The Budget and Tax Center‘s Economic Snapshots provide a look at how well counties in North Carolina are faring across key indicators of economic well being and opportunity. Wilkes County is lagging behind the state average in many key ways. To just say that our residents are living in poverty is limiting the scope of the problem. We are being hit with poverty on all sides. The basic needs of every citizen are not being met; food, shelter, security,...and the hierarchy of needs from there fares even worse with education, vocation and health lagging behind the state average. View the full report HERE.
Educational Poverty
Only 12.9% of adults in Wilkes hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 27.8% statewide on average from 2010 to 2014. But the High School graduation rate was 87.6% compared to the state average of 85.6% in 2014-15. So why are we losing these kids beyond high school? Are we pointing them to an Associates Degree in lieu of Bachelor's too easily and stunting their earning potential later on?
Mental Health Poverty
There was 1 mental health provider for every 645 residents in the county in 2015. With the recent power grab of the County Commissioners last summer in overtaking the Board of Wilkes DSS, it hasn't improved. Our local law-enforcement is covered up with involuntary commitments at Wilkes Regional Hospital, so mental health is an important issue that impacts us all whether you realize or not.
Economic Poverty
23.4% of county residents (15,885 people) lived in poverty and struggled to make ends meet in 2014; the state poverty rate was 17.2%. What's more, 29.5% of our children in the county (4,204 children) lived in poverty in 2014, compared to the 24.1% state average.
Nutritional Poverty
14,329 of Wilkes residents received food stamps in December 2015, with 20.5% of Wilkes residents receiving assistance. Due to the recent implementation of the 3-month time limit for nondisabled childless adults, it's estimated 884 people in this county lost their food stamp assistance this year.
Vocational Poverty
There were 1,658 fewer employed people in Wilkes in December 2015 than there were in December 2007 (before the Great Recession began). Jobs have yet to come back to the county, and one doesn't see the same types of jobs that Key City Furniture and other manufacturing supplied will return.
Healthcare Poverty
16.5% of the Wilkes' residents did not have health insurance, compared to 15.5% of all North Carolinians on average from 2010 to 2014. It is estimated that 2,814 Wilkes County residents would benefit from Medicaid Expansion, delivering $51.4 million in economic benefits to the county.
Shelter Poverty
A Wilkes resident earning the minimum wage would have to work 67 hours per week to afford a modest 2-bedroom unit in the County. Rent and utilities for a safe, modest two-bedroom unit at the county’s fair market monthly rent was $632 in 2015; impossible at the current minimum wage. There is a severe shortage of quality rental properties in this range and below. 55.5% of renters in Wilkes spent 30% or more of their income towards rent.
So what can we as Democrats do?
Educational Poverty
Only 12.9% of adults in Wilkes hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 27.8% statewide on average from 2010 to 2014. But the High School graduation rate was 87.6% compared to the state average of 85.6% in 2014-15. So why are we losing these kids beyond high school? Are we pointing them to an Associates Degree in lieu of Bachelor's too easily and stunting their earning potential later on?
Mental Health Poverty
There was 1 mental health provider for every 645 residents in the county in 2015. With the recent power grab of the County Commissioners last summer in overtaking the Board of Wilkes DSS, it hasn't improved. Our local law-enforcement is covered up with involuntary commitments at Wilkes Regional Hospital, so mental health is an important issue that impacts us all whether you realize or not.
Economic Poverty
23.4% of county residents (15,885 people) lived in poverty and struggled to make ends meet in 2014; the state poverty rate was 17.2%. What's more, 29.5% of our children in the county (4,204 children) lived in poverty in 2014, compared to the 24.1% state average.
Nutritional Poverty
14,329 of Wilkes residents received food stamps in December 2015, with 20.5% of Wilkes residents receiving assistance. Due to the recent implementation of the 3-month time limit for nondisabled childless adults, it's estimated 884 people in this county lost their food stamp assistance this year.
Vocational Poverty
There were 1,658 fewer employed people in Wilkes in December 2015 than there were in December 2007 (before the Great Recession began). Jobs have yet to come back to the county, and one doesn't see the same types of jobs that Key City Furniture and other manufacturing supplied will return.
Healthcare Poverty
16.5% of the Wilkes' residents did not have health insurance, compared to 15.5% of all North Carolinians on average from 2010 to 2014. It is estimated that 2,814 Wilkes County residents would benefit from Medicaid Expansion, delivering $51.4 million in economic benefits to the county.
Shelter Poverty
A Wilkes resident earning the minimum wage would have to work 67 hours per week to afford a modest 2-bedroom unit in the County. Rent and utilities for a safe, modest two-bedroom unit at the county’s fair market monthly rent was $632 in 2015; impossible at the current minimum wage. There is a severe shortage of quality rental properties in this range and below. 55.5% of renters in Wilkes spent 30% or more of their income towards rent.
So what can we as Democrats do?
- Push for the Medicaid Expansion of the Affordable Care Act
- Encourage more education for our citizens to make them competitive
- Re-instate food stamp assistance for non-disabled childless adults
- Demand expansion of social services and make mental healthcare (and drug treatment) a priority
- Ask for results from our Economic Development that involve working with the companies that are already here to stay open and grow, and encourage entrepreneurship and friendly lending for residents that are already established here.
- Encourage leaders that are willing to legislate policy that is inclusive of people, not exclusive, to attract people to visit and relocate to our area.