In 2010, poverty in America reached record levels with 45 million people living in poverty, the poverty rate increased by the largest amount since 1959, and the US now has the third worst poverty rate among developed nations. Food stamp usage and Medicaid enrollment also increased to all-time highs, while long-term unemployment, bankruptcy filings, mortgage delinquencies, and the percentage of children in poverty also rose sharply.

1. 15 Shocking Facts About Poverty
In America
Source: www.businessinsider.com
Sept. 13, 2010
Michael Snyder, The Economic Collapse

2. 45 million Americans were living in poverty in 2009.
Source: US Census

3. 2009 saw the largest single year increase in the U.S. poverty rate since the
U.S. government began calculating poverty figures back in 1959.
Source: US Census

4. The U.S. poverty rate is now the third worst among the developed
nations tracked by the OECD.
Source: OECD

5. Household participation in the food stamp program increased 20.28%
from 2009 to 2010.
Source: Department of Agriculture

6. The number of Americans on food stamps surpassed 41 million for the
first time ever in June 2010.
Source: Department of Agriculture

7. As of June 2010, the number of Americans on food stamps had set a
new all-time record for 19 consecutive months.
Source: Department of Agriculture

8. One out of every six Americans was served by at least one government
anti-poverty program in 2010.
Source: USA Today

9. More than 50 million Americans are now on Medicaid, the U.S.
government health care program designed principally to help the poor.
Source: USA Today

10. One out of every seven mortgages in the United States was either
delinquent or in foreclosure during the first quarter of 2010.
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association

11. Nearly 10 million Americans received unemployment insurance in
2010, which is almost four times as many as in 2007.
Source: USA Today

12. The number of Americans receiving long-term unemployment benefits
rose over 60 percent in 2010.
Source: CNBC

13. 28% of all U.S. households had at least one member looking for a full-
time job in 2010.
Source: TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence

14. Nationwide bankruptcy filings rose 20 percent in the 12 month period
ending June 30, 2010.
Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

15. More than 25 percent of all Americans had a credit score below 599 in
2010.
Source: USA Today

16. One out of every five children in the United States is now living in
poverty.
Source: US Census