most violent. No. 3 and 2 respectively though. I'm sure if we all pull together, we can reclaim the throne.
Posted by: Kyle at September 5, 2005 3:04 PM