Philadelphia, PA -
Out of the top ten largest cities in the United States, Philadelphia has the highest poverty levels, with more of its citizens living below the federal poverty level than any other major US city. National poverty rates have continued to increase since 2001 when the poverty rate was 11.7%. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2006 the poverty rate increased to 12.3%. However, in Philadelphia, poverty levels are double the national average with 24.2% of Philadelphian's living in poverty. Nearly one-third or approximately 100,000 of the city's poor are African-Americans.
Current economic instability can have immediate implications for the city's poor, not only through the cost of housing and job stability, but also with access to adequate nutrition. A recent article by the Reuters News Agency: Poor still suffering from the last recession showcases how the effects of the previous recession in the late 90s into 2001 can have lasting effects for the poor in Philadelphia.
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