Politics & Government
NJ Kids Poorer This Year Than Last, More Families Slip Below Poverty Limit
Detailing rising unemployment and housing costs, annual survey offers bleak assessment of state still reeling from recession.
An annual survey of the wellbeing of children in New Jersey found rising poverty and an increasing inability of families to make ends meet.
The 2013 edition of New Jersey Kids Count, released on Wednesday by Advocates for Children of New Jersey, shows the devastating effects of the most recent recession on the state’s youth and their families. Most of the data covers 2011 and 2012 and measures change during the recession and post-recession period in areas of economics, health, education, and safety.
“While the rankings shift every year, we see certain trends across many counties, including increasing child poverty, unemployment, and high housing costs,” said Cecilia Zalkind, ACNJ’s executive director.
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For instance, the data shows more than 296,000 children in New Jersey living below the federal poverty limit in 2011. That represents 15 percent of the total child population in one of the wealthiest states in the nation. The number of children in poverty rose by a quarter between 2007 and 2011.
Read more at NJSpotlight.com
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