Poverty Right Here at Home Increases for the Second Year in a Row

September 30, 2003

The number of people living in poverty in the United States increased for the second year in a row, according to Census Bureau data released Sept. 26. 1.7 million more people were classified as living below the poverty line in 2002 than during the previous year, for a total of 34.6 million people—including 12.1 million children—living in poverty. Over two years, there were 3 million more poor people in 2002 than in 2000.

The news was particularly bad for single mothers. Although only 20% of all families are headed by single mothers, half of all the families living in poverty are headed by single mothers. The poverty rate for female-headed households is three times that of all households. Additionally, one-fifth of all homes headed by working single mothers slide below the poverty line.

There was virtually no change in the wage gap between men and women's earnings, with women earning only 76.6 percent of what men earned, compared to 76.3 percent in 2001. Even more troubling, recent data from the Congressional Budget Office indicate that the gap between the rich and poor has more than doubled from 1979 to 2000, making the disparity between the wealthy and the impoverished the largest since the 1930s.

The Census Bureau report also included data on the connection between education and poverty status. As expected, the numbers showed a striking correlation between lack of education and poverty. Only 4.6% of families in which the head of the household has a bachelor's degree live in poverty, while 26.9% of families in which the head of the household has less than a high school degree live in poverty.

Responding to the new census data, women's rights advocates said the Bush administration's policies simply haven't addressed the needs of families working to pull themselves up out of poverty.

"The Bush administration excuses the increase in poverty rates over the past two years as a side effect of a nation emerging from a recession," said NOW President Kim Gandy, "but we know that the increase is due to a deliberate government policy to encourage and reward states who kick poor women off welfare regardless of whether they have stable employment, safe and decent childcare and living conditions or are paid enough to support their families."

"These dreadful numbers—more than 12 million children living below the poverty level—can be laid right at the doorstep of George W. Bush, who has at every opportunity championed the further enrichment of millionaires and billionaires while asking middle income, low income and poor families to sacrifice just a little more," Gandy continued. "If the Bush administration expended half as much effort helping poor women escape poverty as it does helping millionaires, then we'd really be in business. Bush's economic policies are bad business for the country as a whole and particularly devastating for the 34.6 million people living in poverty. It's time for a regime change."

See also:

• Institute for Women's Policy Research
• Urge Your Senators to Oppose the Finance Committee's Welfare Bill (9/03)