Half of Americans are concerned they will become poor in the future, and one-third say they have been poor in the past, according to a new poverty survey released by the nation’s Catholic bishops.
The poll, released by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, indicated that while many Americans are worried about becoming poor, they do not rank poverty as a top concern.
Forty-nine percent of Americans are worried they will someday become poor, but that portion is much higher for people with less education and lower incomes. Fifty-nine percent of people with less than a high school education are worried about personal poverty, as are 72 percent of people earning between $15,000 and $24,900.
A third of Americans say they have lived in poverty in the past, but people already living in poverty do not generally describe themselves as “poor.”
Fifty-nine percent called themselves “low income,” 13 percent described themselves as “middle income,” and 24 percent described themselves as poor.
One finding particularly concerned officials at the anti-poverty campaign.
When asked about problems facing the country, only 3 percent of respondents listed poverty as a top concern. Poverty was outranked by immorality at 9 percent and drug and alcohol abuse at 8 percent.
When asked directly whether poverty was a concern, 87 percent said they were very or somewhat concerned.
Just over half-52 percent- said all people should help alleviate poverty, while 39 percent said the government should help, and 16 percent said the poor should help themselves.
Respondents were not restricted to one answer.
The report said 32 million Americans live in poverty- enough people to rival the country’s second-largest state.
(RNS)
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