Poverty Rates Up

from The Dunn Daily Record

Latest Census Bureau statistics also show incomes for most local counties have increased.

Steve Reed
Reporter

About 15 percent of North Carolina's residents were living in poverty in 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau said in statistics just released.

North Carolina's poverty rate was higher than the nation's overall rate of 13 percent in 2005. With few exceptions, the poverty rate climbed for the region while incomes also increased.

Harnett County Director of Social Services Pat Cameron said there are still a number of people in the county who don't have jobs.

"Some are making more money and their income is going up but there are still a number of people in the community that don't have jobs and are underemployed," Mr. Cameron said. "So you've got two things working against each other. We've got our share of low income people and some of them are possibly getting paid a little bit better."

An estimated 23 percent of children under age 5 in North Carolina were living in poverty in 2005; nationwide, about 21 percent of children in that age group were poor.

The state's overall poverty rate was the 13th highest in the nation. New Hampshire had the lowest rate of poverty, at about 8 percent, and Mississippi had the highest, about 21 percent.

North Carolina's median annual household income was $40,781, ranking 39th in the nation. The national average is $48,451 per year.

According to the Census Bureau Web site, www.census.gov, median income is the amount which divides the numbers into two equal groups, half having income above that amount and half below.

The median numbers are based on all households and families, for people 15 or more years old with income.

All counties in this region were below the national income average. Only Johnston and Wake counties ranked above the state average.

Wake County has the state's largest median annual household income at $57,741 per year. Johnston County's figure was $45,342 per year.

Wake County's 2005 figure dropped slightly from 2004, when it was $57,846 per year. Johnston County's income increased slightly, from $44,099 in 2004.

Meanwhile, Harnett, Sampson, Lee and Cumberland counties' median household incomes were below the state average.

Harnett County's median income was $38,272, up from $36,385 in 2004; Sampson County's median income was $34,469, up from $33,384 in 2004; Lee County's median income was $40,163 per year, up from $39,387 in 2004; and Cumberland County's median income was $39,389 per year, up from $39,035 in 2004.

Poverty Climbs

While income averages have risen across the region, so has the poverty rate.

The Census Bureau Web site uses a set of income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty.

If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold, then that family and each individual in it is considered to live in poverty.

The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated for inflation using Consumer Price Index.

The official poverty definition uses income before taxes and does not include capital gains or non-cash benefits such as public housing, Medicaid and food stamps.

Sampson, Cumberland and Harnett counties' percentages of people living in poverty were above the state's average of 14.9 percent.

Of the state's 100 counties, Sampson County's poverty rate was 28th highest in the state. In Sampson, the percentage of people living in poverty rose nearly 2 percent in 2005, to 19.2 percent, compared to 17.5 percent in 2004.

Cumberland County ranked 34th in the state in poverty, its rate also increasing nearly 2 percent. The rate here was 18.1 percent in 2005, compared to 16.2 percent in 2004.

Harnett County ranked 49th highest in the state in poverty at 16.3 percent in 2005, compared to 15.8 percent in 2004.

Lee County was 57th highest in the state, but its poverty rate declined slightly. In 2005, the rate was 12.4 percent, compared to 13.1 percent in 2004.

Wake and Johnston counties both ranked among the lowest poverty rates in the state. Wake County had the fourth lowest rate in the state at 10.4 percent, up from 9.2 percent in 2004.

Johnston County had the 13th lowest poverty rate in the state at 12.3 percent in 2005, compared to 12.9 percent in 2004.

Children's Figures

With the exception of Johnston County, poverty figures for children ages 17 and younger also rose in the region.

Sampson County ranked 32nd in the state, with the percentage of children in poverty there increasing more than 3 percent to 26.7 percent, compared to 23.5 percent in 2004.

Cumberland County ranked 38th in the state, its rate also increasing 3 percent to 24.6 percent in 2005, compared to 21.5 percent in 2004.

Harnett and Lee counties tied at 58th in the state. The percentage of children living in poverty in Harnett County rose to 22.2 percent, up from 20.7 percent in 2004.

Lee County's poverty rate for children increased more than 4 percent to 22.2 percent, up from 18 percent in 2004.

Wake and Johnston counties were among the lowest children's poverty rates in the state.

Wake County had the fifth lowest poverty rate at 12.9 percent, compared to 11.2 percent in 2004.

Johnston County had the 14th lowest poverty rate for children in the state at 16.8 percent, compared to 17 percent in 2004.

MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME (all from 2005)
MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME (all from 2005)

United States $48,451

North Carolina $40,781

Wake $57,741

Johnston $45,342

Lee $40,163

Cumberland $39,389

Harnett $38,272

Sampson $34,469

OUT OF 100 COUNTIES,

PERCENT LIVING IN POVERTY

Sampson (28) 19.2 percent

Cumberland (34) 18.1 percent

Harnett (49) 16.3 percent

Lee (57) 12.4 percent

Johnston (87) 12.3 percent

Wake (96) 10.4 percent

OUT OF 100 COUNTIES,

PERCENT AGES 0-17 LIVING

IN POVERTY

Sampson (32) 26.7 percent

Cumberland (38) 24.6 percent

Lee (58) 22.2 percent

Harnett (58) 22.2 percent

Johnston (86) 16.8 percent

Wake (95) 12.9 percent

Note: Rank is from the most poor to the least poor.