Census Bureau Releases Income, Poverty Data

The U.S. Census Bureau today released the results of the 2009 American Community Survey. From the press release:

 Median Household Income

• Real median household income in the United States fell between 2008 and 2009 — decreasing by 2.9 percent from $51,726 to $50,221.
• Between 2008 and 2009, real median household income decreased in 34 states and increased in one: North Dakota.

 Poverty

• Thirty-one states saw increases in both the number and percentage of people in poverty between 2008 and 2009.
• No state had a statistically significant decline in either the number in poverty or the poverty rate.

Reports:

• Poverty: 2008 and 2009
• Household Income for States: 2008 and 2009
• Men’s and Women’s Earnings for States and Metropolitan Statistical Areas: 2009

Press and blogosphere coverage:

• The Atlantic, 4 Reasons Why the Income Gap Increased in 2009
• Bloomberg, Michigan, Florida Lead 34 States With Drop in Median Income, Census Says
• Huffington Post, Income Gap Widens: Census Finds Record Gap Between Rich And Poor
• New York Times, The Poorest States of America
• Time, Census: Record Gap Between Rich and Poor
• USA Today, U.S. Census Finds Record Income Gap Between Rich and Poor
• Washington Post, As 44 Million Americans Live in Poverty, a Crisis Grows