Cleveland, Ohio

In 2019, Cleveland had the highest poverty rate as more than 114,000 people lived in poverty,
including 12,000 adults and 37,700 children. However, 6,500 adults living in poverty had full-
time jobs but failed to provide a decent standard of living for their families. It is also important to
note that Ohio is the only state in the country with more than one city having over 300,000
people.
The city shall continue to suffer from poverty until significant legislative changes take place,
including changes in the minimum wage, higher salaries, and more earning opportunities.

Newark, New Jersey

One out of every 3.5 residents in Newark lives in poverty. The city has dramatically higher
poverty rated compared to that in other cities of New Jersey. Newark has interesting dynamics in
terms of race and economics as people of color are in the majority. The white population still has
better economics as the unemployment rates in the Black community are 2.5 times higher than
the whites.
Various efforts are being taken to fight poverty in Newark. The New Jersey Institute for Social
Justice empowers urban residents to explore and achieve their potential while addressing the
issues faced by the urban communities.

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham has a poverty rate of 28.1%. Alabama is the sixth poorest state in the United States,
with 14 out of 67 counties having a poverty rate higher than 25%. As of March 2020, more than
83,000 children in Birmingham live below the poverty line and do not have access to a decent
standard of living.
The poverty in Birmingham cannot be handled merely by focusing on employment, especially
post-pandemic. More work is needed to improve children’s benefits, low wages, high costs of
childcare, and high rents.

Rochester – New York

Rochester is the fifth poorest city in the United States, with about 47% of the children living in
poverty. About 25,000 children in the city are living beneath the poverty line, while over 7,000

of these are under the age of 5. Rochester has a poverty rate of 31.3%, while children born in
poverty suffer the consequences lifelong.
According to the National Academy of Sciences, child poverty costs over $1.1 trillion yearly as
such high poverty rates lead to deteriorated health, increased crime, and low earning. However,
efforts are being made to cut down poverty to half in less than 10 years.

Dayton – Ohio

In Dayton, more than 37,000 people live below the poverty line, and more than 13,000 of them
are under the age of 18. For a city of its size, Dayton has one of the highest poverty rates as 30%
of the city struggles with poverty. Poverty has led to massive unemployment and health crisis,
and the global pandemic has worsened the situation for Dayton.
Ohio and its urban cities have not fully recovered from the Great Recession. The state has lower
wages than the rest of the country, with skyrocketing unemployment rates post-pandemic.