On Saturday, students and volunteers from the Community Action Agency of Somerville gathered in Cousens Gym to take part in a poverty simulation, attempting to recreate what it would be like to live for one month in low-income conditions. The federal poverty guidelines were developed 40 years ago and were based upon the cost of only one item: food. Since then, the guidelines have been adjusted for inflation only and do not reflect the excessive increases in the costs of housing or other necessities. In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily takes a look at the numeric realities of poverty in the United States and Massachusetts.
37,000,000 Number of Americans living at or below federal poverty guidelines2 Rank of United States among 28 developed nations in gap between rich and poor, with Mexico at No. 1
$20,000 or less Household income at federal poverty level for a family of four$40,000 or less Household income at federal low-income level for a family of four$49,000 Estimated annual income a family of four would need in Boston to meet basic needs
50% Approximate percentage of income families with 2 children spend on housing and childcare, the two greatest expenses for working families29,200,000 Children living in low-income families in the United States in 200513,500,000 Children living in poverty in the United States in 2005
9.7% Poverty rate for Massachusetts in 200513% Poverty rate for children in Massachusetts in 20043.2% Decrease in median household income in Massachusetts between 2001 and 200340 Massachusetts state rank in income inequality, with 50 being the most unequal77% Percentage income increased over the past 20 years for families in the top 20 percent of income distribution in Massachusetts16% Percentage increase in income over the past 20 years for families in the bottom 20 percent of income distribution in Massachusetts
8% Families in Massachusetts with parents without a high school degree72% Percentage of those families who are low-income 23% Families in Massachusetts with parents without a college degree43% Percentage of those families who are low-income
11.5% Poverty rate for all persons in Somerville in 199012.5% Poverty rate for all persons in Somerville in 200016% Poverty rate for children between 0 and 11 years of age in Somerville in 200020% Percentage of Somerville residents who earned less than $20,000 annually in 2000
70% Percentage of Somerville residents who rent housing$13,500 Median yearly rent in Somerville, based on median monthly rent of $1,1258 Rank of Boston metro area out of the least affordable areas of the country
The information cited above was provided by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. It comes from the Associated Press, the Center for Law and Social Policy, The Missouri Community Action Network, the National Center for Children and Poverty, the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, the National Center for Children in Poverty, Kids Count Data, and the Community Action Agency of Somerville.
-compiled by Anne Fricker
