Blog

The Other Side of Austin: Census Data Reveals Continued Poverty

Austin Residents Struggle to Make Ends Meet

300K+ 

individuals struggling to make ends meet

 

150K+

Austin residents living in poverty

 

16K+

local children under the age of 6 living in poverty

 

Austin is a city that is known for many things. We love our dogs, can’t get enough live music or Tex-Mex, and take pride in the slogan, ‘Keep Austin Weird.’

We are also the fastest-growing city in the nation – more than 100 people move to Austin every day.

What many are unaware of is that more than 300K greater Austin residents are classified as low-income and face barriers to economic opportunity. 

This is a serious concern for many families who struggle to make ends meet – it takes a household income of $50K annually for a family of four to break even!

According to the most recent census data, 150K+ Austin residents live below the federal poverty level. Of these, more than 16K residents are children who are under the age of 6.

 
UWATX Helps Alleviate and Reduce Poverty 

 

UWATX addresses community needs through our Strategic Programs including: Financial Opportunity, Target Graduation and Success By 6. 

We know that preparing children for kindergarten and keeping them on the path to high school graduation is a strong indicator for their success down the road. We also provide financial literacy tools for their parents, so that both generations can thrive simultaneously.

Our Navigation Center is able to connect individuals who call 2-1-1 to human services, like counseling and utility assistance, and in some cases, can even set up health appointments for people and send reminders.

Despite the success we’ve had so far, there is still much work to be done to ensure that our neighbors are able to experience the side of Austin that we are so proud to showcase – a thriving community with economic opportunity for all.

United Way for Greater Austin is determined to unite and inspire philanthropy in our city in order to reduce the level poverty in our city.

Learn about the impact of your donation and ways that you can help make Austin greater!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *