POVERTY IN THE U.S.

WHAT IS POVERTY?

According to the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) in 2012:

One Adult: $12,119Two Adults & One Child: $18,751Two Adults & Two Children: $23,624

48.8 million Americans live below the poverty line (1 in 7)15.4% of the US population 12.5% of individuals living in the Pittsburgh MSA21% of individuals living in the City of Pittsburgh

(American Community Survey, 2013, One Year Estimates)

(American Community Survey, 2013, One Year Estimates)

HOW HAS POVERTY CHANGED OVER TIME?

WHO IS LIVING IN POVERTY?

Poverty in the US is highest:

WomenChildrenFamilies headed by single womenCentral cities The South

# living in poverty in the US:

21,396,291 Whites10, 538,290 Blacks 2,002,107 Asians13,089,210 Hispanics

# living in poverty in the Pittsburgh MSA:

209,406 Whites 60,777 Blacks 9,258 Asians 7, 465 Hispanics

Poverty by Race

(American Community Survey, 2013, One Year Estimates)

Many struggling with poverty work:

70% of near poor families work50% of poor families work

32.1% of workers are near poor10.6% of workers fall below the poverty

line(Analysis of 2011 American Community Survey data in Roberts, Brandon, Deborah Povich, and Mark Mather. 2013. “Low-

income working families” The Working Poor Families Project Policy Brief )

Brady, David, Andrew Fullerton, and Jennifer Moren Cross. 2010. “More than just nickels and dimes: A cross national analysis of working poverty in affluent countries.” Social Problems, 57:4, pp. 559-585.

HOW LONG DO PEOPLE EXPERIENCE POVERTY?

61.8% of the population between the ages of 25-60 will experience at least 1 year of poverty

24.9% will experience 5 or more years of poverty (Rank, Mark and Thomas Hirschl. 2015. “The likelihood of experiencing

relative poverty over the life course.” PLoS One, 10:7, pp. 1-11)

WHY NOW?

I. IMMOBILITY AT THE BOTTOM

“Pursuing the American Dream: Economic Mobility Across Generations.” Economic Mobility Project. Washington DC: Pew Charitable Trusts (July 2012)

II. RISE OF EXTREME POVERTY

For individuals living in households with 2 adults & 2 children:

Extreme poverty: $2 a dayDeep Poverty: $8.09 a dayPoverty: $16.18 a dayNear Poverty: $24.27 a day

(Schaefer, Luke and Kathryn Edin. 2013. “Rising extreme poverty in the United States and the response of means-tested transfers.” Social Service Review, 87:2, pp. 250-268.)

III. WEAKENED INFORMAL SOCIAL TIES

IV. CHANGING GEOGRAPHY OF POVERTY

Today 1 in 3 poor Americans live in the suburbs(Kneebone, Elizabeth and Alan Berube. 2013. Confronting Suburban Poverty in America. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press)

Good, Megan, Kathryn Collins, and Erin Dalton. August 2014. “Suburban Poverty: Assessing Community Need Outside the City.” Research Report. Pittsburgh, PA: Allegheny County Department of Human Services.

V. (RE)CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY

VI. INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION OF POOR NEIGHBORHOODS

Sharkey, Patrick. 2013. Stuck in Place: Urban neighborhoods and the end of progress toward racial equality. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

It would take 5 generations for African Americans to go from living in a high poverty neighborhood to one where the neighborhood’s average income is within 10% of the national average

For African Americans living in poor neighborhoods in 1970, it would take until 2070 for their family members to live in a neighborhood that represents the national average

Sharkey, Patrick. 2013. Stuck in Place: Urban neighborhoods and the end of progress toward racial equality. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

WHY (NOT) NOW?