AZ has one of the highest rates of Poverty in US (Phoenix: 2014, how much)

[Colt AZ]

The poor are with us all everywhere, and they will always be a part of the human condition.

[Hschlick84]

We need to help the poor and get them the skills they need to make a successful middle class life, not demean or belittle them due to financial restraints.

[phx1205]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Just very surprised, these rates are a % of the population, and I was not aware that AZ was indeed that impoverished. It literally ranks in the bottom percentile of states. Given all the growth in the state the past 2 decades I figure this would no longer be the case.

Not sure why you would be surprised. You think all the people crossing the border are coming here with pockets full of money and large bank accounts? No, they are coming here to work and make money because they don’t have any. Duh.

BTW, I’m sure you saw that PA has about 500,000 more people in poverty than AZ, right?

[wase4711]

this guy has posted this "information" in multiple places here; what's the point, or is he just a bored troll??

[locolife]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Just very surprised, these rates are a % of the population, and I was not aware that AZ was indeed that impoverished. It literally ranks in the bottom percentile of states. Given all the growth in the state the past 2 decades I figure this would no longer be the case.

If you know anything about AZ the population growth is pretty much all about Phoenix with most other areas flat or not growing. With large rural areas in northern and southern Arizona consisting of very poor communities this is reflected in the state wide economic metrics.

For city or metro comparisons here’s a better chart.

Phoenix MSA poverty- 16.2%
Philadelphia MSA poverty- 13.1%
Orlando- 15%
Tampa- 14.7%
LA- 15.7%
Houston- 14.6%
Atlanta- 14%
St. Louis- 17.5%

As a metro we’re on par with other big sunbelt cities, the best cities have achieved around 10% but they tend to be higher cost cities which makes me wonder what it looks like if you adjust poverty rates to local COL.

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/C...acsbr15-01.pdf

[asufan]

Originally Posted by Hschlick84

We need to help the poor and get them the skills they need to make a successful middle class life, not demean or belittle them due to financial restraints.

I have no responsibility to anyone's finances other than my own families' and no one's skills other than my children. I'm not responsible for the people moving here from Mexico, which is the real cause for the alleged "ranking", let's be honest. I already have kids, I don't need any more.

[new2colo]

I'm not surprised the Arizona has one of the highest poverty rates. While I think that the unemployment/underemployment rate on the state's tribal lands has a lot to do with it, I also think that there are PLENTY of extremely poor people in the rest of the state. The Phoenix area is one of the poorest major metropolitan areas in the country.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...n-us/15851529/
https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...o-phoenix.html
Good News: Phoenix Metro Area Is Second in the Nation; Bad News: In Poverty | Phoenix New Times
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/mark...AggNb9#page=20

The state's boosters always like to point the tribes as bringing our state's quality of life metrics down. The reality is that there are plenty of communities, within walking distance of the capitol, that drag this state's metrics down. Just drive in the neighborhood immediately south of downtown, from Lincoln Street to the Salt River between 7th Street and 7th Avenue and tell me how wrong this claim is.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by phx1205

Not sure why you would be surprised. You think all the people crossing the border are coming here with pockets full of money and large bank accounts? No, they are coming here to work and make money because they don’t have any. Duh.

BTW, I’m sure you saw that PA has about 500,000 more people in poverty than AZ, right?

Arizona is HALF the population of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania =14 million people = 5th largest state in the nation.
Arizona = 7 million people = 14th largest state in the nation.

You never compare these metrics with raw numbers.

Some other stats:

Poverty Rates by Metro:

Phoenix : 17.2 %
Philadelphia: 13. 4 %

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/C...acsbr15-01.pdf


The only purpose of me posting this was to get feedback on the geographic sources of poverty in AZ. I never thought of AZ as having a large rural population since much of its landscape is dessert, and giving the tremendous growth over the past 20 years within AZ I would think the poverty numbers would be much lower. This was not to compare PA to AZ. I studied Urban Studies/Geography and I was very much surprised by the poverty levels in AZ. And how it affects your state government/services. That is all. I was not looking for people to jump at PA. I never mentioned PA until you brought it up. Thank you.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by new2colo

I'm not surprised the Arizona has one of the highest poverty rates. While I think that the unemployment/underemployment rate on the state's tribal lands has a lot to do with it, I also think that there are PLENTY of extremely poor people in the rest of the state. The Phoenix area is one of the poorest major metropolitan areas in the country.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...n-us/15851529/
https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...o-phoenix.html
Good News: Phoenix Metro Area Is Second in the Nation; Bad News: In Poverty | Phoenix New Times
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/mark...AggNb9#page=20

The state's boosters always like to point the tribes as bringing our state's quality of life metrics down. The reality is that there are plenty of communities, within walking distance of the capitol, that drag this state's metrics down. Just drive in the neighborhood immediately south of downtown, from Lincoln Street to the Salt River between 7th Street and 7th Avenue and tell me how wrong this claim is.

I have been to Phoenix several times and this was my perception was the disparity, but I did not realize it ranked as the 3rd poorest large metro. Anyways I was looking for personal insight as I do research on poverty in U.S Metros/Geographic areas and I am not physically in AZ to understand a first hand account. Thanks. I was not looking to compare to PA. That is silly.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Arizona is HALF the population of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania =14 million people = 5th largest state in the nation.
Arizona = 7 million people = 14th largest state in the nation.

You never compare these metrics with raw numbers.

Some other stats:

Poverty Rates by Metro:

Phoenix : 17.2 %
Philadelphia: 13. 4 %

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/C...acsbr15-01.pdf


The only purpose of me posting this was to get feedback on the geographic sources of poverty in AZ. I never thought of AZ as having a large rural population since much of its landscape is dessert, and giving the tremendous growth over the past 20 years within AZ I would think the poverty numbers would be much lower. This was not to compare PA to AZ. I studied Urban Studies/Geography and I was very much surprised by the poverty levels in AZ. And how it affects your state government/services. That is all. I was not looking for people to jump at PA. I never mentioned PA until you brought it up. Thank you.

You’re looking at 2014 numbers, notice Phoenix dropped to 16.2% in ‘15 and Philly went down to 13.1%. We were one of the hardest hit metro areas in the 2010 recession, that had a major impact in Phoenix. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re down another 1.5-2% in 2017 while I’m guessing Philly hasn’t changed much.

It took us until this year to finally recover to post recession job levels and higher wage tech growth has been contributing to some nice income increases in Phoenix recently. That won’t show up in the poverty data until 2018.

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/...pay-is-in.html