Poverty Rates in Vermont
Most of State's Poor Concentrated in Burlington, the Only Major City
With a poverty rate of 8.7%, Vermont has the 4th lowest poverty rate in the United States. This is just slightly better than the poverty rate of Hawaii, and just slightly higher than the poverty rate of New Jersey.
Where the Worst Poverty in Vermont Occurs
The highest poverty rate in Vermont occurs in its one major city, Burlington, with a poverty rate of 20.0%.
Burlington is located in the northwest section of the state, within Chittenden County.
Though no counties in Vermont reach critical poverty rates, there are some with relatively high poverty rates compared to the rest of the state.
Some of these counties include Orleans County with a poverty rate of 12.2%, Essex County with a poverty rate of 11.3%, and Caledonia County with a poverty rate of 11.0%.
Why the Worst Poverty in Vermont Exists
People living in heavily populated urban areas like the people in Burlington are completely reliant on the market for all of their most basic needs. These needs include utilities, food, shelter, and health care, among other things.
These needs are then all added up to equal the cost of living. If the cost of living is higher than the total income of a household, then we see pockets of poverty begin to form in these urban areas.
Many people do not realize that most people living in poverty do work. However, the jobs they work will usually offer bad hours for low wages.
With no chance to save up assets, the poor in these areas are also much more vulnerable to falling into poverty if anything at all goes wrong.
Some of the things that can push a low-wage working family into poverty are health crises, divorce with children involved, taking care of elderly parents, and an automobile accident.
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 Vermont
One poverty-fighting organization chose to do so through food distribution, and they distribute a lot of it. The Vermont Foodbank is the only food bank in Vermont, distributing about 6.5 million pounds of food to 66,000 Vermonters per year.
As the United States economy continues to fail, the Vermont Foodbank is reporting the working poor as their fastest growing demographic of people.
This evidence further reinforces the argument that the minimum wage is simply not enough for people to survive on anymore.
The Vermont Foodbank is a food bank of Second Harvest, which sets up food banks all across the United States to feed hungry people in need.
Aside from Second Harvest, there are many other national organizations working to keep poverty rates in urban areas like Burlington low. Some of these organizations include Poverty USA, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, and the United Way.
Other allies of the working poor in urban areas include legislators who worked to raise the minimum wage. A higher minimum wage will mean that working-class individuals will be better able to sustain themselves and their families without federal assistance.
References:
United States Census Bureau
Vermont Foodbank
Second Harvest
