Many in Families With Children Cannot Meet Basic Needs

Of individuals in working families with one to three children under 12, more than one in four lives in a family with an income too low to meet basic needs, according to an analysis of basic family budgets by the Economic Policy Institute.

Below is a breakdown by state of the percent of people in working families with young children whose family incomes don’t meet basic family needs. Hawaii, the District of Columbia and New Mexico have the highest percentages; Maryland and Minnesota the lowest.

Source: Economic Policy Institute: Chart shows percent of all individuals in families with earnings,1 or 2 parents, and 1-3 kids under age 12, whose incomes are below the appropriate basic family budgets, 1997-99, as defined by EPI.

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