Ohio poverty, jobless rates decreasing

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COLUMBUS — According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Poverty: 2012 and 2013 report, the rate of poverty in Ohio has declined 0.3 percent in the past year, while the state’s median incomes have increased an estimated 1.3 percent.

“Though the numbers are not yet where we want them to be, Ohio has shown an improvement greater than most other industrial states,” said Philip E. Cole, executive director of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA). “More work needs to be done as Ohio moves forward.”

Ohio’s poverty data aligned with that of Michigan’s, which saw a 0.4-percent decrease in poverty level, according to the report. The data coincides with a reduction in unemployment rates in both states, which decreased 1.8 percent in Ohio and 1.3 percent in Michigan, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ July 2014 data reports.

Other neighboring states, including Indiana and Pennsylvania, saw an increase in poverty rates or no change at all, according to the report.

“Programs that increase the stability of the working poor such as the expansion of Medicaid eligibility have shown successes,” concluded Cole. “Creating more opportunities to help overcome barriers and increase self-sufficiency will ultimately have a strong impact and create statistically significant reductions to the poverty rate.”