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Poverty in Georgia

Many across America were relieved to hear that the official national poverty rate in 2007 remained the same as the year before. But for the 37.3 million people living in poverty it was not good news. It was not news at all.

As defined by the Office of Management and Budget and updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, the weighted average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2007 was $21,203; for a family of three, $16,530; for a family of two, $13,540; and for unrelated individuals, $10,590.

For Hispanics, the picture was gloomier — 21.5 percent were in poverty in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006. Poverty rates remained statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic whites (8.2 percent), blacks (24.5 percent) and Asians (10.2 percent) in 2007.

The number of people in poverty increased for seniors 65 and older — from 3.4 million in 2006 to 3.6 million in 2007. For children younger than 18, the number in poverty climbed as well, from 12.8 million in 2006 to 13.3 million in 2007.

The number in poverty in the South increased to 15.5 million in 2007, up from 14.9 million in 2006. With an overall ranking of 40, Georgia made a slight improvement over its ranking of 41 last year. Georgia ranks in the bottom 10 states in the nation in five of the indicators.

The state also fell further behind in the percentage of children living in single-parent families, the percentage of low-birth-weight babies, the teen birth rate and the infant mortality rate. According to the report, Georgia's child poverty rate went from 18 percent to 20 percent between 2000 and 2006.

Georgia's percentage of high-school dropouts ranks among the worst in the nation. Because poverty breeds other problems, some officials say the Juvenile Justice System has become a dumping ground for at-risk youths.

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2008 Reports

Georgia FACES News

Here's just a sample of poverty issues in the news generated by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, often in partnership with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. For the latest news, visit Georgia FACES.

Find out where your money goes
July 17, 2008 — Food prices are up, and gasoline costs more than ever. Most paychecks have stayed the same, but there are ways to make them seem like they too are growing, says a financial expert with the University of Georgia.
Get involved early to stop school dropouts
July 8, 2008 — The decision to drop out of school has consequences that affect a student for life. It can hurt communities, too, say education experts with the University of Georgia. Parents should intervene early to keep kids on the right path to success.
Pay bills now to avoid paying more later
January 3, 2008 — If your cash ran out before your shopping list did, you probably relied on credit cards this holiday season. It's time to develop a plan to tackle the debt before it grows out of control, says a University of Georgia financial expert.

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