Rutgers University Study Finds Increase in “Concentrated Poverty”

sitting on boxFor the past half century the poverty rate for African Americans has been three times higher than the poverty rate for White Americans. Through good economic times and bad, Democratic or Republican administrations, there has been some fluctuations in rates but the racial gap has remained relatively constant.

Now a new report by the Center for Urban Research and Education at the Camden, New Jersey, campus of Rutgers University and the Century Foundation shows that concentrated poverty in the United States is on the rise. Concentrated poverty is defined as census tracts where 40 percent of the households live below the federal poverty income threshold of $23,000 for a family of four.

The report found that there are more census tracts of concentrated poverty than ever before. More than 11 million Americans, 4 percent of the total U.S. population, live in these high poverty neighborhoods. The report found that 67 percent of the 11 million people in these high poverty areas are either Black or Hispanic.

Related Articles

5 COMMENTS

  1. It is always interesting that poverty and its concentration levels is always focused on people of color. What about poor whites? They always get a bye when discussing this issue. There needs to be a concerted effort to widen this discussion so that the fragmentation that comes from this slanted viewpoint can be avoided.

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs