📊Imagine... Data That Reveals What’s Hidden📊
💡 Imagined Endstate:
A future where poverty, coverage, and income data don’t just report averages, but uncover who’s left behind, so policies are targeted, lives are seen, and communities like those in the Pacific or remote regions don’t vanish in the margins.
📚 Source:
U.S. Census Bureau. (2025, September 9). Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.: 2024. Link.
💥 What’s the Big Deal:
In 2024, the median household income in the U.S. was $83,730, roughly flat compared to 2023, meaning gains were offset by rising costs 💰. The official poverty rate dipped slightly to 10.6 %, but the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) stayed at 12.9 %, revealing millions who are struggling but statistically "invisible".
Although 92.1% had some health insurance in 2024, that still leaves millions uninsured or underinsured, especially in remote and underserved regions 💳.
For Pacific Islanders and remote communities, national averages hide deeper burdens: higher costs of living, fewer providers, and limited access to coverage ðŸ§. These conditions aren't captured by income alone. Without more inclusive measures like the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), we risk underestimating intergenerational poverty, especially in PI-SIDS like those in HawaiÊ»i, American Samoa, and the Marshall Islands. Better data means better decisions, and more just outcomes for all.
#PovertyMatters, #HealthCoverageForAll, #BetterDataBetterPolicy, #PacificIslandersCount, #IncomeAndBeyond, #HiddenHardship, #InclusiveLeadership,#IMSPARK,
