The New York Times reports that if you’re poor and live in the Pensacola area, it’s better to be in Okaloosa County. In fact, the younger you are when you move to Okaloosa, the better you will do on average. Children who move at earlier ages are less likely to become single parents, more likely to go to college and more likely to earn more.
According to a new study by Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hendren: Every year a poor child spends in Okaloosa County adds about $30 to his or her annual household income at age 26, compared with a childhood spent in the average American county. In Escambia County, a poor child by that time he or she is 26 will earn $3,870 less than his counterparts in other counties.
Escambia County is worse than any south Alabama county and any Northwest Florida county. There is only one county in Florida that is worse than Escambia – Gadsden with -$3,910.
The facts are harsh: Escambia County is among the worst counties in the U.S. in helping poor children up the income ladder. It ranks 47th out of 2,478 counties, better than only about 2 percent of counties. It is relatively worse for poor boys than it is for poor girls. Although bad for poor children, it is somewhat better for higher-income children.
What are the factors that can improve this situation:
- Less segregation by income and race,
- Lower levels of income inequality,
- Better schools
- Lower rates of violent crime, and
- A Larger share of two-parent households.
This study should be a wake call for our community leaders –political, business, religious and nonprofit leaders.
We aren’t giving our poor children a fighting chance.
