THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 7, 1995 TAG: 9510070236
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The poverty rate in Virginia didn't budge much between 1993 and 1994.
A Census Bureau survey released this week showed that the percentage of Virginians living in poverty rose to 10.7 percent in 1994. That represents more than 701,000 men, women and children.
The increase is considered statistically insignificant from the commonwealth's marks of 9.7 percent in 1993 and 9.5 percent in 1992.
In Norfolk, the caseload for Aid to Families with Dependent Children - the main component of welfare - has shown a marked decrease in recent months, but the demand for food stamps from families not receiving other welfare payments has increased, said Suzanne Puryear, the Division of Social Services director. Such food-stamp clients mainly are people who work but can not earn enough to sustain their families without help.
In Virginia Beach, where the caseload for public-assistance programs continues to rise, news that Virginia's poverty level is nearly stable was a surprise to Social Services Director Daniel M. Stone.
``It doesn't seem that way to us,'' Stone said. ``Our demand continues to rise. Hey, every day I come in here our waiting room is full.''
In addition, clients are receiving benefits longer because they can not find the jobs necessary to get off public assistance, Stone said.
Still, the Virginia poverty figure was below the national average. Throughout the country, 14.5 percent of all Americans lived in poverty in 1994. That year saw the first drop in poverty for the country as a whole after four straight years of increases.
Virginia fared better than 33 states, which had higher percentages of residents living in poverty, topped by Louisiana at 25.7 percent. Vermont was the lowest at 7.6 percent.
The government defines ``poverty'' as an annual income for a family of four of $15,141 or less. The poverty level ranges from $7,547 for an individual to $30,300 for families of nine or more.
The Census Bureau survey also showed that Virginia's median household income in 1994 - $37,647 - was virtually unchanged from 1993, when it was $37,366. It was $40,349 in 1992. The national median income in 1994 was $32,264.
``Median income'' means half the households made more money and half made less.
Alaska had the highest median household income, with $45,367; West Virginia was lowest, at $23,564.
Finally, the survey showed that 12 percent of Virginians - or 798,000 residents - lacked health insurance. Nationwide, the figure was 15.2 percent.
Texas had the highest percentage without health insurance - 24.2 percent - and North Dakota had the smallest, 8.4 percent. by CNB