Ohio Poverty Numbers Grow

from WBNS

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There are more families in poverty now in Ohio than in the last 40 years, according to a new report.

The study shows more than 13-percent of Ohio’s population is poor. That’s about 316,000 people.

Numbers have not been that high since the 1960 War on Poverty.

The study was prepared for the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies and looks at numbers from the 2006 Census.

The largest population group in the poverty level is single mothers and their children.

The numbers show that 30% of Ohioans fall below the Census Bureau’s poverty threshold which means they are struggling even though they may not be in poverty. (The threshold is 200% of the poverty mark which is $20,444 for a family of four.)

Most of the families in poverty did have someone who was employed, but many held low-wage jobs.

Other facts from the study:

The population groups with the lowest poverty rates were older adults, whites and married persons with children.

The Southern and Southeast Ohio regions had the highest poverty rates.

Focus groups used for the report also indicated that communities with little experience with poverty are now seeing poverty moving to the suburbs.