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Kentucky, Tennessee Among Ten Poorest States

Kentucky, Tennessee Among Ten Poorest States
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By Bill Hughes
Sep. 25, 2012 | WASHINGTON, D.C.
By Bill Hughes Sep. 25, 2012 | 05:05 PM | WASHINGTON, D.C.
The U.S. Census Bureau released additional data last week from the 2010 survey of American citizens, relating to poverty and median family incomes.

24/7 Wall St. took the data and boiled it down to a list showing the ten poorest states in the United States, including Kentucky at number 8 and Tennessee at number 3. Montana was the only state on the list that is not in the South, at number 6. Mississippi is number 1, and has statistically been the poorest state for years.

The rankings were largely based on median income, but poverty rates, percentage of residents without insurance, and unemployment rates were also factors.

Kentucky ranked 8th in income, but had the 6th-highest poverty rate. Earlier this year, Governor Steve Beshear declared May "Community Action Month", emphasizing the work of Community Action Kentucky, which fights these statistical trends by providing direct social services to Kentuckians with low and moderate incomes in all 120 counties. Those services include employment training, housing, and meals on wheels.

Tennessee has the third-lowest median income in the United states, as well as some of the worst poverty and unemployment rates in the country. Speaking at an event earlier this year, Governor Bill Haslan announced that the centerpiece of his job creation initiative was “setting the right environment.” He said elected officials must understand business, and be willing to set up a low-tax and low-regulatory environment.

Here are the poorest 10 states in the U.S., according to 24/7 Wall St.:

10. North Carolina
- Median income: $43,275
- Poverty rate: 16.1 percent (tied for 9th highest)
- Without health insurance: 16.7 percent (13th highest)
- Unemployment: 10.1 percent (9th highest)

9. Alabama
- Median income: $42,218
- Poverty rate: 16.1 percent (tied for 9th highest)
- Without health insurance: 14.4 percent (21st highest)
- Unemployment rate: 10.0 percent (10th highest)

8. Kentucky
- Median income: $42,091
- Poverty rate:17.3 percent (6th highest)
- Without health insurance: 15.5 percent (18th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 9.5 percent (13th highest)

7. South Carolina
- Median income: $42,059
- Poverty rate: 14.9 percent (16th highest)
- Without health insurance: 17.6 percent (12th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 10.9 percent (4th highest)

6. Montana
- Median income: $42,005
- Poverty rate: 13.4 percent (24th highest)
- Without health insurance: 16.3 percent (16th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 7.7 percent (18th lowest)

5. Louisiana
- Median income: $41,896
- Poverty rate: 18 percent (4th highest)
- Without health insurance: 18 percent (11th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 7.6 percent (17th lowest)

4. West Virginia
- Median income: $40,824
- Poverty rate: 15.7 percent (12th highest)
- Without health insurance: 13.9 percent (25th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 8.1 percent (tied for 24th lowest)

3. Tennessee
- Median income: $40,026
- Poverty rate: 16.1 percent (11th highest)
- Without health insurance: 14.7 percent (20th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 9.8 percent (11th highest)

2. Arkansas
- Median income: $38,600
- Poverty rate: 16.5 percent (8th highest)
- Without health insurance: 18.5 percent (9th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 8.2 percent (25th highest)

1. Mississippi
- Median income: $36,850
- Poverty rate: 21.3 percent (the highest)
- Without health insurance: 18.7 percent (8th highest)
- Unemployment rate: 10.4 percent (7th highest)

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