Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

US Poverty Rate Still at Record Highs

But figures still better than analysts' predictions

By the Associated Press

Posted Sep 12, 2012 10:16 AM CDT

(AP) – The Census Bureau says the number of Americans in poverty stood at 15% in 2011 as the number of poor remained at record highs. About 46.2 million people, or nearly 1 in 6, were in poverty. The figures were better than the expectations of analysts who had predicted an increase due to persistently high unemployment. The number in poverty in 2010 was 15.1%.

That figure improved modestly in 2011, but wage growth was weak. A University of Michigan economist calls the poverty figures surprising and a sign that expiring unemployment benefits were able to help workers for much of the year. The median, or midpoint, household income was $50,054—a 1.5% decline from 2010.

In this Monday, July 30, 2012 photo, Dave Krepcho, director of the Second Harvest Food Bank, looks over a supply of goods that have arrived at the food bank warehouse in Orlando, Fla.
In this Monday, July 30, 2012 photo, Dave Krepcho, director of the Second Harvest Food Bank, looks over a supply of goods that have arrived at the food bank warehouse in Orlando, Fla.   (AP Photo/John Raoux)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
10%
6%
70%
1%
6%
7%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 39 comments
ddhartma
Sep 12, 2012 4:39 PM CDT
With 23M Americans unemployed or under-employed what do they expect. Even those that are employed are working for less wages than they were prior to "that great sucking sound" took its toll. We are now dealing with a competitive world market that reaches out to whatever the cheapest labor force is, but that shouldn't stop us from attempting to ensure that the market is fair in that China still has tariffs on some of our exports while we don't reciprocate that practice. Additionally, China's government is constantly playing with the value of their money whereas the value of our's just continues to decline as we add more debt. What we need is more jobs. Jobs that may require a re-education of the workforce and may be more technical rather than mechanical. But, this will also require significant improvement in our education system, to ensure the continued availability of an educated workforce.
realtruth
Sep 12, 2012 12:43 PM CDT
Put them on Welfare. Or Put them to work.. Oh I forgot.. They dont want to work... Put then on Welfare.. The Vote for Dem Payola..
ObamaliberalsSuck
Sep 12, 2012 11:49 AM CDT
The democrats plantation Grows! Abut half of the poverty Stricken are poverty stricken by choice, more kids than sense and more freebies than incentives to work! This is how democrats buy Votes!

Copyright 2013 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

US

 
Census Bureau • recession • unemployment • poverty • poverty rate • recession depression • unemployment rate

 
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   POPSUGAR Tech   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment   |   NewsOne