In fast-growing Texas, which is home to one in 11 of the nation's children, child poverty has continued to rise despite an improving economy, according to a new report from the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank.
Use this interactive to see which Texas counties have the highest rates of child poverty and unemployment, and to see which counties have the highest raw numbers of children in poverty or people who are unemployed. The counties will be sorted from highest to lowest. If you would like to learn more about a county's history, click on "View Chart" to see how its child poverty rate and unemployment rate compared to the state average over the last ten years.
The child poverty metrics found in this report come from the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, and the unemployment metrics are provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
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Comments (20)
Michael Varela via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If Texas was a "pro-life" state this wouldn't be an issue.
Michelle Graves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What say you righties? Those darn poor babies and children need to get a job.
Michael Massey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Because people are fleeing broke liberal states to get nice Texans jobs. We need to educate this new crop and show them why you have your Texas job, or we will be one of the weak states next!
Bill Blackmon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just shows you that the only safe child in Texas is an armed child! Time to get rid of those pesky child labor laws and that socialist minimum wage - make them kids WORK FOR THEIR TORTILLAS! [see: sarcasm]
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I bin say that all along, let my 11 year old anchor baby get a CHL, then I'll hire him to help me lay stone, BTW I'll pay him as a sub, that way he can pay his workers comp himself, that lil smoocher
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A cursory look atthe data will indicate thatthe highest concentrations are along the border where many illegal aliens live. So the statistics is skewed.
Secondly what is poverty? Poverty is nothing more than an artifical line to decide if someone they percieve as beeing poor.
Being poor is not a crime nor is it something to be ashamed of. The "poor" have been around for as long as man has. Never has been a solution to it then and there will not be now. What we do know is that the social welfare programs enacted by liberal democrats do nothing but keep people poor, encourage poverty and makes the cycle generational. We have spent over 15 trillion dollars on poverty programs and what do we have to show for it? Nothing but the rate still goes up.
Darrell J. Gonzales via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hey! I've noticed a lot of West Texas Counties in the panhandle that have children in poverty, not to mention a hand full of East Texas counties as well. But the winner, by no big surprise is South Texas. So what do you supposed the plan to combat the problem for over 20 plus years is Republicans? Nothing! You have had 20 years plus to solve this problem and actively try to reduce the risk, but to no avail in your infamous plans.
Paul Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Liberal policies give the poorest, most uneducated people in South Texas incentive to have children. It's common for uneducated young teenage women to have several children with multiple partners, many with criminal records. They do this knowing they will receive government housing, WIC, Lone Star card and other benefits. This is a typical ploy of the left -- they promote poverty with the lie of egalitarianism and then disingenuously ring their hands about the poverty they caused and blame it on rich conservatives.
Sharon Stones via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Get Perry Coryn Abbott out!
annie S via Texas Tribune on Facebook
In 2011 (same year as the interactive),Texas had a gross state product of $1.332 trillion. If we were a nation Texas would be the 14th largest economy in the world by GDP.
Where's our money, we have no state assistance for individuals, families, or children. We have cut funding to our schools, increased college tuition then reduced state grants, we have cut every thing that helps the people. It is shameful that we have even 1 child living in poverty.
Bj Taylor via Texas Tribune on Facebook
lets see some of these child poverty statistics stand w/single mom statistics. single moms are nearly the sole proprietors of children in poverty
Paul Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
To reduce poverty, stop funding it.
Ashlee Ayers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Let's see some sources about your pro life buddies being philanthropic "life savers"
Ashlee Ayers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And it's safe to say those "charitable proceeds" you claim they raise more of don't ever see the mouth of a hungry child brought here by illegal immigrants. I have never met a person who was anti choice and also known for their humanitarian generosity. If they put HALF as much effort into caring for the suffering children ALREADY BORN as they do trying to stop abortion, the world would be a much different place. All that it means is they think it's ok to force people to obey their religious doctrine and opinions.
Katie Martinez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank you for reporting this very important issue in our state.
Ashlee Ayers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
That's not an empirical source but nice try. Just because you think and type something doesn't make it true.
Ashlee Ayers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Like why can you not name sources and specific names of charities and how many donors they have etc if you're going to make a claim like the one you made above. I'm not inclined to believe some opinionated bs without hard facts just because the great and all knowing Matthew Cowan typed it from his computer.
Ashlee Ayers via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Red McCombs being a donor does not automatically mean "pro life" people are more charitable than those who aren't. And it's a logical fallacy to boot.
Charles Voith
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It's no surprise that most these destitute Texas counties have our highest concentrations of illegal immigrants. That is why we have federal laws prohibiting illegal immigration...to protect our communities' quality-of-life from third world poverty and disease.
Obviously, our federal immigration laws have been poorly enforced...with 2 million illegals in Texas and 15 million illegals in America. As long as our immigration laws are not properly enforced, we will suffer high poverty rates in those counties having high concentrations of illegal immigrants.
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Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ashlee, you stated "Let's see some sources about your pro life buddies being philanthropic "life savers"". So I gave you one.