Sheri Wood didnt need the Census Bureaus new data to tell her the U.S. poverty rate grew last year.At the Kansas City Free Health Clinic she heads, 20 percent more people have sought free health care since 2009.I see too many people losing their jobs, who are taking whatever they can to keep food on the table, Wood said. Im surprised the poverty level didnt go up more.The bureau said Tuesday that 15.1 percent of the U.S. population lived beneath the federal poverty level in 2010 the highest poverty rate since 1993 and up from 14.3 percent in 2009.In its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage, the Census Bureau also said the nations median household income fell, and the number of Americans under age 65 without health insurance throughout the year stayed stuck at more than 49 million.About 46.2 million Americans were estimated to live in poverty last year, an increase of 2.6 million since 2009.For a household of two adults and two children, that meant they lived on an income of less than $22,113.We have a lot of young people who worked hard to get through college and cant find a job, Wood said. Were seeing people of all ages who are struggling to make ends meet, who are working two or three jobs with no benefits.Even for Americans living above the poverty line, the Census report showed a continuing overall decline in earning power. In 1999, median household income was $53,252 in inflation-adjusted 2010 dollars. By last year, it had dropped more than 7 percent to $49,400.Since 2009, the median household income has fallen 2.3 percent.The biggest drops in real median household income were among 45- to 54-year-olds and the 15- to 24-year-olds. The bureau buttressed the mancession as a nickname for the recent economic downtown, noting a 6.6 million decline in the number of full-time male workers from 2007 to 2010, compared with a drop of 2.8 million full-time female workers.The household income decline was mainly tied to higher unemployment rates, said Trudi Renwick, chief of the bureaus poverty statistics branch.About 86.7 million Americans did not work at some point last year, compared with 83.3 million the year before.Income gapEdward Welniak Jr., chief of the bureaus income statistics branch, said the new data, based on the Current Population Survey, detailed a widening income gap over time between the nations top and bottom wage earners.Real median household income for the top 10 percent was $138,900 in 2010, compared with $11,900 for the bottom 10 percent. The bureaus data showed that real income growth for the bottom half of U.S. households has been basically flat for more than four decades. In contrast, real annual income for the top 10 percent of households leaped by about $53,100 over that period.The national median of $49,400 which means 50 percent of households had higher income and 50 percent had lower income compared in real terms to a median of $40,800 in 1967.By race, the bureau charted these median household incomes for 2010: Asian: $64,300; white (non Hispanic) $54,600; Hispanic, $37,800, and black, $32,100.Also by race, these were the 2010 poverty rates: Blacks, 27.4 percent; Hispanics, 26.6 percent; Asians, 12.1 percent, and whites (non-Hispanic), 9.9 percent.The bureau said four out of 10 households headed by females with no husband present lived in poverty last year. That compared with fewer than one in 10 married-couple families. Behind todays grim statistics are real people who are finding it harder than ever to keep a roof over their heads, feed their families, get the health care they need and give their children a chance at a better life, said Joan Entmacher, a vice president at the National Womens Law Center.By age group, 22 percent of children under age 18 lived in poverty last year.The poverty rates were far lower among older Americans. The bureau said 13.7 percent of 18- to 64-year-olds and 9 percent of Americans age 65 and older lived in poverty.Without Social Security benefits, there would be about 13.8 million more people aged 65 and older who would be living in poverty, the bureau said.And without unemployment insurance benefits, the bureau said, there would be about 2.3 million more adults living in poverty.Health insuranceWhen analyzing health insurance coverage, the bureau said the year-to-year change was statistically insignificant.The percentage of people without health insurance coverage of any type was measured at 16.3 percent last year.The number of uninsured Americans was 49.9 million in 2010, compared with 49 million in 2009, according to the bureaus revised calculations.Despite the static figure, the data worried Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for health care.The number of American workers with job-based health coverage has declined to a historic low, and our nation now has the highest number and percentage of uninsured ever recorded, Pollack said. Today, approximately one out of every six people is uninsured.The bureau said 55.3 percent of Americans had employment-based coverage last year, and 31 percent had government-based coverage. Employment-based health insurance coverage has declined by about 10 percent in the last decade.Nearly one-third of Hispanics lacked health insurance, the largest uninsured group by race. Only about one in 10 white, non-Hispanics were uninsured.The complete report is accessible at <a href="http://www.census.org">www.census.org</a>

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U.S. poverty rate hits 15.1 percent, new Census data show

By DIANE STAFFORD

The Kansas City Star

More News

Sheri Wood didn’t need the Census Bureau’s new data to tell her the U.S. poverty rate grew last year.

At the Kansas City Free Health Clinic she heads, 20 percent more people have sought free health care since 2009.

“I see too many people losing their jobs, who are taking whatever they can to keep food on the table,” Wood said. “I’m surprised the poverty level didn’t go up more.”

The bureau said Tuesday that 15.1 percent of the U.S. population lived beneath the federal poverty level in 2010 — the highest poverty rate since 1993 and up from 14.3 percent in 2009.

In its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage, the Census Bureau also said the nation’s median household income fell, and the number of Americans under age 65 without health insurance throughout the year stayed stuck at more than 49 million.

About 46.2 million Americans were estimated to live in poverty last year, an increase of 2.6 million since 2009.

For a household of two adults and two children, that meant they lived on an income of less than $22,113.

“We have a lot of young people who worked hard to get through college and can’t find a job,” Wood said. “We’re seeing people of all ages who are struggling to make ends meet, who are working two or three jobs with no benefits.”

Even for Americans living above the poverty line, the Census report showed a continuing overall decline in earning power. In 1999, median household income was $53,252 in inflation-adjusted 2010 dollars. By last year, it had dropped more than 7 percent to $49,400.

Since 2009, the median household income has fallen 2.3 percent.

The biggest drops in real median household income were among 45- to 54-year-olds and the 15- to 24-year-olds.

The bureau buttressed the “mancession” as a nickname for the recent economic downtown, noting a 6.6 million decline in the number of full-time male workers from 2007 to 2010, compared with a drop of 2.8 million full-time female workers.

The household income decline was mainly tied to higher unemployment rates, said Trudi Renwick, chief of the bureau’s poverty statistics branch.

About 86.7 million Americans did not work at some point last year, compared with 83.3 million the year before.

Income gap

Edward Welniak Jr., chief of the bureau’s income statistics branch, said the new data, based on the Current Population Survey, detailed a widening income gap over time between the nation’s top and bottom wage earners.

Real median household income for the top 10 percent was $138,900 in 2010, compared with $11,900 for the bottom 10 percent.

The bureau’s data showed that real income growth for the bottom half of U.S. households has been basically flat for more than four decades. In contrast, real annual income for the top 10 percent of households leaped by about $53,100 over that period.

The national median of $49,400 — which means 50 percent of households had higher income and 50 percent had lower income — compared in real terms to a median of $40,800 in 1967.

By race, the bureau charted these median household incomes for 2010: Asian: $64,300; white (non Hispanic) $54,600; Hispanic, $37,800, and black, $32,100.

Also by race, these were the 2010 poverty rates: Blacks, 27.4 percent; Hispanics, 26.6 percent; Asians, 12.1 percent, and whites (non-Hispanic), 9.9 percent.

The bureau said four out of 10 households headed by females with no husband present lived in poverty last year. That compared with fewer than one in 10 married-couple families.

“Behind today’s grim statistics are real people who are finding it harder than ever to keep a roof over their heads, feed their families, get the health care they need and give their children a chance at a better life,” said Joan Entmacher, a vice president at the National Women’s Law Center.

By age group, 22 percent of children under age 18 lived in poverty last year.

The poverty rates were far lower among older Americans. The bureau said 13.7 percent of 18- to 64-year-olds and 9 percent of Americans age 65 and older lived in poverty.

Without Social Security benefits, there would be about 13.8 million more people aged 65 and older who would be living in poverty, the bureau said.

And without unemployment insurance benefits, the bureau said, there would be about 2.3 million more adults living in poverty.

Health insurance

When analyzing health insurance coverage, the bureau said the year-to-year change was statistically insignificant.

The percentage of people without health insurance coverage of any type was measured at 16.3 percent last year.

The number of uninsured Americans was 49.9 million in 2010, compared with 49 million in 2009, according to the bureau’s revised calculations.

Despite the static figure, the data worried Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for health care.

“The number of American workers with job-based health coverage has declined to a historic low, and our nation now has the highest number and percentage of uninsured ever recorded,” Pollack said.

“Today, approximately one out of every six people is uninsured.”

The bureau said 55.3 percent of Americans had employment-based coverage last year, and 31 percent had government-based coverage.

Employment-based health insurance coverage has declined by about 10 percent in the last decade.

Nearly one-third of Hispanics lacked health insurance, the largest uninsured group by race. Only about one in 10 white, non-Hispanics were uninsured.

The complete report is accessible at www.census.org