Massachusetts

Though the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is often touted as an educational and biotechnology hub, giving the impression of luxury and opulence, poverty remains an issue for many of the state’s residents. The poverty line is currently $23,021 for a family of four. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008–12 American Community Survey, 11 percent of Massachusetts families had income levels below the poverty line. Of this number, 7.7 percent were families. Among these families, single mothers with children under 5 years old made up the largest percentage. Compared to the national average of 15 percent of the population living in poverty, the average in Massachusetts is lower, though still startling. According to the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, the national poverty rate is equal to ...