Food Stamp usage has continued to rise, both in terms of the number of persons enrolled and expenditures. There have been increases in every year the Condition of Children has tracked these statistics. An annual average of 13,484 Allen County households received food stamps in 2006, or 10% of all households.
While it is difficult to obtain an exact measurement of poverty, the American Community Survey indicates an increase in the poverty rate since the 2000 Census. At that time 9.1 percent of Allen County residents were in poverty; in 2005, ACS indicated an 11.5 percent rate. Read more about federal poverty guidelines and the estimated amount needed for self-sufficiency in "Poverty and the Self-Sufficiency Standard".
