Poverty rates higher for blacks and Hispanics than whites and Asians - The Washington Post: Blacks and Hispanics in Maryland and Virginia are much more likely to be poor than whites or Asians in the two states, but their poverty rates are still lower than the national average, the census said Wednesday.
A census report on poverty rates for various racial and ethnic groups said poverty was widespread among American Indians, blacks and Hispanics.
Nationwide, during the recession-stricken period between 2007 and 2011, 43 million Americans, or slightly more than 14 percent, lived in poverty. But not every group was impacted equally. The poverty rate was 27 percent for American Indians, 26 percent for African Americans and 23 percent for Hispanics. Among whites and Asians, less than 12 percent were poor.
The Washington metro area has some of the most affluent counties in the country. The recession had less of an impact here than in most places in the country, largely because of the prevalence of college-educated, two-income households and the stability created by federal jobs and contracting. But even in Washington, the recession bred an unusual degree of unemployment, job loss and poverty.
