We’re getting a comprehensive look at how pervasive poverty is within our state and communities through a new database from Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan.

The new poverty map provides a range of insights regarding those living below the poverty level to those who are working but still can’t afford the basics (they’re considered asset limited, income constrained, employed, or ALICE).

“Any one statistic shows only a piece of the puzzle,” Luke Shaefer, associate professor of social work and public policy and director of Poverty Solutions at U of M said. “By looking at a range of things we learn more about the strengths and opportunities for improving the lives of Michigan residents.”

As CMF has reported, Shaefer’s research provides an inside look at the realities of extreme poverty, how it affects parents, their children and creates many barriers and challenges.

Shaefer recently spoke to CMF members and educational leaders from around the state at our Chronic Absenteeism Conference about the pervasiveness of poverty and how this research has also been used to better understand the influencers that affect chronic absenteeism, a key indicator correlated to student success. For example, children living in poverty are more likely to lack basic health and safety supports (health care, transportation, stable housing, food, clothes, etc.) that ensure a child is more likely to get to school, be able to focus and optimize learning.

This is just one example of how poverty is affecting our Michigan communities.

How are people living in Michigan doing? Highlights of the data from the poverty map include:

• Those who live below the poverty level:
  • Statewide: 15.1 percent of Michigan residents
  • Northern Michigan: 15.8 percent
  • Mid-Michigan: 15.3 percent
  • West Michigan: 14.3 percent
  • Southeast Michigan: 12.6 percent
• Those who are considered ALICE, they’re working and living above the poverty line but still can’t afford the basics:
  • Statewide: Nearly 25 percent of Michigan residents
  • Northern Michigan: 25.5 percent
  • Mid-Michigan: 24.4 percent
  • West Michigan: 24.4 percent
  • Southeast Michigan: 23.7 percent
• Those who receive food stamps/SNAP benefits:
  • Statewide: 14.7 percent of Michigan residents receive food stamps or SNAP assistance
  • Northern Michigan: 15.6 percent receive food assistance
  • Mid-Michigan: 14.9 percent receive food assistance
  • West Michigan: 13.9 percent receive food assistance
  • Southeast Michigan: 11.6 percent receive food assistance

There’s several other statistics available on the map, you can also view county-by-county statistics on the map to see where your county stands.

What’s next for this data? Poverty Solutions shared in a news release that this map was developed to help our lawmakers, community organizations and the public have a better understanding of what’s happening in our state and to help develop more targeted solutions.

This year we have seen Michigan’s minimum wage increase by 35-cents, setting it now at $9.25 an hour. In addition to this strategy to overcome poverty, Shaefer indicates more solutions are needed and invites foundations to utilize the data to inform their decision-making.

 Shaefer tells CMF, “I hope it can help inform their (funders) work and decision making. Behind this overview, we also have a publicly available database of sources and a complete list of indicators available for review. Poverty Solutions may create tailored maps for additional categories of available data, such as housing, health, and child-focused data. We are also able to incorporate new sets of data into our existing dataset. If there is something foundations are interested in examining, we invite them to reach out to us.”

Want more?

Connect with Poverty Solutions.

Check out the Poverty Map.

Dive into our earlier coverage of the 2017 ALICE Report.