Report: Healthy economy not ending poverty for many

The good news is that poverty in Wisconsin isn’t getting worse.

The not-so-good news is that there’s still plenty of people in poverty — even in an economy with what appears to be more jobs than people.

The new report known as the Wisconsin Poverty Snapshot is out this week, detailing how poverty looks in the state.

The percentage is falling but it’s still above 11 percent — just about 640,000 people — and higher for children at 14.5 percent in 2017.

The report also found that roughly two-thirds of those in poverty have jobs.

A little less than half of those in poverty in the state live in what’s called “deep poverty” or living below less than half of the income poverty line. That’s about 282,000 Wisconsinites, including 74,000 children.

But it’s different for different people.

The report finds 8.7 percent of whites lived in poverty last year, and 29.3 percent for African-Americans.

Advocates say programs, like housing subsidies and food assistance, are needed to help those who remain in poverty.