Poverty numbers in Utah stay flat

While the latest U.S. Census data show the nation struggling with an increasing number of poor households, Utah is holding its own — experiencing little increase in the number of people who live below the poverty level.

Across the country, nearly 1.1 million more people slipped into that category from 2002 to 2003, putting the national poverty rate at 12.7 percent of the population, according to the American Community Survey released Thursday.

Utah's poverty rate, according to the census data, remained relatively flat: 10.6 percent in 2003, compared to 10.5 percent in 2002.

"This is welcome news given the downturn in our economy and loss of jobs," said Karen Crompton, executive director of Voices for Utah Children.

"However, we shouldn't let the good news overshadow that there is still work to be done."

The survey showed slightly different results than Thursday's Census Bureau release of the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement, which showed a slightly lower national poverty rate of 12.5 percent. The difference in results is because the population survey is a smaller sample with more questions.

The population survey's three-year average number of people living in poverty rose by 225,000 people to 9.8 percent over the past three years.

What remains a challenge for many Americans is being able to afford health insurance. Nationally, more Americans lack coverage and more are turning to the government for help, according to the CPS.

While 43.6 million people were without health insurance in 2002, 45 million suffered that same fate in 2003.

Hispanics had the highest uninsured rate of 32.7 percent, unchanged since 2002. While non-Hispanic whites saw their uninsured rate climb from 10.7 percent to 11.1 percent, they remained more likely to have insurance than other races.

Medicaid saw its enrollment grow, with 26.6 percent of the population on the government health-care program for the poorest of the poor, compared to the 2002 figure of 25.7 percent. Across the country, more than 73 million Americans are on Medicaid, meaning they are at or below the poverty level.

Bill Tibbitts, director of the anti-hunger action committee at Crossroads Urban Center, said the flat poverty numbers in Utah shouldn't be taken to mean all is well.

"We continue to see large numbers of people who need help," Tibbitts said. "The largest group of people we serve are people who work; the number of working poor families has gone up the last couple of years."

Additionally, Tibbitts said advocates are seeing more and more people who are forced to make the spending choice between medical care and food.