What does it mean to be poor in America?

This question can be answered by statistics that provide a demographic profile of who is poor, or it can be answered through a description of the impact poverty has on a person’s life - how they solve the fundamental issues of finding work, shelter, food, child care, health care and transportation. It can also be answered by comparing the circumstances of the poor and the not poor, to see the similarities and differences in their lives. Finally, it can be answered through the perceptions and views of our community, as being poor is also an issue of perception as well as circumstance.

In the material available here for download here, all these aspects will be examined in turn, as we look to find a comprehensive answer to this question. As we examine each facet, we will add, as much as possible, the specific demographics, impact, circumstances and perceptions of Macomb County, using Census data, economic data, and surveys. We believe this will add to our understanding of what it means to be poor in our community in America.

Poverty Report 2007-08, Poverty and Need in Macomb County (3.69 MB, Adobe® PDF format)

Previous Edition (2005): Poverty Report full document (108 KB, Adobe® PDF format)