Pennies for Poverty:
Two Cents For Change

Newburyport Information:

For general information about Newburyport, please visit City of Newburyport.com. For information about global poverty, please visit Poverty Program.com.

2009 Newburyport Poverty Survey:

Because of the economic times, an increase in the number of local families living at poverty level is expected and is already being seen by many of the service agencies. In order to better understand the current and expected consequences to our fellow citizens, Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change has formulated a survey in order to: evaluate the current status of poverty in Newburyport; determine the current and anticipated needs, identify where; there are gaps in coverage, suggestions and ideas to address the needs of at-risk families in Newburyport; and provide a starting point for discussion and formulation of a plan. The results of the survey will be emailed out to the responders of the survey as well as published online and in our newsletter.

The results to the survey are in! Please click here to see them!

Newburyport Poverty Statistics:

Newburyport Poverty Definition:

Adequate resources to not be poor in Newburyport:

Single Individual: $25,000
2 Adults: under $35,000
Family with children: $50,000

3 categories of poverty based on a sustainable level of income (costs of housing and living expenses taken into account):

Severe poverty (under $15,000): 711 households
Moderate poverty (under $35,000): 1424 households
Risk of poverty (between $35,000-$50,000): 1,345 households

Total of all 3 categories: 3,480 Households times 3.09 (average family size in Newburyport) = up to 10,753 individuals in or at risk of poverty or 44% of the population in Newburyport. Please note that these numbers are not based on 2008 earnings but on 2006 information.

TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS UNDER $35,000 = 4,590
(27% of Newburyport Households)

2006 Household Income Houses in Newburyport: 7,913
(7,537 occupied: 5,026 owner occupied, 2,511 renter occupied)

Less than $10,000 = 850 HOUSEHOLDS (5%)
$10,000 to $14,999 = 680 HOUSEHOLDS (4%)
$15,000 to $24,999 = 1530 HOUSEHOLDS (9%)
$25,000 to $34,999 = 1530 HOUSEHOLDS (9%)
$35,000 to $49,999 (17%)
$50,000 to $74,999 (18%)
$75,000 to $99,999 (16%)
$100,000 to $149,999 (14%)
$150,000 to $199,999 (5%)
$200,000 or more (4%)

Poverty Statistics:

Risk Factors in Newburyport:

Separated/divorced = 2132 or 11.82%
Widowed = 1,060 = 5.88%
Children 0-4 = 1,047
Children 5-9 = 938
Elderly = 2,476 = 13.73%
Non-white = 7.32%
Education:

no high school diploma = 5.17%
No college degree = 28.03%
Total: 33.2%

Net Worth:

less than $10,000 = 27.31%
$10-50,000 = 24.98%
Total net worth under $50,000 = 52.29% of population
Medium Net worth is less than medium debt by $45,000

Medium Income by Age = Children under 25 & Elderly at risk
Less than $5,000 difference between medium income and average expenditures.

General Poverty Statistics:

44 Children receiving WIC
7.5% of school age children receive free or reduced lunch.
Two food pantries, 6 soup kitchens in Newburyport.
30-50 of people serviced per meal.
381 unemployed (7/06), 3.8 unemployment rate.
2,417 people living below poverty level.
231 children living below poverty level.
348 AFDC, medicaid recipients.
Multiple assistance medicaid recipients (under 25 yrs old) 51.
23 documented child abuse/neglect.
150 low income elderly, income less than $1,851 month.
Low income housing: 150 elderly, 48 families, 92 section 8 vouchers; 7 on emergency housing list and a minimum of 10 year waiting list for non-emergency housing.
5.4% of children 5-17 do not speak English at home.
25% of 3rd-graders do not meet MCAS standards.
HIV/AIDS has increased 25% in MA since 1999.
MA 1,200 homeless families.

People in group quarters in Newburyport:

275 people in nursing homes
44 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
29 people in homes for the mentally retarded
16 people in homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse
8 people in residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children
6 people in other nonhousehold living situations
3 people in homes for the physically handicappe

Pennies for Poverty: Two Cents For Change