Poverty Increasing in Legal Aid Counties
Recently released census figures confirmed what Legal Aid has observed:
poverty is increasing in the suburbs. According to the report, known
as the 2010 American Community Survey Single Year Estimate, since 2007
the average poverty rate in suburban Philadelphia grew from 6 percent to
6.7 percent in 2011. Three of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s
counties saw increases: Bucks County’s poverty rate increased from 5.2%
to 6.2%, Chester County’s rate went from 5.4% to 6.2%, Montgomery
County’s rate went from 5.3% to 5.5%. Although Delaware County’s poverty
rate declined slightly from 9.8% to 9.7%, it still has the highest rate
in the entire Southeastern Pennsylvania suburban region.
For
LASP, this means more people calling our helpline for problems with
debt, accessing government benefits, loss of housing and other serious
matters requiring the help of an attorney.
For a copy of the census report, go to www.census.gov.