Did you know that 23% of children in the US are living in poverty?
So over 16.837 million children under 18 years old live in families with annual income below $22,811 in 2011.
Based on analysis of the US Census, the Annie E. Casey foundation has posted statistics by state for 2007-2011 on their data center.
Looking at how California measures up to the other states:
- In 2011, California ranked the highest with over 2 million children living in poverty increasing each year from 1.5 million in 2007. Texas and Florida take the 2nd and 3rd ranking with 1.829 million and 980,000 respectively.
- New York ranks the highest with 521,000 children in poverty but Los Angeles ranks 2nd with276,000.
- The median income for California is $59,100 and Texas is $52,300. But CA’s higher cost of living is approximately 10% higher than Texas.
These stats indicate the need for heightened awareness of income disparities. Food and diaper deserts are increasingly found in low-income neighborhoods. Continued efforts to address inequalities of access to basic needs are essential for the large (and growing) number of children and families living in poverty.
How does your state stack up? Are you surprised?