One in seven New Jersey children live in extreme poverty below the federal poverty line.
According to a report recently released by the New Jersey children’s advocacy non-profit ‘ACNJ’, as of 2021, about 284,150 of New Jersey’s under-18s will live below the federal poverty line ($27,479 per year for a family of four). It was estimated that in the case of Bergen County, the area with the largest concentration of Koreans, 20,313 people, or 10% of those under the age of 18, were found to be living in poverty.
ACNJ pointed out that “the biggest problem facing New Jersey families with children is poverty.” This report contains various indicators that can measure the standard of living of New Jersey families. About half (49%) of New Jersey households spend more than 30% of their total income on housing rent, which is a significant burden on housing costs.
More than 50% of the households in Bergen County spend over 30% of their income on rent. By county, Morris County has the highest at $165,509, and Cumberland County has the lowest at $59,325.
Bergen County, which has a large Korean population, is the 5th highest among New Jersey counties with $144,655.