More Highlights from the 2008 American Community Survey

The 2008 American Community Survey (ACS)was released in September 2009.  These data were collected from January through December 2008 and do not fully capture the collapse of our economy that occurred in late 2008.  Most of the year had rather slow economic growth.  The good year of 2008 shows a decline in the real median income of 3.6% to $50,303 from 2007.  Although Hispanic households were the hardest hit (and non-Hispanic white  the least), black households median income of $34,218 continued to be the lowest in the nation.  Black household income only fell 2.8% while the Hispanic household income fell 5.6% to $37,913.  Asian household income of $65,637 fell 4.4% while non-Hispanic white fell to $55,530. 

The poverty rate rose slightly to 13.2% , the first statistically significant increase since 2004.   

The percentage of Americans who had health insurance remained unchanged although the source of insurance shifted from the private sector to the public sector.  As more individuals lost their jobs(8.5% in 2008) and private sector insurance the number of people covered by government insurance increased from 83 million to 87 million people ( 28% of the population) . The percentage of children without insurance (9.9%) was the lowest since 1987 when it was first measured.  The SCHIP program is responsible for this extraordinary achievement. 

More than 15%  of people 65 and older participated in the work force.  Alaska had the highest percent at 23.2 while West Virginia had the lowest at 11.2 pecent.  More than 20% of the men and almost 12% of women over 65 participated in the work force, either full or part time.  This is the continuation of a trend of increased labor force participation among older Americans.  At the same time there is a growing increase in the number of Americans filing for Social Security at an early age as the older worker finds it more difficult to get a job.