Massachusetts
State Government
Governor
Maura Healey (D)
State Senate
36
Democrats,
4
Republicans
State House
133
Democrats,
25
Republicans
Economic well-being - Massachusetts
Extreme poverty rate
0.1
Food insecurity
0.1
Minimum wage
15.0
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.2
Poverty rate
9.7%
Unemployment rate
4.8
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
2.8
Poverty by demographic - Massachusetts
Child poverty rate
0.1
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
19000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
53000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
139000
Senior poverty rate
10.8 %
Women in poverty
3,531,015
Baltimore Business Journal, December 27, 2012: UMB gets $500K to help low-income families
"University of Maryland, Baltimore received close to $500,000 in federal funding to put toward health education programs for low-income families."
The Boston Globe, November 24, 2012: Beverly students learn the plight of homeless teens and extend a helping hand
"Glenda then heard of Journeys of Hope. Based in Salem, the nonprofit is filling the gap by serving homeless, and those at-risk of becoming homeless, between ages 18 and 23. Glenda was sharing her story during an assembly at Beverly High School, organized by five members of Distributive Education Club of America, a network that helps prepare students in high schools and colleges to become leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. The Beverly group has chosen Journeys of Hope as its community service project."
The Boston Globe, November 21, 2012: Once-homeless seniors give their thanks
"Homelessness among people 65 and older is projected to grow nationwide by 33 percent by 2020 and double by 2050, according to a 2010 report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Older homeless people face a particular challenge: They tend to be beyond their employment years, and therefore less likely to find a way to support themselves."
Telegram & Gazette, November 16, 2012: Better parenting makes grade
"Most unsuccessful students are not different from successful ones in their level of natural ability. The difference lies in significant skills and personal characteristics established in the earliest years of life preceding entrance into the school system, which are very much a factor of the home environment and parenting skills children experience. These are highly correlated with socioeconomic level and, therefore, demonstrate their impact most significantly in schools that are most impoverished."
The Boston Globe, October 26, 2012: Low-income students could get priority in student assignment
"An advisory committee, racing to meet a November deadline to recommend a new student-assignment system for Boston, is weighing whether to give low-income students a priority to attend better-performing schools in other neighborhoods, a potentially divisive move that could address inequities but also take away seats from more affluent applicants who live nearby."
Lowell Sun, October 02, 2012: Lowell charter school celebrates transformation
"The transformation of the school, which serves a majority of students from low-income and underserved families and climbed from the lowest performance level in 2010 after a virtual gutting of their former teaching staff, board of directors and superintendent, has been remarkable,' Massachusetts Education Secretary Paul Reville said at a celebration ceremony at the school Monday."