Declining wages have put housing out of reach for many workers: in every state, more than the minimum wage is required to afford a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2001).
Labor Force in Bloomington, Number | Number | Rank in State | % of State | Indiana |
Total Resident Labor Force | 66,115 | 11 | 2.1% | 3,170,404 |
Employed | 63,385 | 11 | 2.1% | 3,005,247 |
Unemployed | 2,730 | 16 | 1.7% | 165,157 |
Unemployment Rate | 4.1 | 83 | 78.8% | 5.2 |
June 2005 Unemployment Rate | 4.8 | 58 | 94.1% | 5.1 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Indiana Department of Workforce Development (2004)
Poverty: In 2000, 11.3% of the US population (31.1 million people) lived in poverty (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2001). Persons below poverty, 1999: Bloomington: 29.6% Indiana: 9.5% (US Bureau of the Census). Current Housing Capacity "28"
Housing:
The demand for assisted housing clearly exceeds the supply: Only about 1/3 of poor renter households receive a housing subsidy from the government (Daskal, 1998).
Excessive waiting lists for public housing mean that people must remain in shelters or inadequate housing arrangements longer. Thus, there is less shelter space vacant for other homeless people, who must find shelter elsewhere or live on the streets.
It would take annual production of more than 250,000 units for more than 20 years to close the housing affordability gap (Millennial Housing Commission).
In 1997, 3 million low to moderate income working families spent more than 1/2 of their income on housing. By 2001 this number had jumped to 4.8 million - a 67% increase. More recently, rents have soared, putting housing out of reach for the poorest Americans.
Income and Poverty in Bloomington | Number | Rank in State | % of State | Indiana |
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2003 | $25,162 | 51 | 87.3% | $28,838 |
Median Household Income in 2002 | $34,782 | 86 | 82.9% | $41,973 |
Poverty Rate in 2002 | 12.3% | 9 | 128.1% | 9.6% |
Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 11.1% | 42 | 93.3% | 11.9% |
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2003 | 485 | 19 | 0.9% | 55,652 |
Food Stamp Recipients in 2003 | 5,708 | 17 | 1.3% | 452,654 |
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2004 | 3,688 | 21 | 1.0% | 356,702 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; US Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education