Number of Americans in poverty hits record high
17 Sep BBC
The number of Americans living in poverty rose to 46.2 million last
year, nearly one in six people, according to the US Census Bureau's
annual report.
The 2010 data shows the poverty rate at 15.1%, from 14.3% in 2009.
The number of Americans without health insurance also rose slightly to
49.9 million.
The poverty rate was the highest since 1983, and tied with the level
in 1993.
The number of Americans living below the poverty line has now risen
for four years in a row.
The US definition of poverty is an annual income of $22,314
(£14,129), or less for a family of four, and $11,139 for a single
person.
More poor children The Census Bureau data also showed that poverty
among black and Hispanic people was much higher than for the overall US
population last year - at 27.4% and 26.6% respectively.
Outside of the poverty line, the average annual US household income
fell 2.3% in 2010 to $49,445 (£31,228). Even younger Americans were also
strongly affected.
Twenty-two percent of those under 18 were living under the poverty
line - up from from 20.7% in 2009.
Reacting to the data, the Children's Leadership Council, an advocacy
group, said: "The rising numbers of children living in poverty is a
direct result of the choices made by political leaders who put
billionaires before kids. America's children should be our top
priority."
Among regions, the South had the highest poverty rate at 16.9% and
the highest percentage without health insurance, 19.1%.
Mississippi had the highest share of poor people, at 22.7%, followed
by Louisiana, the District of Columbia, Georgia, New Mexico and Arizona.
At the other end of the scale, New Hampshire had the lowest share, at
6.6%.
The slight rise in the number of people without health insurance - up
by nearly one million - was mostly caused by losses of employer-provided
medical cover in the weakened economy.
Congress passed a health overhaul last year to deal with rising
numbers of the uninsured, but the main provisions do not take effect
until 2014.
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