Poverty Levels at an All-Time High, While Unemployment Soars

A staggering 15.1 percent of Americans are living below the poverty line, according to data released yesterday from the Census Bureau, and there are more people — 46.2 million to be exact — living in poverty today than there have been in the last 50 years, the New York Times is reporting today.

According to a report released this month from the Sonoma County Economic Development Board, poverty rates could indicate a scarcity of jobs available. The most recent data available show countywide poverty levels went from 7.1 percent in 2000 to 10.4 percent in 2008.

Furthermore, in Rohnert Park, there are less people in the labor force today than there have been in the last 10 years, and unemployement here has skyrocketed to 10.3 percent as of July, up from from 9.5 percent in 2009.

In 2000, umemployment in Rohnert Park was just 3.3 percent.

What do these numbers mean to you? We want to hear from you, readers. How has your income level changed in the last 10 years? Have you lost a job during the recession? Have you been forced to cut costs? Tell us in the comments or email angela.hart@patch.com. I'd love to hear your story.

The bureau's report, titled "Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States," also says the number of people without health insurance is increasing. Have you struggled with medical bills or retaining insurance?