Wages for working Americans increased, and the number of people without health insurance decreased, but the poverty rate was essentially unchanged in 2007, according to census figures released Tuesday.
THE LOCAL PICTURE
The percentage of Columbia County households living below the national poverty level more than doubled in 2007 compared with the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The increase of 5 percentage points was the highest among the three area counties listed in the Bureau's American Community Survey released Tuesday. The annual survey compiles demographic data on counties with a population of at least 65,000.
Lisa Soloff, Columbia County school system Title 1 director, said there have been more students getting free and reduced-cost meals. The number of children accepting such lunches typically is used as an indicator for poverty in school systems.
"Each year, we're creeping up a little more in that free and reduced category," Dr. Soloff said. "As to what's causing that, I really couldn't say. The last few years I've been working with the Title 1 program, our schools are gradually increasing. We're not seeing leaps and bounds, but we are seeing small increases each year."
She did not have immediate access to hard figures to show the increase.
Ron Cross, the chairman of the Columbia County Commission, said he was surprised by the increase.
"I was not made aware of it and will look at it and see if there's any action we need to take," Mr. Cross said. "Sometimes those numbers do get a little distorted from time to time."
Despite the increase, Columbia County's 8.6 percent poverty rate was lower than that in Richmond and Aiken counties.
Richmond County had the highest poverty rate of the three at 21 percent, surpassing the state and national rates of 14.3 and 12.5 percents, respectively. The 2007 rate was an increase of 3 percentage points over the previous year.
Aiken County's poverty rate was 15 percent last year, a 1 percentage point increase from 2006.
Columbia County Bureau Chief Donnie Fetter contributed to this article.
Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.
THE NUMBERS
Poverty
Overall rate was steady at 12.5 percent. Latinos, children and the foreign-born - categories that overlap - saw significant increases. The percentage of people living below the poverty rate:
In Georgia: 14.3% (1,294,000 people)
- Richmond County: 21% (41,448 people)
- Columbia County: 8.6% (9,382 people)
In South Carolina: 15% (617,000 people)
- Aiken County: 15% (22,846 people)
Wages
Median household income rose to $50,233; that's $665 over the previous year, the third consecutive annual rise.
In Georgia
- Richmond County: $37,075
- Columbia County: $69,276
In South Carolina
- Aiken County: $45,522
Health insurance
The number of uninsured fell from 47 million in 2006 to 45.7 million last year, the first annual decline since President Bush took office in 2001. Uninsured for 2007:
In Georgia: 1,662,000
In South Carolina: 721,000
MORE ON INCOME
HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE
If you were making $200,000 or more, you likely were between ages 45 and 64.
In Columbia County, 1,343 householders in this age group made this amount; 379 in the 25-44 group, but none in the under-25 category or 65 and older.
In Richmond County, 479 householders between ages 45 and 64 made at least $200,000. There were 156 people in the 65 and older group; 155 in the 25-44 group; and none under 25.
In Aiken County, 932 people 45-64 made at least $200,000. Next were those 65 and older at 432; there were 169 in the 25-44 group, but none under 25.
SELF-EMPLOYED OR NOT?
- In Richmond County, only 6 percent of the 74,125 households surveyed reported income from self-employment.
- In Columbia County, it was 8.7 percent among 38,151 households.
- In Aiken County, it was 8.5 percent of 61,268 households.
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