Poverty disproportionately affects Missourians of color and children

The number of Missourians living in poverty declined last year, while median household income and those with health coverage rose.

Overall, 875,495 Missourians, or 14.8 percent, experienced poverty in 2015. This data is compared to the Missouri 908,628 households or 15.5 percent in 2014 according to the recently released American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. Missouri’s median household income was $50,238 up from the $48,363 median in 2014.

Missouri Community Action Network (Missouri CAN) welcomed the new statistics, noting that the economy is improving for most – but not all – Missourians and that public programs such as Social Security, nutrition assistance, subsidies to make housing more affordable and workers’ tax credits have lifted tens of millions of Americans out of poverty.

“We can and should do better for Missouri,” Kurt Brewer, Missouri CAN executive director said.“Many Missourians still struggle in an economy that is not working for them. We can take steps to help. Missouri can adopt proven anti-poverty policy interventions like Medicaid expansion and a state earned income tax credit.”

Census data highlights the critical role of public policy in poverty intervention. The number of uninsured Missourians has dropped consistently since the Affordable Care Act was fully implemented in 2014. In 2015, 583,000 Missourians were uninsured, down from 694,000Missourians in 2014.

But Brewer notes that as America’s economic tide rises, it is not rising equally for everyone. He said that many Missourians are still feeling the effects of the most painful economic downturn since the Great Depression – a burden that is disproportionately shouldered by women and people of color.

“Poverty rates for certain groups, including children, African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans, and those without a high school degree or equivalent, remain higher than the overall rate,” Brewer said. “This inequity in a land of plenty is unacceptable. With the right policy choices, we can create an economy that works for everyone.”

More Data:
• U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Report for Missouri 2015
• U.S. Census Bureau Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2015 Report

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Missouri Community Action Network (Missouri CAN) is the statewide network of Community Action Agencies, Allies and Supporters united to help people and change lives. Missouri’s 19 nonprofit Community Action Agencies provide localized, direct services to low-income Missourians in every county. Missouri CAN advocates for lowincomefamilies and strengthens the Community Action Network through education and training. Together, Missouri CAN thrive. Join us at MissouriCAN.org.