Poverty Rates in Georgia

36 Counties and 9 Major Cities are Prone to Stigmatization

Jul 20, 2008

Georgia has one of the largest areas of severe poverty in the United States. This extreme isolation of the poorest Georgians can only make matters worse.

With a poverty rate of 13.7%, Georgia has the 15th highest poverty rate in the United States, which is slightly better than North Carolina and slightly behind Montana.

Where the Worst Poverty in Georgia Occurs

The most critical levels of poverty in Georgia primarily occurs in the southwestern corner, and it stretches across Georgia in a northeastern direction until it hits the Atlantic Ocean at Burke County (see map below article).

This is a very rural region of southern Georgia with averages of 10 to 30 people per square mile. The average population density for Georgia is 141.4 people per square mile.

There are 36 counties in Georgia where poverty has reached critical levels. Also, out of Georgia's 20 major cities, nine of them have critical poverty rates.

The counties with critical poverty rates (50% or more above the state average) are the following:

Major cities (25,000 or more people) with poverty rates at critical levels are the following:

Why the Worst Poverty in Georgia Exists

When there are so many regions of Georgia deviating so far from the state average poverty rate of 13.7% it shows that the extremely poor in the state are being isolated. When this isolation occurs, the areas in which they live can become stigmatized.

This negative stigma of the areas discourages businesses from investing in the region, which causes a rise in unemployment. It will also make the areas unattractive choices for teachers and health care professionals, leading to poor quality education and health care.

In the rural areas of Georgia this isolation leads to a lack of information. This lack of information is caused by both geographical distances from any major city, and a lack of interest from politicians.

In the urban areas of Georgia, this negative stigma of the poor neighborhoods leads to an increase in crime, decreased and/or negative levels of attention from police, and very low wage jobs.

All of these problems make extreme poverty in the areas continually worse and harder to escape from.

Many of these poverty problems could be solved through urban planning techniques and policies, which are the focus of this blog.

All of this aside, it is important to keep in mind that the reasons for poverty are as unique as the individuals who live through it. Though finding trends in a specific area is important, no generalization can account for everyone.

What is Being Done about Poverty in Georgia

One major initiative by the State government to help solve the growing poverty problem in rural Georgia was the formation of the Georgia Rural Development Council.

The GRDC does community assessments in the poorest rural areas of the state, and then makes recommendations to the Governor's office on ways to help improve the areas.

Other organizations working to improve the poverty situation in Georgia are the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, the Georgia Rural Health Association, and the USDA.

Organizations helping people living in poverty in urban Georgia are Habitat for Humanity, Food Bank of Southwest Georgia, Albany-Dougherty Community Partnership for Education Inc, and national politicians who fought to raise the minimum wage.

References:

The copyright of the article Poverty Rates in Georgia in Poverty is owned by David Boston. Permission to republish Poverty Rates in Georgia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.