Rising Numbers, Bigger Problem
The number of children living in areas of concentrated poverty has risen by 1.6 million, a 25% increase since 2000.
All children need strong families and supportive communities to realize their full potential. For the nearly 8 million U.S. children under age 18 living in areas of concentrated poverty (see box below for a complete description), critical resources for their healthy growth and development — including high-performing schools, quality medical care and safe outdoor spaces — are often out of reach. The chance that a child will live in an area of concentrated poverty has grown significantly over the last decade. In fact, the latest data available show that the number of children living in these communities has risen by 1.6 million, a 25% increase since 2000.
The number of children living in areas of concentrated poverty has risen by 1.6 million, a 25% increase since 2000.
Children living in middle- and upper-income families living in a high-poverty neighborhood earn 52% less as an adult, on average.
Of the nearly 8 million children living in areas of concentrated poverty, almost half are in families with incomes above the poverty line.
African-American, American Indian and Latino children are between six and nine times more likely than white children to live in these communities.
A graph showing the composition of children living in areas of concentrated poverty.
Research indicates that as neighborhood poverty rates increase, undesirable outcomes rise and opportunities for success are less likely. Even when family income is held constant, families living in areas of concentrated poverty are more likely to struggle to meet their children’s basic material needs.
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