Rising Poverty and Erosion of the Middle Class in Washington state
Preliminary data released from the Census yesterday show rising poverty and declining median income in Washington state.
Over 800,000 people in our state are living below the poverty line (set at $22,350 for a family of four in 2011 when the data were collected). Poverty among Washingtonians increased from 9 percent before the recession (2006-2007), to 12 percent in 2010-2011, and median income declined by $4,630 over the same period (see figure).
The numbers highlight the continued toll of the economic downturn on all Washingtonians.
Check out our analysis on health insurance numbers released yesterday. Stay tuned for a thorough analysis of poverty and income when more detailed and authoritative data from the Census Bureau is released next week.
