al.com: Alabama is 6th poorest state in nation; poverty rate at 40 percent in some counties
Alabama is the sixth poorest state in the United States, according to a new report by an Alabama nonprofit.
About 18.5 percent of Alabamians live below the federal poverty line, but the percentage varies widely by county. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Black Belt counties have the highest rates of poverty while metro areas have the lowest.
“Poverty is not a state of mind; it’s a complex series of barriers that hardworking people have to overcome every day,” said Kristina Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible, the statewide nonprofit that released the report.
Times Daily: Food insecurity a major concern for children, elderly
With the recent release of this year’s Poverty Data report by Alabama Possible comes the realization that the state, and Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale counties locally, exceed the national percentage of people considered food insecure.
By the report’s definition, food insecurity refers to multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns, and reduced food intake or reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet.
The report shows the national food insecurity level at 13.4 percent. The state is more than 4 percent higher at 17.7 percent.
More than 18 percent of Alabamians live in poverty, a fact reflected vividly in local poverty rates for Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale counties.
The three local counties and the state all have poverty rates above the national average of 14.7 percent, according to Alabama Possible’s 2017 Alabama Poverty Data Report.
The annual poverty data sheet highlights statewide poverty rates and data related to educational attainment, employment and food security.
Birmingham Times: More Than 18% Of Alabamians Live In Poverty, According To Report
Nearly 900,000 Alabamians, or 18.5 percent of those in the state, live below the federal poverty line, according to a report released last week by Alabama Possible, a statewide nonprofit organization that removes barriers to prosperity.
Alabama’s poverty rate is higher than the national average of 14.7 percent.
The 2017 Alabama Poverty Data Sheet highlights statewide poverty rates and data related to educational attainment, employment and food security. Alabama Possible publishes the report on an annual basis.
Lagniappe: Poverty, the constant foe
Poverty is so common in Alabama it can be hard to see.” This oxymoronic, or seemingly self-contradicting, statement was made by Kristina Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible, in a news release concerning the organization’s recent publication of its 2017 Alabama Poverty Data Sheet.
The study is conducted and published yearly to serve as a data set and policymaking guide for state and local leaders focused on eradicating the stubborn barriers to economic prosperity and a better quality of life for many Alabamians — barriers that in our part of the country have been, unfortunately for some, passed down from generation to generation. If the American dream is to live better and more comfortably than one’s parents, for many this has never been any more than just that — a dream.
Opelika-Auburn News: Alabama ranked sixth poorest state in nation, poverty rates down from 2016
Though Alabama jumped up two spots since 2016, the state still ranks as the nation’s sixth poorest state with 18.5 percent of its residents living below the federal poverty line.
Lee County’s poverty rate also dropped from 25.2 percent in 2016 to 21 percent in this year’s Alabama Poverty Data Sheet released on Wednesday by Alabama Possible, a statewide nonprofit that works to remove barriers to prosperity.
This year’s report marks the first since the recession hit in 2009 that Alabama’s poverty rate has dipped under 18.9 percent, which Alabama Possible Executive Director Kristina Scott said is a sign that Alabama is finally recovering from the recession.
Cullman Times: Alabama 6th poorest state in the U.S.; Cullman’s poverty rate is 19.4%
Statewide nonprofit group Alabama Possible (AP) recently released its 2017 Alabama Poverty Data Sheet, which highlights statewide poverty rates and data related to educational attainment, employment and food security.
According to the sheet, nearly 900,000 Alabamians live below the poverty line, which is just $24,257 a year for a family of four.
“Although Alabama’s overall poverty rate slightly declined, and our median household income is up, we still have work to do. The rest of America recovered from the recession at an even faster pace, and the gaps between Alabama and the nation’s poverty rate and median household income are bigger than ever,” said a release from AP.
Tuscaloosa News: Study: Poverty declines in region
Despite a decrease in poverty compared to last year, West Alabama is still one of the poorest areas in the country, according to figures compiled and released by a nonprofit group called Alabama Possible.
The organization was founded in 1993 and has been distributing information on poverty in Alabama annually for almost a decade.
According to its 2017 Poverty Fact Sheet, Alabama is the sixth-poorest state in the nation, and the southern parts of West Alabama have some of the poorest counties in the state.