Community Corner

See How Medford's Poverty Rate Compares to Communities Nearby

According to numbers from the U.S. Census, 8.3 percent of people in Medford live below the poverty level. See how our city compares.

Medford has a poverty rate lower than national and state averages, as well as many communities nearby, according to data from the U.S. Census.

Medford's poverty rate stood at 8.3 percent, as of 2010, according to the data. In the United States, the poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent. That number was up from 14.3 percent in 2009 and 12.5 percent in 2007. Massachusetts has a poverty rate of 10.5 percent.

The U.S. Census uses a number of "thresholds" to measure poverty, which you can find here. In the example given by the U.S. Census, using 2010 numbers, a family of five, with a mother, father, great aunt and two children living in the household, would be considered living in poverty if the family income were $26,675 or less.

Find out what's happening in Medfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

How does Medford compare to other communities in the area? By way of example, Boston's poverty rate was 21.2 percent, Somerville's was 14.7 percent, Malden's was 12.8 percent, and Arlington's was 4.9 percent.

Here's a chart showing the poverty rates in Somerville and neighboring communities.

Find out what's happening in Medfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Community Persons below poverty level, 2006-2010 Arlington 4.9 percent Boston 21.2 percent Cambridge 15 percent Chelsea 24.2 percent Everett 11.9 percent Lynnfield 4.1 percent Malden 12.8 percent Medford 8.3 percent Melrose 4.7 percent Reading 1.7 percent Revere 14.7 percent Saugus 5.1 percent Somerville 14.7 percent Stoneham 6.5 percent Wakefield 2.4 percent Winchester 2.5 percent Winthrop 10.2 percent Woburn 5.9 percent Massachusetts 10.5 percent


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