Record High Poverty Numbers in the U.S.

With a new report about poverty in America out this week, our discussion of the situation is far from over. Just a month ago we were discussing how 1 in 5 children were living in poverty in the U.S. This week the U.S. Census Bureau released its report that stated 46.2 million people were living in poverty in 2010.  The nation’s poverty increased to 15.1 percent in 2010 up from 14.3 percent in 2009. According to the bureau this is the highest level of poverty since 1993.

Around 2.6 million people slipped below the poverty line in 2010, which is defined by an income of $22,314 for a family of four. In the U.S. regions, the South was the only area to show statistically significant increases in both the poverty rate and the number in poverty. 

The three states with the highest poverty rates were Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia.  Mississippi had the highest percentage of poor people at 22.7 percent. At the lowest end was New Hampshire with 6.6 percent. 

Other statistics from the report include:

With nearly 1 in 6 Americans living in poverty and millions still struggling what do you think it will take for the U.S. to recover?