Report

This report showcases the “high cost of being poor” reality of the 2003 KIDS COUNT Data Book essay by presenting the everyday budget struggles of low-income working families of Hartford, Connecticut. Using local data, the report makes a case for public benefits and supports to help mitigate the impact of higher health care, transportation and child care costs on inner city working families.

June 21, 2017

In This Report, You’ll Learn

  1. 1

    Why healthcare, child care and transportation costs make employment for low-income working families difficult.

  2. 2

    Why the issue is not only the high cost of being poor, but the additional cost of being poor in a poor community.

  3. 3

    Why shopping close to home creates more of a hardship in poor communities.

  4. 4

    How predatory lending practices are keeping low-income families poor.

Key Takeaway

The reality of paying more because you’re poor

Low-income families not only face higher costs by going to work, but also higher costs simply by living in a poor community. Small-scale local businesses cannot take advantage of the economies of scale that enable larger, mainstream businesses to offer more products at lower prices.

Findings & Stats

Statements & Quotations

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