Census Bureau Report: Child Poverty is Up in West Virginia.

*According to the recent report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2003, from the U.S. Census Bureau, the child poverty rate in West Virginia increased from 24.7% in 2002 to 25.3% in 2003, and the state's median family income is the lowest in the nation. Margie Hale, Executive Director of West Virginia KIDS COUNT fund, says one of the keys to reducing the number of poor in West Virginia is making sure all young children enter school ready to succeed.

   In every category of the report, the statistics for West Virginia were sobering

*Poverty, the child poverty rate has increased from 24.7% in 2002  to 25.3% in 2003.

* West Virginia continues to have the fourth highest child poverty rate in the nation. Only Louisiana, Mississippi, and new Mexico have higher rates.

*Income, Median family income in West Virginia has increased from $37,375 in 2000 to $38,568 in 2003 However the state continues to have the lowest median family income in the nation.

 

 

*Education, West Virginia has the third lowest percent (78.3%) of people who have completed high school. Only Texas and Mississippi have a lower percent.

*West Virginia has the lowest percent (17.0%) of people who have completed a bachelor's degree.

*From 2000 to 2003, the percent of West Virginia families making less than $15,000 has increased; the percent of families making between $15,000 and $75,000 has declined.

*Health Insurance The percent of people without health insurance has grown from 13.9% in 2001-2002 to 15.6% in 2002-2003

*Social Service with cash public assistance income increased from 2.61% in 2000 to 3.06% in 2003.

*Households with food Stamp benefits increased from 10.94% in 2000 to 12.75% in 2003.