Poverty and the Struggle to Meet Basic Needs

 
People in Richland and Lexington counties, especially those with household incomes under $25,000 are struggling to afford basic needs. There are clear differences on the community survey between those with household incomes under $10,000 and those making $10,000-24,999 on items such as not having enough money for rent/mortgage and utility bills, and finding a job with good pay.
Responses to the Facing Facts surveys indicate that people in persistent poverty or who lack jobs with livable wages cannot meet their basic needs.  Many households  in our community daily struggle to pay for housing, utilities, food, clothing and legal help.
 
Poverty in Richland and Lexington counties.
Using 2007 data, the U.S Census Bureau determines the poverty level based on household size. Individuals with an annual income of $10,787 and four person households with an income $21,203 are considered to live at the poverty level.
According to the US Census bureau 2007 estimates for
 Richland County:
  • 41, 618 or 12.7% of all residents and 15.2% of people under the age of 18 lived below the federal poverty line. 
  • 32.3% of single female headed households with children under 18 fell below the poverty line, as compared to 4% of married households. 
  • 29.1% of single female headed households where the female was Black were under the poverty line.
In Lexington County:
  • 26,175 or 10.9% of all residents were below the federal poverty line and 16.1% of all those under 18 were below that line. 
  • 38.5% of households with single females and children under 18 were under the poverty line, as compared to 5.3% of married couple families with children under 18. 
  • those single female headed households 47.9% of black women with children are below the federal poverty line

For more data on poverty in the Midlands see page 25-27 of the Facing Facts Report