2019 American Community Survey Statistics for Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Available for States and Local Areas
The U.S. Census Bureau released a detailed look at America’s people, places and economy with statistics on income, poverty, health insurance, employment, families and more than 40 other topics from the American Community Survey (ACS). It is important to note that data for the 2019 ACS was collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore does not reflect the economic changes that began in February 2020.
Ohio ranks 15th nationally for overall poverty at 13.1%. Worst is Mississippi at 19.6%. Best is New Hampshire at 7.3%.
Living in poverty means a household income of no more than $25,926 for a two-parent family of four, or $20,598 for a single parent with two children. The poverty level for a single-person under age 65 is $13,300.
Statewide, Ohio’s child poverty of 18.4% is 15th highest among the states, which range from Mississippi’s 28.1% to New Hampshire’s 7.1%.
Youngstown and Canton rank second and third worst in the country for child poverty, with rates at close to 57%. Cleveland is 11th for child poverty at 46.1%, just ahead of several other once heavily industrial cities along Lake Erie, including No. 12 Erie, Pennsylvania (44.6%), No. 14 Buffalo (43.4%), No. 15 Detroit (43.2%) and No. 20 Lorain (41.7%).
New data also shows the median family income in Ohio increased from $72,028 in 2018 (not adjusted for inflation) to $74,911 in 2019, now ranking 32nd among the states.