Enclave: Tennessee among the 10 worst states for children living in poverty

Tennessee among the 10 worst states for children living in poverty

The Anne E. Casey Foundation released news of a study of US census numbers from 2000 and 2006-2010 that finds that concentrated poverty has been on the rise as has the number of children who live in the areas of concentrated poverty.

Even more troubling for us is that the study finds that southern children are more likely than kids in other parts of the US to live in areas of concentrated poverty.

Most troubling for us is that, with Tennessee having 13% of its children living in areas of concentrated poverty, we are among the states exposing the highest number of children to concentrated poverty. And Tennessee almost doubled its exposure of kids to impoverished areas in 10 years.

It is also worth noting without surprise that there is a racial component: only 3% of all children living in areas of concentrated poverty are white.

Try as we might to sell Tennessee as an attractive destination for families to live and to work, our state is becoming an increasingly risky place for children to live.

via enclave-nashville.blogspot.com