Data released by the U.S. Census Department indicates that poverty is on the rise in Connecticut, and particularly among children.

The annual American Community Survey found that in 2011, 10.9 percent of Connecticut residents (377,856) had incomes under the Federal Poverty Level, up from 10.1 percent in 2010.

Connecticut can boast (if such a thing is worth boasting over) of the 5th highest rise in children's poverty in the nation. Almost 15 percent of Connecticut children under age 18 (118,809 children) lived in families with incomes under the Federal Poverty Level in 2011, an increase from 12.8 percent in 2010, according to the data, released by Connecticut Voices for Children.

That's a further increase from the 1.4 percent hike in poverty seen in the state between 2007 (7.9 percent) and 2008 (9.3 percent). In 2001, the poverty rate was 7.3 percent (10.2 percent for children), growing to 10.9 in 2011 (14.9 percent for children).

Statewide, the uninsured rate for Hispanics (20.4 percent) and African Americans (12.1 percent) was substantially higher than the rate for White, non-Hispanic residents (5.9 percent), according to the release.

 

“It's still early, but the numbers in these historically underserved communities appear to be moving in the right direction, when compared to last year’s numbers of 21.7 percent and 13.8 percent. Access to quality, affordable health care for everyone regardless of income, ethnicity and race should be the goal in Connecticut,” said Frances G. Padilla, president of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut.

A fact sheet provided by Connecticut Voices for Children is below.

Census Fact Sheet