America's poor

One in eight Americans and almost one in four blacks lived in poverty last 
year, the U.S. Census Bureau said on Tuesday, releasing a figure virtually 
unchanged from 2004.

15.9 percent of the population, or 46.6 million, had no health insurance, up 
from 15.6 percent in 2004 and the fifth increase in a row.

37 million Americans lived below the poverty line, defined as having an annual 
income below around $10,000 (5,300 pounds) for an individual or $20,000 (10,600 
pounds) for a family of four.

25% of blacks and 21.8 percent of Hispanics were living in poverty. 
Among whites, the rate edged down to 8.3 percent from 8.7 percent in 2004.

Black median income, at $30,858 (16,300 pounds), was only 61 percent of the 
median for whites

17.6 percent of children under 18 and 20% of those under 6 were in poverty, 
higher than for any other age group.
Real median household income rose by 1.1 percent between to $46,326 (24,500 
pounds) from $45,817 (24,200 pounds) -- its first increase since 1999. 

The figures contained wide regional variations, ranging from a median household 
income of $61,672 (32,600 pounds) in New Jersey to $32,938 (17,400 pounds) for 
Mississippi. 

Major cities with the highest proportions of poor people included Cleveland 
with 32.4 percent and Detroit with 31.4 percent under the poverty line.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/29082006/325/eight-americans-live-poverty.html

alan johnstone
homepage:- http://mailstrom.blogspot.com/


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