Yesterday, the Census Bureau released its annual data on income, earnings, poverty, and health insurance, giving us a picture of the economic status of working families 10 years since the start of the Great Recession—and in the first year of the Trump presidency. Today, the Census Bureau released data on state poverty levels and income levels from the American Community Survey, which gives us a more detailed picture of how states have fared in the economic recovery.
Economists at EPI wrote a series of blog posts analyzing the Census data, which are compiled below. Please contact news@epi.org if you are interested in speaking with any of our experts about their findings.
- What to watch for the in the 2017 Census data on earnings, incomes, and poverty
- By the Numbers: Income and Poverty, 2017
- Household income growth slowed markedly in 2017 and was stronger for those at the top, while earnings declined slightly
- 10 years after the start of the Great Recession, black and Asian households have yet to recover lost income
- Black workers have made no progress in closing earnings gaps with white men since 2000
- Government programs kept tens of millions out of poverty in 2017
- Household incomes in 2017 stayed on existing trends in most states; incomes in 21 states are still below their pre-recession levels
- Poverty declined in most states in 2017