New Census data from the American Community Survey indicate that poverty has risen sharply due to the economic downturn.
New Census data from the American Community Survey indicate that poverty has risen sharply due to the economic downturn. In 2010, 10.1% of Connecticut residents (350,145) had incomes under the Federal Poverty Level, up from 9.4% in 2009. Among Connecticut children under age 18, 12.8% (103,498 children) lived in families with incomes under the Federal Poverty Level in 2010. (For a two-parent household with two children, the poverty level was $22,113 in 2010.)
Median household income also fell statewide, declining from an estimated $68,174 in 2009 to $64,032 in 2010. Connecticut experienced one of the largest declines in income (6.1%), second only to Nevada. These poverty trends reflect the continued impact of the economic recession, which began in the state in March 2008. Connecticut had already experienced the largest increase in poverty of any state between 2007 and 2008, growing from 7.9% to 9.3%.
Estimates of poverty rates varied significantly across Connecticut’s cities: Bridgeport (23.1%), Danbury (11.6%), Hartford (31.2%), New Britain (22.0%), New Haven (29.7%), Norwalk (7.3%), Stamford (12.1%), and Waterbury (21.0%). The percentage of children under 18 in poverty in Connecticut cities was also reported for Bridgeport (31.2%), Danbury (9.9 %), Hartford (44.5%), New Britain (26.5%), New Haven (43.7%), Norwalk (11.4%), Stamford (11.9%), and Waterbury (31.7%). Poverty estimates are only available for cities with populations over 65,000.
For the third year, the U.S. Census Bureau released state-, city-, county- and Congressional district-level estimates for health insurance coverage in Connecticut from the American Community Survey. In Connecticut, 9.1% (an estimated 320,133 persons) of all people in Connecticut were without health insurance at the time of the survey. This was not significantly different from the 2009 rate. An estimated 3.0% of children under 18 (24,144) were uninsured at the time of the 2010 survey, a significant decrease from the 3.8% rate in 2009.
A full summary of state, city, county, and Congressional district data can be found in the news release and fact sheet below.
