Report: Oklahoma still ranks among poorest states

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma has been reducing its poverty rate, but still has one of the nation's lowest median incomes and highest percentages of poor people, according to a federal report.

According to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, Oklahoma lowered its poverty rate from 17.1 percent in 1996 to 16.3 percent for 1997.

The numbers show that 55 of the state's 77 counties lowered their percentage of people who were existing at or below the poverty level, which for 1997 was $16,274 for a family of four.

The report also shows Oklahoma's median income rose 8 percent from 1996 to 1997, and that improvements were made in some of the state's poorest counties.

Harmon County in the southwest corner improved 5 percent since 1995. Okfuskee County improved by 3 percent, and three southeastern counties -- Choctaw, Pushmataha and Atoka -- improved by 5 percent, 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

"We hired a new regional director to work with those counties," said Jeff Wallace of the state Department of Commerce.

But despite Oklahoma's improvements, the state can't keep pace with much of the nation.

In 1996, Oklahoma lagged behind the national median income by $5,000. In 1997, the gap was $7,000, ranking the state 46th in the nation compared with 45th the year before.

In 1996, Oklahoma ranked 11th in the percentage of people younger than 18 in poverty. A year later, Oklahoma cracked the worst 10.

"Oklahoma typically lags the nation, but it will eventually catch up," Wallace said. "Our cost of living is lower."

An estimated 11.8 percent of Americans lived in poverty during 1999, compared with 11.7 in 1979.

New Hampshire is estimated to have the lowest poverty rate at 7.5 percent. New Mexico rates highest at 19.3 percent.

The Census Bureau estimates that more than 35 million people live in destitution in the United States. It estimates just more than a half-million Oklahomans live under the poverty line.