Pennsylvania
State Government
Governor
Josh Shapiro (D)
State Senate
22
Democrats,
28
Republicans
State House
102
Democrats,
101
Republicans
Economic well-being - Pennsylvania
Extreme poverty rate
0.07
Food insecurity
0.132
Minimum wage
7.25
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.273
Poverty rate
11.6%
Unemployment rate
4
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
5.8
Poverty by demographic - Pennsylvania
Child poverty rate
0.15
Number of Asian and Pacific Islander children below 200% poverty
29000
Number of Black or African American children below 200% poverty
191000
Number of Hispanic or Latino children below 200% poverty
215000
Senior poverty rate
10.4 %
Women in poverty
6,429,348
CBS Philly, July 15, 2015: Philadelphia Corporation For Aging Distributes Produce Vouchers To Low Income Seniors
"Low income senior citizens in Philadelphia are being given vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Senior farmers' market produce vouchers were distributed at Reading Terminal Market, and Sue Gibson, nutrition manager at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, says that while Wednesday was their final distribution date here, it's not too late to pick up a voucher elsewhere."
$1 million donated to fund Rowan scholarships
"A $1 million donation to Rowan University will help 50 low-income New Jersey students pay for their college educations, while a high school support program will help them get there. [��_] The donation comes from Robert O. Carr, who cofounded a Princeton-based credit-card processing company and started a scholarship program, Give Something Back Foundation, in 2001 in his native Illinois."
Philly.com, July 1, 2015: Vouchers set for free produce for low-income seniors
"Beginning Monday, elderly low-income Philadelphians can receive $20 worth of vouchers for fresh, locally grown produce from Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PAC). The vouchers, which can be used at 59 farmers' markets citywide, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be valid until Nov. 30."
The Washington Post, June 18, 2015: Pa. proposes new school funding formula to help low-income students
"A Pennsylvania state commission has proposed a funding formula that would send more tax dollars to school districts that serve high numbers of needy children, including those who are poor or who are learning English as a second language. Advocates welcomed the commission's unanimous recommendations as a first step toward fixing Pennsylvania's school funding system, which is the most inequitable in the nation, according to federal data."
NPR Pittsburgh, May 15, 2015: PA House Approves Legislation to Support Low-Income Students
"The Pennsylvania House unanimously approved legislation to allow students receiving welfare benefits to enroll in an academic support program for up to two years while completing an associate's or technical education."
The Sharon Herald, March 15, 2015: Pennsylvania's spending gap between rich, poor schools cited
"U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says Pennsylvania has the largest spending gap between rich and poor school districts and that must change. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that high-poverty school districts spent 15.6 percent less than those in the group with the least poverty."