DaveR
08-30-2007, 01:10 AM
New Name on Top of Richest State List
By GEOFF MULVIHILL,
AP
Posted: 2007-08-29 21:27:24
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (Aug. 28) - New Jersey is no longer the nation's wealthiest state and Camden is no longer the nation's poorest city, according to federal data released Tuesday.
The Garden State's median household income of $64,470 is second to Maryland, where the median household income is $65,144. But considering the margin of error in the survey, it's in a virtual tie with Maryland and Connecticut, where the median household income is $63,422.
The state, as it usually does, also has three of the nation's 10 highest-income counties; Hunterdon ranked fourth, Somerset sixth and Morris seventh. All had median household incomes above $89,000.
More data next month will show the housing costs in the state. In recent years, New Jersey's income has been about 33 percent above the national average. But housing costs have been 50 percent higher and New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation - an average of $6,330 per homeowner, or twice the national average.
"We have very high incomes," James W. Hughes, the dean of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. "And you can't afford to live here."
The poverty rate for the state is the same as last year's reported 8.7 percent - worse than only Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maryland and far lower than the national 13.3 percent.
All of New Jersey's largest cities have poverty rates well above the statewide rate. New Jersey has long been a state of contrasts, with struggling old industrial cities nestled up against some of the wealthiest suburbs.
Such is the case with Camden, a poor city near affluent suburbs such as Cherry Hill and Moorestown.
The U.S. Census Bureau report comes as a relief in Camden - a place that a year ago was ranked as the nation's most dangerous city, had the nation's highest poverty rate and lowest median household income among cities with populations of at least 65,000.
While Camden is still very poor, it now has the third highest poverty rate and the third lowest median household. It also lost the crime title late last year when a new analysis was released.
"It's good news," said Tony Evans, a spokesman for Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison. "It's showing that we are, in fact, moving in the right direction."
Camden's poverty rate was far lower than the 44 percent figure released last year and the income is far higher than the $18,007 reported a year ago. The Census bureau found that 35.6 percent of the city's residents are living in poverty and the median household income was $25,961 in 2006.
Brownsville and College Station, Texas, both have higher poverty rates. Youngstown, Ohio; and Muncie, Ind., have lower incomes.
Ken Bryson, senior program analyst for the American Community Survey, said the reasons for the improvement in Camden are unclear. It may be attributable to sampling error, he said, or it may show that the city has made big progress.
"With all the footnotes, at least temporarily, Camden can be happy," Bryson said.
Hughes said the upscale apartments that arrived in the city a few years ago may be helping the city's income a bit.
However, city officials acknowledge that Camden still has major problems.
"Until we get industry, until we get market-rate housing and really educated people and provide jobs, it's going to be that way," Evans said.
__________________________________________________ ___--
Household Income by State
AP
Posted: 2007-08-29 12:52:45
The nation's median household income increased for the second straight year in 2006, but it still has not rebounded to the level at the start of the decade. Incomes for 1999 have been adjusted for inflation.
The 1999 figure for each state and the 2006 figure are followed by the percentage change.
State 1999 2006 Change
Ala. 41,305 38,783 -6.1
Alaska 62,404 59,393 -4.8
Ariz. 49,077 47,265 -3.7
Ark. 38,942 36,599 -6.0
Calif. 57,469 56,645 -1.4
Colo. 57,118 52,015 -8.9
Conn. 65,264 63,422 -2.8
Del. 57,334 52,833 -7.8
D.C. 48,556 51,847 6.8
Fla. 46,973 45,495 -3.1
Ga. 51,346 46,832 -8.8
Hawaii 60,285 61,160 1.5
Idaho 45,464 42,865 -5.7
Ill. 56,376 52,006 -7.8
Ind. 50,298 45,394 -9.8
Iowa 47,760 44,491 -6.8
Kan. 49,157 45,478 -7.5
Ky. 40,745 39,372 -3.4
La. 39,407 39,337 -0.2
Maine 45,062 43,439 -3.6
Md. 63,973 65,144 1.8
Mass. 61,110 59,963 -1.9
Mich. 54,049 47,182 -12.7
Minn. 57,007 54,023 -5.2
Miss. 37,911 34,473 -9.1
Mo. 45,902 42,841 -6.7
Mont. 39,961 40,627 1.7
Neb. 47,495 45,474 -4.3
Nev. 53,945 52,998 -1.8
N.H. 59,858 59,683 -0.3
N.J. 66,730 64,470 -3.4
N.M. 41,303 40,629 -1.6
N.Y. 52,508 51,384 -2.1
N.C. 47,415 42,625 -10.1
N.D. 41,873 41,919 0.1
Ohio 49,559 44,532 -10.1
Okla. 40,416 38,770 -4.1
Ore. 49,511 46,230 -6.6
Pa. 48,530 46,259 -4.7
R.I. 50,931 51,814 1.7
S.C. 44,871 41,100 -8.4
S.D. 42,693 42,791 0.2
Tenn. 43,998 40,315 -8.4
Texas 48,314 44,922 -7.0
Utah 55,331 51,309 -7.3
Vt. 49,438 47,665 -3.6
Va. 56,482 56,277 -0.4
Wash. 55,391 52,583 -5.1
W.Va. 35,934 35,059 -2.4
Wis. 52,989 48,772 -8.0
Wyo. 45,851 47,423 3.4
Nation 49,244 48,201 -2.1
Source: Census Bureau
By GEOFF MULVIHILL,
AP
Posted: 2007-08-29 21:27:24
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (Aug. 28) - New Jersey is no longer the nation's wealthiest state and Camden is no longer the nation's poorest city, according to federal data released Tuesday.
The Garden State's median household income of $64,470 is second to Maryland, where the median household income is $65,144. But considering the margin of error in the survey, it's in a virtual tie with Maryland and Connecticut, where the median household income is $63,422.
The state, as it usually does, also has three of the nation's 10 highest-income counties; Hunterdon ranked fourth, Somerset sixth and Morris seventh. All had median household incomes above $89,000.
More data next month will show the housing costs in the state. In recent years, New Jersey's income has been about 33 percent above the national average. But housing costs have been 50 percent higher and New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation - an average of $6,330 per homeowner, or twice the national average.
"We have very high incomes," James W. Hughes, the dean of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers. "And you can't afford to live here."
The poverty rate for the state is the same as last year's reported 8.7 percent - worse than only Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maryland and far lower than the national 13.3 percent.
All of New Jersey's largest cities have poverty rates well above the statewide rate. New Jersey has long been a state of contrasts, with struggling old industrial cities nestled up against some of the wealthiest suburbs.
Such is the case with Camden, a poor city near affluent suburbs such as Cherry Hill and Moorestown.
The U.S. Census Bureau report comes as a relief in Camden - a place that a year ago was ranked as the nation's most dangerous city, had the nation's highest poverty rate and lowest median household income among cities with populations of at least 65,000.
While Camden is still very poor, it now has the third highest poverty rate and the third lowest median household. It also lost the crime title late last year when a new analysis was released.
"It's good news," said Tony Evans, a spokesman for Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison. "It's showing that we are, in fact, moving in the right direction."
Camden's poverty rate was far lower than the 44 percent figure released last year and the income is far higher than the $18,007 reported a year ago. The Census bureau found that 35.6 percent of the city's residents are living in poverty and the median household income was $25,961 in 2006.
Brownsville and College Station, Texas, both have higher poverty rates. Youngstown, Ohio; and Muncie, Ind., have lower incomes.
Ken Bryson, senior program analyst for the American Community Survey, said the reasons for the improvement in Camden are unclear. It may be attributable to sampling error, he said, or it may show that the city has made big progress.
"With all the footnotes, at least temporarily, Camden can be happy," Bryson said.
Hughes said the upscale apartments that arrived in the city a few years ago may be helping the city's income a bit.
However, city officials acknowledge that Camden still has major problems.
"Until we get industry, until we get market-rate housing and really educated people and provide jobs, it's going to be that way," Evans said.
__________________________________________________ ___--
Household Income by State
AP
Posted: 2007-08-29 12:52:45
The nation's median household income increased for the second straight year in 2006, but it still has not rebounded to the level at the start of the decade. Incomes for 1999 have been adjusted for inflation.
The 1999 figure for each state and the 2006 figure are followed by the percentage change.
State 1999 2006 Change
Ala. 41,305 38,783 -6.1
Alaska 62,404 59,393 -4.8
Ariz. 49,077 47,265 -3.7
Ark. 38,942 36,599 -6.0
Calif. 57,469 56,645 -1.4
Colo. 57,118 52,015 -8.9
Conn. 65,264 63,422 -2.8
Del. 57,334 52,833 -7.8
D.C. 48,556 51,847 6.8
Fla. 46,973 45,495 -3.1
Ga. 51,346 46,832 -8.8
Hawaii 60,285 61,160 1.5
Idaho 45,464 42,865 -5.7
Ill. 56,376 52,006 -7.8
Ind. 50,298 45,394 -9.8
Iowa 47,760 44,491 -6.8
Kan. 49,157 45,478 -7.5
Ky. 40,745 39,372 -3.4
La. 39,407 39,337 -0.2
Maine 45,062 43,439 -3.6
Md. 63,973 65,144 1.8
Mass. 61,110 59,963 -1.9
Mich. 54,049 47,182 -12.7
Minn. 57,007 54,023 -5.2
Miss. 37,911 34,473 -9.1
Mo. 45,902 42,841 -6.7
Mont. 39,961 40,627 1.7
Neb. 47,495 45,474 -4.3
Nev. 53,945 52,998 -1.8
N.H. 59,858 59,683 -0.3
N.J. 66,730 64,470 -3.4
N.M. 41,303 40,629 -1.6
N.Y. 52,508 51,384 -2.1
N.C. 47,415 42,625 -10.1
N.D. 41,873 41,919 0.1
Ohio 49,559 44,532 -10.1
Okla. 40,416 38,770 -4.1
Ore. 49,511 46,230 -6.6
Pa. 48,530 46,259 -4.7
R.I. 50,931 51,814 1.7
S.C. 44,871 41,100 -8.4
S.D. 42,693 42,791 0.2
Tenn. 43,998 40,315 -8.4
Texas 48,314 44,922 -7.0
Utah 55,331 51,309 -7.3
Vt. 49,438 47,665 -3.6
Va. 56,482 56,277 -0.4
Wash. 55,391 52,583 -5.1
W.Va. 35,934 35,059 -2.4
Wis. 52,989 48,772 -8.0
Wyo. 45,851 47,423 3.4
Nation 49,244 48,201 -2.1
Source: Census Bureau