Poverty Facts

15 Shocking Facts About Poverty In America

Source: www.businessinsider.comSept. 13, 2010

Michael Snyder, The Economic Collapse

45 million Americans were living in poverty in 2009.

Source: US Census

2009 saw the largest single year increase in the U.S. poverty rate since the U.S. government began calculating poverty figures back in 1959.

Source: US Census

The U.S. poverty rate is now the third worst among the developed nations tracked by the OECD.

Source: OECD

Household participation in the food stamp program increased 20.28% from 2009 to 2010.

Source: Department of Agriculture

The number of Americans on food stamps surpassed 41 million for the first time ever in June 2010.

Source: Department of Agriculture

As of June 2010, the number of Americans on food stamps had set a new all-time record for 19 consecutive months.

Source: Department of Agriculture

One out of every six Americans was served by at least one government anti-poverty program in 2010.

Source: USA Today

More than 50 million Americans are now on Medicaid, the U.S. government health care program designed principally to help the poor.

Source: USA Today

One out of every seven mortgages in the United States was either delinquent or in foreclosure during the first quarter of 2010.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association

Nearly 10 million Americans received unemployment insurance in 2010, which is almost four times as many as in 2007.

Source: USA Today

The number of Americans receiving long-term unemployment benefits rose over 60 percent in 2010.

Source: CNBC

28% of all U.S. households had at least one member looking for a full-time job in 2010.

Source: TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence

Nationwide bankruptcy filings rose 20 percent in the 12 month period ending June 30, 2010.

Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

More than 25 percent of all Americans had a credit score below 599 in 2010.

Source: USA Today

One out of every five children in the United States is now living in poverty.

Source: US Census