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This Is the County With the Highest Poverty Rate in Mississippi | Mississippi

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square – 2023-07-07 08:06:21

Among developed nations with similarly advanced economies, the United States stands out for having especially high levels of income inequality. Though the U.S. ranks among the wealthiest countries in the world, more than one in every 10 American citizens live below the poverty line – and the problem is getting worse.

Between 2020 and 2021, the most recent years of available data, the number of Americans living below the poverty line climbed from 38.4 million to 41.4 million. The 7.9% year-over-year increase was a break from the nearly decade-long trend of poverty reduction.

The poverty line in the United States now stands at an annual income of $14,580 for an individual and $30,000 for a family of four – with slightly higher thresholds in Alaska and Hawaii. The consequences of living on such low incomes are far reaching and potentially devastating. Individuals living in poverty often struggle to afford basic needs, such as food, shelter, and health care. Additionally, the stress caused by persistent poverty can negatively impact mental health, leading to higher rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse.

According to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, Holmes County has the highest poverty rate of any county or county equivalent in Mississippi. An estimated 39.2% of the local population live below the poverty line, compared to the 19.4% statewide poverty rate.

Additionally, the typical household in the county earns $24,958 a year, about $24,200 less than the typical Mississippi household.

Counties or county equivalents were not considered in this analysis if poverty rates were not available in the 2021 ACS, if the population for which the poverty status had been determined was less than 1,000, or if the sampling error associated with a county’s data was deemed too high.

 

Geography Poverty rate in county or county equivalent (%) Poverty rate in state (%) Median household income in county or county equivalent ($) Median household income in state ($)
Alabama: Greene 39.8 15.8 28,826 54,943
Alaska: Kusilvak 36.6 10.4 37,975 80,287
Arizona: Apache 33.9 13.5 34,788 65,913
Arkansas: Phillips 33.3 16.0 32,235 52,123
California: Trinity 22.5 12.3 42,206 84,097
Colorado: Bent 25.4 9.6 40,972 80,184
Connecticut: New Haven 11.5 10.0 75,043 83,572
Delaware: Kent 13.3 11.4 63,715 72,724
Florida: Hamilton 26.4 13.1 39,346 61,777
Georgia: Lanier 34.1 13.9 33,956 65,030
Hawaii: Hawaii 13.8 9.5 68,399 88,005
Idaho: Madison 24.3 11.4 53,498 63,377
Illinois: Alexander 24.5 11.8 39,871 72,563
Indiana: Monroe 21.8 12.5 54,096 61,944
Iowa: Story 19.4 11.0 62,578 65,429
Kansas: Riley 22.0 11.5 53,296 64,521
Kentucky: Wolfe 34.6 16.3 24,349 55,454
Louisiana: East Carroll 47.3 18.8 25,049 53,571
Maine: Washington 18.7 11.0 46,689 63,182
Maryland: Somerset 20.4 9.2 48,661 91,431
Massachusetts: Suffolk 17.3 9.9 80,260 89,026
Michigan: Isabella 23.8 13.3 48,840 63,202
Minnesota: Mahnomen 21.1 9.2 48,021 77,706
Mississippi: Holmes 39.2 19.4 24,958 49,111
Missouri: Pemiscot 27.5 12.8 35,865 61,043
Montana: Roosevelt 32.3 12.5 47,182 60,560
Nebraska: Thurston 20.5 10.3 56,223 66,644
Nevada: Mineral 19.6 12.9 43,009 65,686
New Hampshire: Sullivan 12.5 7.4 64,587 83,449
New Jersey: Cumberland 15.7 9.8 58,397 89,703
New Mexico: McKinley 34.0 18.3 40,262 54,020
New York: Bronx 26.5 13.5 43,726 75,157
North Carolina: Robeson 27.3 13.7 36,736 60,516
North Dakota: Sioux 38.5 10.7 39,755 68,131
Ohio: Athens 25.5 13.4 47,061 61,938
Oklahoma: Okfuskee 27.6 15.2 43,000 56,956
Oregon: Malheur 19.4 12.1 47,906 70,084
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia 22.8 11.8 52,649 67,587
Rhode Island: Providence 13.6 11.3 65,797 74,489
South Carolina: Dillon 31.2 14.5 39,780 58,234
South Dakota: Todd 59.0 12.5 26,250 63,920
Tennessee: Hancock 29.1 14.3 29,650 58,516
Texas: Dimmit 46.5 14.0 25,000 67,321
Utah: San Juan 21.2 8.8 52,400 79,133
Vermont: Essex 14.7 10.5 48,194 67,674
Virginia: Radford 35.4 9.9 44,360 80,615
Washington: Whitman 24.7 10.0 43,613 82,400
West Virginia: McDowell 28.9 16.9 30,127 50,884
Wisconsin: Menominee 26.2 10.7 54,940 67,080
Wyoming: Albany 23.6 10.7 50,733 68,002

 

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The Center Square

‘Historic’ Wisconsin spring election sees precincts run out of ballots | Wisconsin

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www.thecentersquare.com – Jon Styf – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-01 21:05:00

(The Center Square) – Seven locations in Milwaukee ran out of ballots, causing voting delays on Election Day.

But any voter in line by 8 p.m. was allowed to vote in what Milwaukee Election Commission Spokesperson Melissa Howard called a “historic” election in terms of spring turnout on Tuesday.

Milwaukee expanded the use of ExpressVote machines and sent couriers with ballots to the polling locations that ran out of paper ballots.

Ballots running out has “never occurred here in the city” Howard told reporters on Tuesday.

The election included three key ballot items statewide headlined by the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, which Susan Crawford led with 57.6% of the vote compared to 42.4% for Brad Schimel with 47% of precincts reporting by 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

Vote counting was expected to continue into early Wednesday at central count locations in places such as Milwaukee County. Early votes could not begin to be counted until polls closed at 8 p.m.

Early results showed 61% of the first 41% of voters approved of adding a voter identification requirement to the Wisconsin constitution. Voter ID is already law and the ballot initiative would also add it to the state constitution.

The race for superintendent of the state’s Department of Public Instruction was also undetermined with incumbent Jill Underly holding 55% of the vote and challenger Brittany Kinser holding 45% with 43% of precincts reporting as of 9 p.m.

The Supreme Court race gained national intrigue as Elon Musk and President Donald Trump weighed in on the race with support for Schimel over the weeks before the election.

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White House says Trump’s tariffs will be ‘perfect deal’ for U.S. | National

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www.thecentersquare.com – Brett Rowland – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-01 15:42:00

(The Center Square) – The White House said Tuesday that President Donald Trump and his tariff team are preparing to roll out a “perfect deal” for Americans on Wednesday, when Trump is expected to announce his plans.

Trump plans to unveil reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday on all nations that put duties on U.S. imports, which the president has been calling “Liberation Day” for American trade. Trump’s plans have roiled U.S. and global markets, but the president has yet to get into specifics ahead of Wednesday’s planned announcement. 

“The president said last night he has made a decision and a determination,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. “He is going to announce that decision tomorrow.”

Leavitt said Trump was working with his trade and tariff team to finalize the deal, which she said would be a “perfect deal for the American people.”

The tariffs Trump is expected to announce Wednesday will go into effect immediately, Leavitt said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Trump steered the U.S. economy to new heights in his term and plans to the same this time. 

“You have to trust the president’s instincts on the economy. Why? This isn’t blind faith. Remember what he accomplished in the first administration. Before COVID, we had the greatest economy in the history of the world. Not the U.S, the whole world,” Johnson said. “Every demographic was doing better because we cut taxes, cut regulations and we made a better economic environment for everyone to succeed.”

Johnson said Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariff policy “is one that makes a lot of common sense.” Johnson said he ultimately expects other countries to reduce tariffs on American products

“This is a different world, it’s a much more integrated, complex economy. And the president’s absolutely right when he says we have to think about America’s interest first because if we don’t, we’re not going to maintain our status as the great super power,” Johnson said. “If we raise and match their tariff policy, I think ultimately what happens is you get back to a free trade agreement. These countries that engaged in this disparity – this raw deal for Americans for so long – it’ll get their attention and they’ll, I think, reduce their tariffs on us.”

Johnson said Trump’s plans for “Liberation Day” on April 2 could include challenges.

“It may be rocky in the beginning, but I think that this will make sense for Americans and it will help all Americans,” the House Speaker said.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Trump’s tariff plan will help U.S. workers.

“No American President in modern history has recognized the wide-ranging and harmful foreign trade barriers American exporters face more than President Trump,” said Greer. “Under his leadership, this administration is working diligently to address these unfair and non-reciprocal practices, helping restore fairness and put hardworking American businesses and workers first in the global market.”

Last week, Trump announced a 25% tariff on imported automobiles, duties that he said would be “permanent.” The White House said it expects the auto tariffs on cars and light-duty trucks will generate up to $100 billion in federal revenue.

Trump said eventually he hopes to bring in $600 billion to $1 trillion in tariff revenue in the next year or two. Trump also said the tariffs would lead to a manufacturing boom in the U.S., with auto companies building new plants, expanding existing plants and adding jobs.

Trump predicts his protectionist trade policies will create jobs, make the nation rich and help reduce both trade deficits and the federal government’s persistent deficits.

The “Liberation Day” tariffs come after months of talk since Trump took office in January. On the campaign trail, Trump frequently called “tariff” the most beautiful word in the English language.

Some economists have predicted Trump’s tariffs could mean higher prices for U.S. consumers. The Budget Lab at Yale modeled a broad 20%, but noted “it is highly uncertain whether this is the policy that will be announced April 2.” The model suggests that prices would by 2.1% to 2.6% in the short run, the equivalent of an average per household consumer cost of $3,400 to 4,200 in 2024 dollars.

Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump’s tariff plan was long-term when asked how they could affect senior citizens living on a fixed income.

“Tomorrow’s announcement is to protect future generations of the senior citizens you mentioned,” she said. “It’s for their kids and their grandkids. To ensure that there are jobs here in the United States of America for their children to live the American dream.”

Last week, S&P Global said U.S. consumers could reduce spending in the near-term.

“We think Americans will soon pull back on purchases, dealing a blow to the world’s biggest economy, which is largely fueled by consumer spending,” the credit-rating agency said, noting a recession was possible in the next year.

Business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Farm Bureau Federation, have urged Trump to back off tariff threats.

Trump has promised that his tariffs would shift the tax burden away from Americans and onto foreign countries, but tariffs are generally paid by the people who import the foreign products. Those importers then have a choice: Absorb the loss or pass it on to consumers through higher prices. The president also promised tariffs would make America “rich as hell.”

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Republicans introduce bill to repeal gun control rule on pistol braces | National

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Thérèse Boudreaux | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-01 14:18:00

(The Center Square) – A Biden-era rule placing greater constraints on millions of legal American gun owners could be struck down if newly introduced Republican legislation becomes law.

Companion bills introduced by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., would undo a 2023 ruling by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that classified pistols modified with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles and thus placed them under the National Firearms Act.

The action required all owners of pistols modified with stabilizing braces to pay a $200 fee, register their name with the U.S. Department of Justice and obtain federal approval to construct or transfer a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun.

“‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone,” Marshall said in a statement Tuesday. “The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners.”

A 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service estimated that between 10 and 40 million stabilizing braces and similar components are in civilian hands. Supporters of the rule say it will increase safety.

Both the Gun Owners of America and the National Association of Gun Rights, who called the Biden-era rule unconstitutional when it was implemented, expressed support for the legislation.

“The SHORT Act is a long overdue step toward restoring the rights of Americans, freeing gun owners from the burdensome and outdated regulations of the National Firearms Act,” NAGR political affairs director Hunter King said. “By removing short-barreled rifles, shotguns, and similar firearms from egregious federal regulations, gun owners would be able to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms without oppressive government interference.”

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