More Than Half Of Cleveland Children Live In Poverty: Data

CLEVELAND — Child poverty remains a widespread and dangerous problem in Cleveland. The city is one of only two metropolitan areas with a population of at least 205,000 where more than half the children live in poverty, according to new U.S. Census data and the Center for Community Solutions.

Cleveland has consistently been among the cities with the most child poverty. As far back as 2011, the National Center for Children in Poverty found more than 53 percent of Cleveland's children were living in poverty. In 2019, those numbers remain largely the same, with 50.5 percent of the city's children living below the federal poverty line.

"Simply put, poverty is a lack of resources," said Emily Campbell, association director of the Center for Community Solutions. "Children who live in poverty are much more likely to go to school hungry and are then less prepared to learn. Numerous studies link the tensions of growing up poor to different long-term health impacts."

Cleveland's impoverished children will grow up without many of the opportunities afforded their peers. For example, "These families can't afford to send their kids to programming or coding camp," Campbell said. Paying for a tutor is likely a pipe dream.

In addition to the educational impact, poverty has also been closely linked to poor health in children. Several studies have shown exposure to the stress of poverty has a negative impact on cognitive development and can limit chances for positive health outcomes in the future. Children who grew up in poverty are more likely to face mental health challenges as adults.

Citywide Poverty

Current estimates put Cleveland's population near 384,000. New data from the census says more than 35 percent of the city's residents live in poverty. Cleveland has the most child poverty in the nation, but conditions aren't much better for adults.

Cleveland ranks second in working-age adults living in poverty and third in older-adult poverty, according to the U.S. Census and Community Solutions. Detroit is the only other major American city that ranks in the top 10 in all three categories of poverty. The trend toward youth poverty mirrors statewide trends.

The 2018 poverty rate data from the census said Ohio has an overall poverty rate of 13.9 percent. But the poverty rate for people younger than 18 is 19.5 percent, significantly higher than any other demographic.

Campbell said there are multiple reasons for the high youth poverty rate in Cleveland and in Ohio. First, Ohio's cost-of-living standard is very low compared to the rest of the nation, while the federal poverty line is a standard applied the same way to every state. This means someone who makes $15,000 annually will have a better quality of life in Ohio than in New York, but would be considered impoverished in both states.

Additionally, if a single, impoverished mother has three kids, then all four people are considered to be living in poverty. That means all three children count toward the city's impoverished child rate.

But Campbell noted that federal poverty ratios don't always accurately reflect the number of people struggling to make ends meet. In Cleveland, that could mean more than 35 percent of the population (and more than half the city's children) could be living in poverty-like conditions.

Is there a solution to Cleveland's poverty problem? The answer is unclear.

"Poverty comes down to earnings and income. So one of the clearest ways to have children be out of poverty is for parents to earn more," Campbell said. From a legislative perspective, that could mean increasing minimum wage. "In Ohio, a person could be working full-time and could still be earning below the poverty threshold for a family of three."

Cleveland also needs to increase the number of high-paying jobs available to residents, Campbell said. Anything the city, or state, can do to increase the average income would offer a path to alleviating poverty.

"These poverty statistics really come down to income," Campbell said.