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