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Interesting data from the U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, D.C., September 11, 2019

Interesting data released yesterday from the U.S. Census Bureau:

✅ Nationally, the poverty rate in 2018 dropped 0.5% from 2017. This was the 4th consecutive annual decline in U.S. poverty rates, which is good news.

✅ Poverty rates for children decreased 1.2% last year. Also good news.

✅ Poverty rates for families (defined as "two or more people related by birth, marriage or adoption and living together") dropped last year from 9.3% down to 9%. And the poverty rate for married-couple families remained very low at 4.7%.

⚠ Still, 11.8% of the U.S. population was living in poverty in last year, and the highest rates are in the southern states.

⚠ Adults (age 25 and older) without a high school diploma continue to have the highest rates of poverty. Last year, their rates rose 1.4 percentage points to 25.9%.

Although there's a lot of positive news from this report, we must continue to work to improve educational opportunities, keep the economy strong, and help businesses thrive. Because ultimately, those are the most effective things our nation can do to help those who are trying to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Click here for the U.S. Census Bureau announcement.