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Poverty Statistics
More than 32% of the Muncie population has fallen below
the poverty line during the past year, compared to the
state average of 12%. (US Census 2006)
The poverty rate for the State of Indiana is average
compared to the rest of the country (ranking 28th),
however, the rate of poverty in Delaware County is at
the level of the state ranking 5th in the nation. (based
on 2005 Census data)
The average person receiving food stamps in Delaware
County gets $1.08 per meal (FSSA February 2007)
The median household income in Indiana has dropped 8.4%
over the last 5 years. An estimated 44% of Indiana’s
renters do not earn enough to afford a two-bedroom unit
at the fair market rent. (ICHHI)
Indiana has the highest percentage of high school
dropouts in the nation, at 13%, compared to the national
average of 8% (Kids Count 2006)
A study released in March by the National Poverty Center
reports that an additional four years of education
decreased reported rate of smoking by 11%, excessive
drinking by 7%, overweight or obesity by 5%, and fair or
poor health (compared to good or excellent health) by
6%. (NPC, UMich Education and Health March 2007)
The Housing Wage in Indiana, the hourly wage a family
must earn, working full-time, to be able to afford rent
and utilities in the private housing market, is $12.36.
This represents a 19% increase since 2000. This means
that at minimum wage, a family would need 2.4 full-time
wage earners or one full-time earner working 96 hours
per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. (ICHHI)
A 2006 study of 12 major metropolitan areas across the
U.S., including Indianapolis, revealed that lower income
families tend to pay higher than average prices for a
wide array of basic household necessities including
check cashing and short term loans, tax refund services,
car purchases, car loans, car insurance, home loans,
home insurance, groceries, furniture, appliances and
electronics. (Brookings Institute, From Poverty,
Opportunity, July 2006)
During the last 5 years, children living in the Midwest
experienced the greatest increases in child poverty than
any other region in the U.S., accounting for 43% of the
total rise of child poverty. (NCCP The New Poor, August
2006)
60% of children in low-income families in Indiana have
at least one parent who is employed full-time/ year
round. (National Center for Children in Poverty)
Muncie Community Schools ranks 8th in the state for
highest number of families below poverty, and 4th in the
state for highest number of single parent families (2006
IN DOE)
A study done recently asked more than 10,000 respondents
what the federal government’s highest priority in terms
of spending should be. Their answers, in percent of the
total budget, included 35% on health and social service
programs, 18% on security and defense and 22% on
education. The U.S. government reports that in 2006,
9.08% of total White House discretionary funds were
allocated to the Health and Human Services and Social
Security; 52.2% was spent on Defense and Homeland
Security; and 6.7% on education.
(Catholic Campaign for Human Development Poverty Pulse
January 2007 & www.whitehouse.gov 2006 Discretionary
Funding by Major Agency )
300 North Madison Street | Muncie, IN 47305 | (765) 747-0872 |
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