The number of U.S. children living in poor neighborhoods has risen from 36.9 percent in 1998 to 43.9 percent in 2010, according to a new study that attributes much of that increase to the Great Recession. While the study found that white children had the largest increase in terms of living in high-poverty neighborhoods, it is children of color who are still significantly more likely overall to live in these areas. According to the researchers, this increase affects education because children living in high-poverty areas often start school close to a year behind their peers from low-poverty neighborhoods.
Research shows that children who grow up in affordable housing have better access to high-quality education which improves development and boosts achievements. To learn more, see the NC Housing Finance Agency’s new report, Affordable Housing Benefits Education.
