News
Feb 18, 2010
One in 7 Travis County Residents Live In Poverty, What Can You Do?
Poverty: We Can't Afford To Ignore It
* 1 in 7 residents, an estimated 144,336 (15%) Travis County residents were living in poverty in 2008, higher than the national poverty rate (13%);
* 1 in 5 children 47,723 (19%) children under the age of 18 in Travis County were living in poverty in 2008;
* 1 in 3 children raised in poverty remain in poverty as adults.
* Boys raised in poverty are twice as likely to be arrested and three times as likely to be incarcerated.
* Girls raised in poverty are five times as likely to bear a child out of wedlock prior to the age of 21.
* Texas has the fastest growing child population in the country and the Central Texas child population is growing at twice the state rate.
* The cost of living in the Austin area is significantly higher than the recognized "poverty level" -- families need incomes 2-3 times greater than the Federal poverty guidelines ($21, 200 for a family of 4) to be able to afford basic monthly expenses;
* 84% of Travis County families living in poverty did not receive any type of cash assistance and 72% of families in poverty did not receive food stamps in 2008;
* In Texas childhood poverty costs $57.5 billion dollars annually.
