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Poverty Level Increases In Escambia And Santa Rosa
December 9, 2011
A declining economy has plunged an increasing number of Escambia and Santa Rosa county residents into poverty and resulted in a decrease in median family income for many.
According to data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau, 19.1 percent of Escambia County families were living in poverty in 2010, a dramatic increase from 12.4 percent in 2007. During the same three year period, the median household income in Escambia County decreased from $41,772 to $41,428.
In Santa Rosa County, the poverty rate increased from 10.8 percent in 2007 to 12.6 percent in 2010. The median household income in Santa Rosa County increased from $50,935 to $51,208 in 2010.
The recession of the last couple years put more Florida residents into poverty and resulted in a decrease of median family income in much of the state.
Data on poverty and income show school-aged children took the brunt of the economic downturn, and overall poverty rates increased in 39 of Florida’s 67 counties between 2007 and 2010. Statewide, a little over three million Floridians, 16.5 percent of the population, lived under the federal poverty line in 2010.
Particularly hard hit because of reliance on construction, Florida’s rate was higher than the national rate of 15.3 percent. Florida counties were also more likely than the nation as a whole to see the poverty rate rise between 2007 and 2010.
Meanwhile, median income fell in Florida and across the country during the same period as layoffs in the construction and manufacturing sectors meant the loss of good paying jobs as the housing bubble burst and demand for manufactured goods fell along with corporate profits.
The News Service Florida contributed to this report.
Comments
12 Responses to “Poverty Level Increases In Escambia And Santa Rosa”
If I live to interact with my Great Grand Children. I will tell them. Once we were a great nation, we ate steak, we burned petroleum. Then I will have to explain what steak and petroleum were.
Those waiting for the “construction” to begin again, quit holding your breathe. Time you learn a new trade. With ALL the empty houses and business there is no reason to build more, just for them to remain empty too.
429scj–Ref. Nukes. China has as many if not more “nukes” than we do, their navy (think Sub’s) and carrier fleet is as large as ours and growing. Many more countries have “nukes” and are our “friends” (think middle east) who we do not and can not trust. I understand from some military that I know that the DOOMS DAY system is still in place in our country and a number of others. There would be no winners. The only bright spot is that there is a middle and upper class developing in China and hopefully they can help keep the world from seeing a “nuclear winter”. I said years ago that maybe we should learn mandarin, now I read that some schools are teaching it.
Hello Molino Jim. China is smart, they do not bankrupt themselves running fools errands. America, just as the Romans, is going to start closing overseas bases, and recalling the legions. It will be interesting to watch, as China starts to fill the power vacume, left by the U.S. withdrawal, from the international stage. As far as the kings of the east coming to collect, I think on that day, we are going to need our nukes. Everyday they eat a little better, and everyday our diet grows more costly.
429scj—Where did the money go? Each time you go into that nice big box store know as WalMart and spend your money a little stays here, a large amount goes into the Walton families pockets— but most goes to China. I know the smaller stores have to charge more, but a lot of the items are USA made and every little bit helps. If China ever demands payment on all of the notes they are holding—we are going to be in deep trouble.
Those of us in construction related professions are having to venture farther & farther from home to find work. I am in Oklahoma right now, would rather be back in Klondike with my family. Hopefully next November, a change in Presidential admistrations will take place and inspire some confidence for businesses to expand. If we are lucky, they’ll expand to our area.
There are so many that it is starting to become conspicuous. You can see entire famalies walking down the side of the road. As I watch the social fabric and civil infrastructure crumble, I ask where did all the money, that was lost in the failures of real estate and financial institutions go? It went somewhere, and was replaced with taxpayer funds. All the money poured into the sands of Iraq, went somewhere. It was not lost, it went into the pockets of that 1%, that is getting richer, as the other 99% grow poorer. The one thing that is for certain, when the numbers of cold and hungry, dispossessed Americans become great enough, they will start to ask why and who, and that is when life in the USA, will really start to get interesting.
I second that fact. From a consumer’s point of view, I’m making the same money as 10 years ago. Since then, the price of:
– houses has doubled
– gas has tripled
– car taxes have quadrupled
Soon, the ’single family home’ will become home for 3 families. One truck will be used to take the workers ‘into town’ like the villagers in South America.
Amen to tireds statement. I am in the same situation, but a single mom. I have never been this bad off either. I used to have enough money to pay my bills, buy food, then have a little extra to do something fun. Now, robbing Peter to pay Paul….. Make too much for Food Stamps and not enough to buy food. I hope something gives soon.
Everyone is feeling the crunch including the State and Federal Government
and we all know they have no mercy on the tax payers. We are their bank
account and they feel no compunction about coming to us. lol
This government is not by the people and for the people anymore.
It is for the lie-rs we vote in who care for nobody but their own pockets.
If we want industry and jobs we have to open businesses.
It is up to US THE PEOPLE. Just be careful to open something that
is needed in your area to the largest population, or that you can ship
elsewhere quickly.
Go to the library and learn about business and demographics.
Do something you love and you will never work a day in your life.
So many people open extra businesses while holding down full
time jobs. They do it on the web in the evenings.
Good luck.
But yet everybody and there brother wants to raise this and raise that in Florida. I’m tired of everyone taking a piece of my pie – there is nothing left. My husband and I are fortunate to both have jobs but we are struggling now more than we ever had in the 23 years we have been married and we do not live above our means. We have no cable and no house phone – don’t kow what we will cut next if things continue to rise. Health Insurance, taxes, gulf power, ECUA, car insurance – I’m tired of these intities taking my money when I have not had a raise in 4 years!
This is no surprise to thos of us who live here! When will the County Commissioners make some effort to get businesses in here? We have people who graduate from college here and then go somewhere else to work, where they can actually find a job!