Unemployed Workers (Creative Commons)

The poverty rate  increased from 13.2 percent in 2008 to 14.3 percent in 2009, proving to be the largest single-year increase since 1959.
 
As the United States grapples with the highest working-age poverty rate since the 1960s, the increase showcases the impact of the recession and unemployment on workers’ incomes. For a family of four, the poverty line was $22,050 while the single adult line was fixed at $10,830. Some experts say that families living on even twice the average poverty income should still be considered poor.
 
The report also found that the share of Americans without healthcare rose from 15.4 percent to 16.7 percent, due mainly to a decline in employer-provided health benefits. Congress hopes these numbers will improve when the health overhaul passed in March takes full effect. The overhaul’s main provisions, however, are not set to take effect until 2014.
 
Children and residents under 18 were hit the hardest — one in five, or 20.7 percent, qualified as living under the poverty line.
 
There was good news, however. The census report found that last year’s stimulus bill did increase benefits that helped millions of families in need. The rate of uninsured children also decreased, pointing to the impact of government-funded health programs for low-income children.
 
Obama responded to the findings by pointing out that his economic programs had an impact on lowering the figures. “Because of the Recovery Act and many other programs providing tax relief and income support to a majority of working families — and especially those most in need — millions of Americans were kept out of poverty last year.”
 
The president added, “For all of our challenges, I continue to be inspired by the dedication and optimism of America's workers, and I am confident that we will emerge from this storm with a stronger economy.”
 
This new data surfaces at a politically tense time as the Nov. 2 congressional elections loom near.

To reach reporter Marlise Knechtle, click here.

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