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An analysis by 24/7 Wall Street identifies the metro areas in each state where concentrated poverty increased the most between 2010 and 2016. While the rate of concentrated poverty – defined as a community with a poverty rate of at least 40 percent – decreased nationally over that time, in 41 states there was at least one city with an uptick.
In Pennsylvania, it's Johnstown. From the report:
An analysis by 24/7 Wall Street identifies the metro areas in each state where concentrated poverty increased the most between 2010 and 2016. While the rate of concentrated poverty – defined as a community with a poverty rate of at least 40 percent – decreased nationally over that time, in 41 states there was at least one city with an uptick.
In Pennsylvania, it's Johnstown. From the report:
Pennsylvania: Johnstown
- 2010-2016 increase in concentrated poverty: +14.2 ppts (8.3% to 22.5%)
- 2010-2016 increase in concentrated poverty: +3,004 people (1,555 to 4,559)
- 2010-2016 avg. annual GDP growth: -1.6% (Pennsylvania: +1.7%)
- Unemployment: 17.6% (poor neighborhoods) 7.8% (all other)
While the national concentrated poverty rate fell from 14.0% in 2010 to 11.6% in 2016, the share of poor residents living in extreme poverty neighborhoods in Johnstown rose from 8.3% to 22.5%, the largest increase of any metro area in Pennsylvania.
The increase in concentrated poverty affected the city's minority population the most. While the white concentrated poverty rate in Johnstown rose from 6.8% in 2010 to 15.0% in 2016, the black concentrated poverty rate rose from 23.6% to 71.5% -- today the highest such figure in Pennsylvania and the third highest in the nation.
