Nearly one fourth of Michigan children still live in poverty in this post-recession period and the problem continues to plague the Detroit suburbs, not just urban areas.
According to the annual “Kids Count” report released today, in Macomb County, the child poverty rate is 10.5 percent. The county stats remained about 75 percent higher in 2014 compared to 2006 in three categories: the number of kids under age 18 living in poverty, kids under 6 who are eligible for food stamps, and K-12 students eligible for free or reduced-cost school lunches.
Neighboring Oakland County fares better, with a child poverty rate of 8.4 percent. But in the three categories mentioned above, Oakland remains 50 to 60 percent worse than in ’06. That’s a disturbing trend for a county once was considered one of the most prosperous in the nation.
Overall, the report, produced by the Michigan League for Public Policy, shows that Michigan’s 2014 poverty rate was 22.6 percent, down from a peak of 24.7 percent in 2012 but still at an alarming level. The number of kids on food stamps or receiving school lunches is still significantly higher than in the pre-recession time period of 2006.
The Kids Count report found that poverty rates vary dramatically based on race. The proportion of black kids who are poor is three times higher than for white kids, 48 percent vs. 16 percent. And Hispanic children don’t fare much better, with about one-third living below the poverty line.
“The Michigan League for Public Policy has been producing the Kids Count report for 25 years, but low-income kids are still struggling, and the repercussions touch every part of their lives,” said Gilda Jacobs, CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy.
“The Flint water crisis and the horrendous conditions in Detroit Public Schools show just how low a priority protecting kids has become. Lawmakers have a responsibility to protect Michigan kids, and with this (report), we provide the information and recommendations for how they can do that.”
