This Is The County With The Lowest Child Poverty Rate In North Carolina

Atlanta GA

18 July, 2022

6:23 PM

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By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. Atlanta 2022-07-18 More than 40 million Americans live below the poverty line, and of those facing such financial hardship, children are disproportionately affected. Nearly 12.6 million children under age 18 live in households with poverty level income. Not only are children at higher risk of poverty, they are also especially vulnerable to poverty's harmful effects, both in the immediate and long-term. Childhood poverty can negatively impact brain development and has been linked with a greater likelihood of chronic illness, shorter life expectancy, and poor emotional and behavioral health. Those who spend some or all of their childhood in poverty are also less likely to succeed in school or be financially secure later in life. Nationwide, an estimated 17.5% of children under age 18 live below the poverty line. And though the United States has one of the worst child poverty rates among wealthy, developed countries, in parts of the U.S., child poverty is considerably less common than it is nationwide. Of the 99 counties or county equivalents in North Carolina with comparable data, Clay County has the lowest child poverty rate. According to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 American Community Survey, 8.3% of the 18 and under population in the area live below the poverty line – compared to the statewide child poverty rate of 20.0%. Although child poverty is less common in Clay County than it is across the state, incomes are not necessarily higher than average for local families. For example, the median annual income of households with children in the county stands at $47,176, or about $21,500 less than what the typical household with children across the state as a whole earns annually. All data in this story is from the 2020 ACS. Counties or county equivalents were excluded if the child poverty rate was not available, if the number of children for whom poverty status was determined was lower than 500, or if the sampling error associated with a county's data was deemed too high. Can't see the article's infographic? Click here to view the original story. This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.