MassBUdget: Concentrated Poverty Affects 90,000 Massachusetts Children

Economic Growth Doesn't Reach All Neighborhoods in the Commonwealth

90,000 Kids in Massachusetts Live in Concentrated Poverty New Data Highlights How Concentrated Child Poverty Persists Despite Economic Growth  Did you know that more than 1 in 16 children live in concentrated poverty in the Commonwealth? Using recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Annie E. Casey Foundation's data snapshot, we examined how concentrated poverty has affected children across the state despite a long period of national economic expansion. In Massachusetts, living in high-poverty neighborhoods affects six percent of all children, and these neighborhoods are mostly in the Gateway Cities and the City of Boston.  Our new snapshot on concentrated poverty in the Commonwealth http://massbudget.org/reports/pdf/Concentrated%20Poverty%20(002).pdf "Growing up in high-poverty neighborhoods has long-term impacts on our kids," said Marie-Frances Rivera, MassBudget's President. "All children and families deserve quality education, housing and access to opportunity. Investing in solutions that uplift children in poverty will create the change needed for everyone in the Commonwealth to thrive." Growing up in a community of concentrated poverty - that is, a neighborhood where 30 percent or more of the population is living in poverty - is one of the greatest risks to child development. Alarmingly, more than 8.5 million children live in these settings. That's nearly 12 percent of all children in the United States. Children in high-poverty neighborhoods tend to lack access to healthy food and quality medical care and they often face greater exposure to environmental hazards, such as poor air quality, and toxins such as lead.  Financial hardships can also cause chronic stress linked to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. And when these children grow up, they are more likely to have lower incomes than children who have relocated away from communities of concentrated poverty. Children should be allowed to learn and grow no matter where they live or their socioeconomic status. Policies at the community and state level that can have a significant impact on the lives of children in struggling families include: Fixing our "upside-down" state and local tax system so that those who have benefited most from our economic growth pay their fair share and invest in the public good to ensure a bright future for our children; Providing equitable education funding so that opportunity is available to young people from all communities and backgrounds to give them the chance to succeed; Ensuring that all our neighbors and family members have the same opportunities to thrive regardless of immigration status; Investing in our public transit systems, roads, and bridges to allow everyone access to economic opportunity and jobs; and Guaranteeing that all workers can earn decent wages to help keep a roof overhead, provide for their families, and receive dignity and respect from their employers. MassBudget thanks the Mass. Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) for supporting our research on poverty and their work in calling on national, state and local stakeholders to act now to help families lift themselves out of these circumstances.  Interested in learning how you can help combat child poverty? View the snapshot here and join the conversation with us online @MassBudget.  The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts.  Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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MassBudget: Progress in reducing poverty in Massachusetts slows in 2017

October 2, 2018 Progress in reducing poverty in Massachusetts slows in 2017 Although the state has made significant gains in poverty reduction and income growth in recent years, especially since the recession, year-over-year progress began to slow in 2017. Compared to 2016, the poverty rate was essentially flat, and median household income grew at a much slower pace. More than one in 10 Massachusetts residents lived below the poverty line in 2017, essentially the same as the rate in 2016, according to a new Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) brief, Massachusetts Poverty Rate Flat, Median Income Growth Slowed in 2017. Although progress slowed in the past year, Massachusetts' poverty rate is close to pre-recession levels, at 9.9 percent, and is the 10th lowest in the country. From 2016 to 2017, Massachusetts saw a 0.6 percent growth in median household income, from $76,901 to $77,385 (in 2017 dollars) - a growth rate that ranked 37th nationally. Read the full report here http://massbudget.org/report_window.php?loc=Census-Income-and-Poverty-2018.html. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

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MassBudget: Examining Today's New Census Data on Income, Poverty, Children

Examining Today's Census Data on Income, Poverty, Children BOSTON - Sept. 14 - Showing the effects of a strong economy in 2016, new data from the U.S. Census finds that the median income (the income of the household at the midpoint of the income distribution) in Massachusetts increased 5.8 percent in 2016 and that poverty in the state declined significantly: from 11.5 percent to 10.4 percent. A new brief (PDF) from MassBudget finds the decline in poverty likely reflects both the overall strength of the state economy and increases in the state minimum wage that occurred in 2015 and 2016. "It's good news that incomes are up and poverty is down. But too many families in our state are still struggling. The state median wage remains below where it was in 2009, and more than one in eight children in our state live in poverty. The progress our state has made should encourage us to continue to work to expand opportunity and to help working families to become more economically secure." The new data from the Census also show a decline in child poverty. Improving the economic security of the families in which low income children are growing up has been shown to have long term positive effects for those children. A separate brief (PDF) released by MassBudget today, examines the implications of today's Census data for children. Read the new MassBudget brief examining today's Census data on income and poverty (PDF) Read MassBudget's new KIDS COUNT brief on the implication of today's data for kids (PDF) The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

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TED 2013: Bono on poverty (video)

Spend 14 minutes to get some impressive facts on poverty.

"We're going to win if we work together as one, because the power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power." Bono

Take action. Become a factivist with one.org

Or focus your activities on the Franklin community and help with the Franklin Food Pantry

Two fact sheets on new health care, poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau

Explore our onlinebudget database Is our research helpful to you? Support our work Contact Info   Noah Berger   President   nberger@massbudget.org   (617) 426-1228 x102 New Census data show Massachusetts leads nation in health care coverage; poverty rises nationally September 13, 2011 The U.S. Census Bureau today released data on health insurance and poverty rates for 2010.  Two new fact sheets by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center examine the data. Massachusetts Still the Leader in Health Care Coverage reports on Census Bureau data indicating that Massachusetts health insurance coverage rate is more than ten percentage points higher than the national rate.  Using a multi-year average, the Census data estimate that in the 2008-2010 period, Massachusetts had a health insurance coverage rate of 95 percent - more than any other state in the nation.  U.S. Poverty Rate Rises Again shows that the national poverty rate increased for the third year in a row in 2010, rising to 15.1 percent from 14.3 percent in 2009.  The poverty rate is now at its highest point since 1993, and the total number of people living in poverty-46.2 million-is the highest number in the 52 years for which the Census Bureau has published poverty estimates.  The Census data also show that the percentage of people in deep poverty-those with incomes below 50 percent of the official poverty level-rose to 6.7 percent in 2010 the highest point since the Census Bureau began to publish this measure in 1975. The health insurance fact sheet is available here, the fact sheet on poverty is available here; both can be found at www.massbudget.org.  MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

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Can green jobs solve poverty?

There is an interesting conversation about

Can green-collar jobs clean the "dirty-energy economy" and lift people out of poverty?

The discussion revolves around education in California where the drop out rate from public schools is now 25%. 41% for Blacks and 31% for Latinos.

Van Jones and California State Senator Darrell Steinberg discuss a unique solution for our economy and environment. Together they offer a clear vision for green economic development and its potential.

Click through to listen here.

Well worth listening to!