The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
November 8, 2011

New Census Data Shows a Record 49 Million Americans Living in Poverty 
----------------------------------------------------------------------



New census data shows a record 49.1 million Americans — 16 percent
of Americans — are now living in poverty. On Monday, the
government released the new figures based on a revised formula of
poverty. The new number show three million more people are living in
poverty than the official measure released in September. The new data
shows 16 percent of Americans 65 or older are now living in poverty
— a far higher figure than previously studies have show. The
Washington Post reports the biggest factor increasing the poverty rate
for seniors under the new formula was out-of-pocket medical expenses.
The new data also shows 28 percent of Latinos and more than 25 percent
of African Americans are living in poverty. Without food stamps, another
five million would be living in poverty.



.