According to the latest population surveys and official sources for US poverty estimates the official poverty rate in the United States is 14.8 percent which means that 46.7 million Americans live in poverty. And although the poverty rates in America have not changed over the past few years for most groups, 3 groups have seen their rates increase; people with disabilities, people with at least a bachelor’s degree and married couple-families.
The poverty rate for children under age 18 was 21.1 percent.
14 states now require over 3 times the earning power of the minimum wage in order to reasonably afford a 2 bedroom apartment. The other 36 states require at least twice the minimum wage, or a wage of at least 30,000 dollars per year to afford such an abode.
66% of all Americans earn less than 20 dollars per hour.
It’s not unusual to walk around my neighborhood these days and find a house or two lying vacant. I live in New Jersey and can’t remember a time when that was normal. I’m just wondering how things are where you live?