Falling local poverty rate still high

When it comes to job and population growth, Franklin County has long been a powerhouse. But it still has a higher percentage of poor residents than the rest of Ohio and the nation.

That nagging data point stands out in U.S. Census Bureau reports that generally show local poverty rates declining and incomes rising over the past five years.

“Franklin County continues to lag Ohio and the U.S., despite every income and education indicator that shows we are far more prosperous,” said Michael Wilkos, a senior vice president at the United Way of Central Ohio who studies community demographics.

“We are creating jobs at a faster rate, yet we are not seeing the gains that we should,” he said. “We’re not seeing as much of a reduction in the working poor as we should.”

Franklin County’s poverty rate stood at 15.9 percent in 2017, down from 17.7 percent in 2013, according to the American Community Survey data. The state’s rate was 14 percent, down from 16 percent in 2013, and the nation’s rate was 12.3 percent.

On the broader income front, Franklin County shows more robust gains. Median annual household incomes increased 9.4 percent from 2013 to 2017, to $59,227. That was a bigger jump than Ohio’s median household-income gain of 6.8 percent, and close to the national increase of 9.7 percent.

Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown said it’s important to note the positive trends. But the gap between affluent and struggling families remains