Thursday, May 29, 2025, 7:22AM |  58°
MENU
Advertisement
The U.S. poverty rate improved slightly between 2013 and 2014.
1
MORE

Census data show improved poverty rate in Pennsylvania

Tim Brinton

Census data show improved poverty rate in Pennsylvania

Poverty rates improved modestly across most of the Pittsburgh region in 2014, according to new census data, as many households appeared to benefit from an ongoing, modest economic recovery.

The seven-county metropolitan area’s poverty rate of 12.4 percent last year, compared to 12.8 percent in 2013, is one factoid among wide-ranging American Community Survey data the U.S. Census Bureau is releasing to the public today. The rate has fluctuated between 12 percent and 12.8 percent for the past five years, consistently much better than national rates.

Most parts of the region saw reduced poverty rates in 2014, with Beaver and Fayette counties and the city of Pittsburgh being exceptions.

Advertisement

In an oddity of statistical record-keeping, two federal poverty rates are reported for 2014. Using the ACS methodology from an annual survey of 3.5 million households provides a national rate of 15.5 percent in 2014, improved from 15.8 percent. But the federal government uses its alternative, longer-running Current Population Survey to identify an official poverty rate for 2014 of 14.8 percent, which it said represented no meaningful difference from a year earlier.

About 30,000 people in Pennsylvania could lose their food stamp benefits early next year — about 8,000 of them in Allegheny County.
Kate Giammarise/ Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau
Jobless rate puts some at risk for food stamps in Pa.

In either case, local poverty rates continue to be better. Carol De Vita, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute who has researched the Pittsburgh region’s poverty trends, said that’s in part because of a successful transition to an “eds and meds” economy that has created jobs and income to help residents exceed the poverty threshold (about $24,000 for a family of four).

(Click image for larger version)

She noted that higher poverty rates are also generally found in rural areas and places with a higher percentage of minorities than is the case around Pittsburgh.

Officials representing human service agencies in the area had mixed opinions on whether the improved numbers are borne out by any evidence that fewer people are in dire financial need than a few years ago.

Advertisement

Ken Regal, executive director of Just Harvest, an advocacy group, acknowledged there has been a reduction of about 5,000 in the number of Allegheny County residents receiving food stamps since a peak of more than 165,000 in early 2012. The demand for such help has been relatively stable in 2015 rather than increasing or declining, he said.

“What census numbers don’t reflect is how fluid people’s experiences are,” Mr. Regal said. “You can say people were poor last year and now they’re not poor and we lifted them out of poverty, but the fact is there’s always a bunch of people becoming poor and others becoming unpoor, and people are experiencing crises ... when already living right at the margin.”

Robert Nelkin, president of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, said calls to the agency’s 211 line for help with threatened evictions and utility shutoffs and to request help obtaining food and other necessities keeps increasing, so he’s wary of survey numbers citing economic improvement on the lower end.

“There are a lot of people who were doing OK, and then something happened in their life — loss of a job or work hours, health care expenses, an automobile accident, all these unexpected things — and if they have no savings, no reserves, no support system, they suddenly need somewhere to turn,” Mr. Nelkin said.

Adam Smeltz
Health insurance enrollment up across in Pennsylvania

The data suggested things were turning for the better for low-income people in Allegheny County outside of Pittsburgh and in Armstrong, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

But the city of Pittsburgh’s reported poverty rate climbed from 22.7 percent to 23.8 percent; Fayette County’s from 19.3 to 20.5 percent; and Beaver County’s from 10.6 to 11.4 percent.

Michael Rubino, executive director of United Way of Beaver County, said there’s some consolation that the county’s rate is still well below that of both the nation and region, possibly because of its high proportion of elderly, with their reliable retirement incomes.

Local food banks reported increasing demand in the recent past, he said, so the higher poverty rate in 2014 would make some sense, but he believes conditions have been stable this year instead of worsening.

Gary Rotstein: grotstein@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1255.

First Published: September 17, 2015, 4:00 a.m.

RELATED
Elizabeth Miles
Number of Pa. children living in poverty on the rise, study says
Rochelle Jackson, a single mother of four, works in welfare advocacy for Pittsburgh nonprofit Just Harvest. She has two other part-time jobs and is working to complete a master's degree in business administration at Carlow University.
Jennie Dorris
Single moms struggle to find help and escape judgment
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Mary Lou Retton poses at "Dancing with the Stars" Season 27 at CBS Televison City on Sept. 24, 2018, in Los Angeles, California.
1
news
Olympic gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton charged with DUI in West Virginia
A "cannabis control board" is being proposed by a state lawmaker as a precursor to legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania.
2
news
Pa. senators try to reboot marijuana legalization push with new ideas for oversight
Electricity bills across the state are due to increase on June 1, when utilities reset a portion of their charges to reflect the current cost of energy.
3
business
Electric bills in Pennsylvania are going up next month. Your utility can't help it.
Starting pitcher Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates and catcher Henry Davis #32 walk to the dugout before the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 28, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
4
sports
3 takeaways: Henry Davis, Pirates offense look to be taking a step forward following strong series in Arizona
U.S. Steel's Irvin plant in Mon Valley as seen on Aug. 30, 2023.
5
news
How the Secret Service is likely mapping out Trump's Mon Valley visit to celebrate U.S. Steel-Nippon deal
The U.S. poverty rate improved slightly between 2013 and 2014.  (Tim Brinton)
Tim Brinton
Advertisement
LATEST news
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story