PolicyLink: Census Poverty Numbers 'Heart-breaking'

The data from the U.S. Census Bureau released today is providing no shortage of conversation. And as bad as some of the poverty numbers are concerned, PolicyLink says it's even worse.

From PolicyLink's EquityBlog:

The poverty numbers released today by the US Census Bureau were, to quote a colleague, heart-breaking. While the big number being talked about today is that one in seven Americans is now below the poverty level, that doesn’t tell the whole story.

If you look deeper at the data, the story of who’s hit first and worst is clear. The lowlights:

• More than one in four blacks, Latinos, and non-citizens is below the poverty line
• Biggest drop in real income was among blacks and non-citizens (4.4% and 4.5% drop, respectively)
• Hispanics and non-citizens saw the biggest jump in poverty (2.1 % and 1.8%, respectively)

And they've got it in pictures, too.