Earlier this summer, the U.S. Census Bureau issued a report on changes in poverty areas (i.e., census tracts with poverty rates of 20% or more) from 2000-2010. According to the report, the number of people living in poverty areas increased from 18.1% in 2000 to 25.7% in 2010. This increase followed a 1.9% decrease from 1990-2000.
The report also provides state- and region-specific data. From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of people living in poverty areas increased by (1) 3.3% in the Northeast and (2) 4.2% in Connecticut. During the same period, the percentage of people in poverty living in such areas increased by (1) 3.8% in the Northeast and (2) 6.9% in Connecticut.
The report notes that the increase in poverty concentration places additional burdens on low-income families: “Problems associated with living in poverty areas, such as, higher crime rates, poor housing conditions, and fewer job opportunities are exacerbated when poor families live clustered in high-poverty neighborhoods.”
