Median income for African American households is approximately $39,000, which is less than Latinos ($47,000) and Whites (over $65,000). Statistics also show that African Americans are less likely to own houses and have health insurance.

Disproportionately Poor

The nation’s poverty rate among African-American and American Indian children is almost three times the poverty rate for their white and Asian and Pacific Islander peers.

• 1 in 4 African American families lives in poverty (24%); the national poverty rate is 13%

Housing Insecurity

• 58% of African-American households rent their home and due to rising rental costs and stagnant wages, many renters experience housing instability.
•  African-American households are at risk of being undercounted. The African-American population has been historically undercounted in the decennial census, disadvantaging their families, communities, and neighborhoods. In fact: • The 2010 Census undercounted the African-American population by more than 800,000.3 • Approximately 7 percent of young African-American children were overlooked by the 2010 Census, roughly twice the rate for young non-Hispanic White children.4 • African-American men have been historically undercounted in greater numbers than men of other racial or ethnic groups.5 • Today, more than one in three African Americans live in hard-to-count census tracts.6

Education – Why it Matters?

• Early Reading and Math skills provide children the necessary resources to be sure they are meeting state academic requirements.  52% of African American children (ages 3-4) are not in a formal early educational program.
• 67% of 8th grade students are not proficient in Math.
• HBCUs educate

Health and Wellness – Why It Matters?

• 26% of African Americans receive federal benefits (S.N.A.P.) to prevent malnutrition and hunger in children, yet there are 5 million African American children that live in food deserts.
• 19% of African American lives without adequate health care insurance
• African Americans spend a higher percentage of their income on health care costs compared to their white counterparts (16.5% vs. 12.2%)
• African Americans face health care disparities; 48% suffer from a chronic disease versus 39% of the general population