Despre America. Cele mai bogate si cele mai sarace orase…

Doua articole extraordinare de pe site-ul 24/7 Wall St.:

America’s Richest Cities

America’s Poorest Cities

Desigur, recomand citirea integrala si in original a tuturor articolelor. Eu cred ca merita sa le parcurgeti!

Iata ce se arata printre altele:

„Median household income in the United States declined for the second straight year, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau last month. The national median income was $50,502 in 2011, more than 8% below the 2007 pre-recession peak. The country’s largest cities followed the same pattern, with income falling in some cases by more than 10%. Even in the country’s wealthiest metropolitan areas median household income fell in many cases.

What has not changed much is the gulf that separates how much people make, depending on where they live. In McAllen, Tex., the median household earned just $31,077 in 2011. In the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, the median household earned close to three times as much. These differences reflect vastly different economies and demographic makeups. Based on the 2011 Census Bureau American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the cities with the highest and lowest incomes.

The biggest factor in determining a city’s income, according to Alex Friedhoff, a Research Analyst at Brookings Institute’s Metropolitan Policy Program, is the underlying industries that employ the most residents, as well as the type of jobs. High-tech jobs, particularly those related to computers and information technology, tend to pay higher salaries and are more likely to be located in areas with affluent residents. On the other hand, most of the jobs in the lower-income metro areas tend to be in retail, service, agriculture and low-tech manufacturing.

A review of the employment characteristics of the different cities confirms this. Included among the richest cities are the information technology centers of Boston and Boulder, the finance hub of Bridgeport-Stamford, and the San Jose region, better known as Silicon Valley, home to some of the largest chipmakers and computer parts manufacturers in the world. Nationwide, 10.7% of workers are employed in professional, scientific, and management positions. Of the 10 wealthy metro regions, nine have a larger proportion of workers in that sector. In Boulder, 21.9% fall into that category.

In the poorest economies, there is a much higher proportion of low-end manufacturing and retail jobs. In the U.S. as a whole, 11.6% of workers are employed in retail. In the 10 poorest metro areas, eight exceed that number by a wide margin, including Hot Springs, Arkansas, where 17.3% of its workforce is employed in retail.”

Sa vedem si cateva exemple concrete, nu? Spre exemplu, de orase bogate, foarte bogate, cu o mediana a veniturilor cu mult peste media nationala din USA:

„2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.

>Median household income: $84,012
>Population: 1,865,450 (31st highest)
>Unemployment rate: 9.9% (105th highest)
>Pct. households below poverty line: 10.6% (21st lowest)

The San Jose area is home to some of America’s top technology companies, which employ highly-compensated engineers and other technology professionals. More than 45% of adult residents had at least a college degree as of 2010, according to a recent study by the Brookings Institute, making San Jose the second-most educated metropolitan region in the country. The median home value as of 2011 was $618,000 and 18.7% of homes were worth at least $1 million, both the highest in the country. Despite having the second-largest median household income in 2011, the area’s unemployment rate of 9.9% was significantly higher than the national rate of 8.9% as California has suffered especially hard from the housing bust.

1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va.
>Median household income: $86,680
>Population: 5,703,948 (7th highest)
>Unemployment rate: 5.8% (29th lowest)
>Pct. households below poverty line: 8.3% (5th lowest)

The Washington area is filled with tens of thousands of highly-skilled professionals in a host of different industries, from consulting to law to defense contracting. In fact, the Brookings Institute dubbed the area the most educated in the country because 46.8% of adult residents in 2010 had at least a college degree. The median home value in the area was more than double the national figure of $173,600, while 4.5% of homes were worth over $1 million, compared to 2% nationally. The median rent of $1,391 in Washington D.C. was higher than all but the San Jose and Honolulu metropolitan areas.”

Dupa cum se poate observa, orasele bogate, in care mediana veniturilor e foarte ridicata, sunt cele in care e dezvoltata industria si unde intalnim o mana de lucru foarte calificata. Observam ca 45-47% dintre rezidenti au cel putin colegiul absolvit. E vorba de orase unde sunt concentrate companii de top din USA. Observati precizarea facuta ca acolo lucreaza ingineri, profesionisti in domeniul tehnologiei. Mediana valorii locuintelor este si ea la cote ridicate: in San Jose 618.000$, dar in Washington chiar si peste 1 milion $ (dar un procent mic de doar 4-5%). M-am uitat mai demult pe piata imobiliara din Chicago unde am vazut niste apartamente absolut superbe, ca-n filme, cum se spune, la o valoare de 3-4 milioane $, dar aratau amazing, cum spun americanii. Dar… trebuie sa ai si dare de mana ca sa locuiesti intr-un asemenea lux… De observat somajul ridicat in San Jose, la 9,9% si o rata a celor care traiesc sub limita de subzistenta de 10,6%. In Washington lucrurile stau mai bine: somaj de doar 5,6% si o rata a celor care traiesc sub limita de subzistenta de numai 8,3%.

Sa vedem acum si exemple cu cele mai sarace oarse din USA:

„4. Albany, Ga.

>Median household income: $32,775
>Population: 161,617 (122nd lowest)
>Unemployment rate: 10.4% (77th highest)
>Pct. households below poverty line: 28.4% (7th highest)

A stunning 11.8% of households in Albany earned less than $10,000 in 2011, the largest percentage of any metropolitan area in the nation. Additionally, 28.4% of Albany residents lived below the poverty level, a considerable increase from the 21.5% who lived in poverty in 2007. The area’s unemployment also jumped, doubling between 2007, when it was just 5.2% of the labor force, to 2011, when it was 10.4%. Last year, the median home value in Albany was just $103,800, or nearly $70,000 less than the U.S. median, while 18.9% of homes were worth less than $50,000.

2. Brownsville-Harlingen, Tex.
>Median household income: $32,070
>Population: 414,123 (124th highest)
>Unemployment rate: 11.8% (36th highest)
>Pct. households below poverty line: 34.1% (2nd highest)

Brownsville, located in the very southern portion of Texas, has its fair share of economic woes. About 34% of households lived in poverty, the second-highest percentage of all metro areas, and 10.6% of all households earned less than $10,000 a year. More than a third of residents did not have health insurance in 2011, the third-highest rate in the country. Yet the region showed some signs of improvements. While still the second-lowest in the country, median home values rose more than 5% between 2010 and 2011 as values fell or remained nearly flat for the majority of metro areas.”

Toate exemplele sunt luate la intamplare. De remarcat ce diferenta in ceea ce priveste mediana veniturilor fata de orasele bogate… In Albany o mediana a veniturilor de doar 32.775$… Somajul este de 10,4% iar rata celor care traiesc sub limita de subzistenta e de 28,4%… Comparati, va rog, cu San Jose si Washington. In Albany 11,8% dintre gospodarii castigau mai putin de 10.000$ in 2011 (e vorba de venitul anual, din cate inteleg). Observati cresterea numarului celor care traiesc sub limita de subzistenta, fata de 2007. In Brownsville somajul este de 11,8% iar rata celor care traiesc sub limita de subzistenta este de 34,1%, a doua ca marime din tara.

In alta ordine de idei…

…va invit sa cititi un alt articol foarte interesant despre cele mai periculoase orase din America:

The Most Dangerous Cities in America

Se arata, printre altele, ca:

„Today, the FBI announced that violent crime dropped 4% in 2011, compared to a 5.5% drop in 2010. Nationally, the murder rate fell 1.9% from 2010, and robbery, forcible rape and assault fell 4% each. However, among the cities with the highest violent crimes rates, the trend is not entirely positive.

A 24/7 Wall St. review of 2011 FBI crime data shows that violent crime rose in more than half of the cities that have among the highest rates in the country. In seven of the 10 cities, murder rates increased. In eight of the 10, burglary went up.

Strained budgets are forcing police layoffs that many cities cannot afford to make. More than half of local police departments that responded to a national survey reported cuts in the 2011 fiscal year, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, an organization of police executives from across the country. Many are cutting police forces through planned layoffs and attrition.

More than half of the cities with the highest violent crime rates are cutting law enforcement budgets and police forces as well. However, unlike the national picture, the situation is worse for these cities, which depend on tax bases that are shrinking faster than most.

The cities with the highest crime rates tend to have particularly high poverty rates, high unemployment and low median income. Two of the worst-off cities, Flint and Detroit, Mich., both have had well-publicized budget woes. Flint was taken over by an emergency city manager after failing to pay its bills in 2011. Detroit is facing similar budget problems and recently came to a temporary oversight agreement with the state.

While PERF notes that budget cuts appear to be slowing in police departments in the United States, most departments are still cutting. According to the group’s April report on local police budgets, this includes many of the cities on this list.

Oakland, Calif., cut its budget by 7% in the current fiscal year, with an additional 5% cut on the way, according to PERF. In the past two years, the city lost 80 police officers to layoffs and another 108 to attrition. This occurred despite increases in both violent and property crime in 2011.

Similarly, while the Detroit Police Department reported no cuts for fiscal year 2012, the city is planning a 15% cut next year. Detroit also has one of the highest crime rates in the country.”

Observati ca se vorbeste de Detroit, de unde e … Cristina, daca am inteles bine… Sa vedem mai indeaproape cum stau lucrurile in Detroit:

„2. Detroit, Mich.

> Violent crimes per 1,000: 21.4
> Population: 713,239
> 2011 murders: 344
> Median income: $25,787
> Unemployment rate: 19.9%

Long regarded as one of the poorest cities in the U.S., with a 32.3% poverty rate and nearly 20% unemployment in 2010, Detroit has the second-highest violent crime rate in the country. Homicide increased by 11% in 2011, while robbery and aggravated assault are fourth and second highest in the country, respectively. Nonviolent crime is also an issue, with burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson rates in the top 10 rankings in the country.  In response to an 18% decrease in the Detroit police budget, which will result in the elimination of 380 positions through attrition and early retirement, the city has begun taking steps to decrease police funding by introducing “Virtual Precincts.” The plan, which closes police stations between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m, requires citizens to report non-emergency crime to a call center, and frees up more patrol officers to respond to 911 emergency calls.”

Observati ca e vorba si de faptul ca bugetele fortelor de politie au fost drastic reduse. In Detroit avem 21,4 crime violente la mia de locuitori! 344 omoruri in 2011… Mediana veniturilor, dupa cum se poate constata, mica, de doar 25.787$, somaj masiv – o rata de 19,9%!!! Rata saraciei 32,3%!!! Homicidurile si jafurile in crestere…

According to Flint Mayor Dayne Walling: “there are too many guns on the street and it’s easy for individuals with evil motives to take another human being’s life.”

„Sunt prea multe arme in strada si este usor pentru cineva ce are intentii rele sa ia viata altuia”…

Este vorba de:

„1. Flint, Mich.

> Violent crimes per 1,000: 23.4
> Population: 102,357
> 2011 murders: 52
> Median income: $22,672
> Unemployment rate: 18.9%

According to the FBI examined, no city with more than 100,000 residents had a higher violent crime rate than Flint. In 2011, there were 2,392 incidents of violent crime in Flint, which has a population just above 100,000. That same year, there were just 1,246 violent crimes in all 10 of the safest cities in America — which have 13 times as many residents as Flint among them. Flint has the second-highest murder rate and the highest rates of aggravated assault, burglary and arson in the nation. According to Flint Mayor Dayne Walling: “there are too many guns on the street and it’s easy for individuals with evil motives to take another human being’s life.” Though the violent crime has long been a problem in Flint, in 2010 the city laid off 20 of its 140 police officers, a decision that diminished both the police’s street presence and response times to crime.”

Rata somajului e de 18,9%, mediana veniturilor de 22.672$. 2392 de crime violente numai in 2011. In acelasi an au avut loc 1246 de crime comise cu violenta in toate cele 10 orase cele mai sigure din America care au de 13 ori mai multi rezidenti decat Flint… In 2010 s-au diminuat numarul de politisti prezenti in strada si raspunsul la timp fata de aceste crime…

Probleme sociale serioase in Michigan… 😦 Insa e ceva ce nu e in regula cu o asa mica mediana a veniturilor intr-un oras industrial precum Detroit… Am deschis si Wikipedia si iata ce scrie si acolo la Detroit, Michigan:

„Poverty has been a continued problem in the city proper.^[125] For the 2010American Community Survey, median household income in the city was $25,787, and the median income for a family was $31,011. The per capita income for the city was $14,118. 32.3% of families had income at or below the federally defined poverty level. Out of the total population, 53.6% of those under the age of 18 and 19.8% of those 65 and older had income at or below the federally defined poverty line.”

Articolul din Wikipedia mai arata ca:

„In May 2012, the Department of Labor reported metropolitan Detroit’s unemployment rate at 9.9%, with the city’s unemployment rate for April 2012 at 15.8%.^[92][93] The Detroit MSA had a gross metropolitan product of $197.7 billion in 2010.^[94]„

Articolul pe care l-am citat din 24/7 Wall St. este din iunie 2012… De observat ca in city, adica in oras, nu in zona metropolitana, somajul raportat in aprilie 2012 era de 15,8%. Dar articolul citat se referea la somajul din 2010. Wikipedia precizeaza ca „saracia este o problema continua in oras„… Datele privind mediana veniturilor per gospodarie coincind. Si 32,3% dintre familii au un venit la sau sub limita de saracie definita la nivel federal.

DE citit si:

Crime in Detroit

Daca parcurgem tot articolul din 24/7 Wall St. vom observa ca acolo unde mediana veniturilor e mai mare, si rata crimelor comise cu violenta e mai mica. Dar iata un exemplu unde desi mediana veniturilor e mai mare, somajul este, la randul sau, foarte mare:

„10. Stockton, Calif.
> Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.1
> Population: 295,136
> 2011 murders: 58
> Median income: $45,606
> Unemployment rate: 20.2%

In 2010, Stockton had an unemployment rate of 18.4%, among the worst in the nation for large cities. In 2011, the labor market worsened and unemployment rose to 20.2%, well more than double the national average of 8.9% and the highest of any of the cities on this list. Violent crime rates also have worsened, increasing from 13.8 crimes per 1,000 people in 2010. Though Stockton has long had high crime rates, the 58 murders recorded in Stockton last year were an all-time record for the city. This month, to curb the increasing crime rates in the city, police decided to prioritize violent crime and to no longer respond to property crimes in the city unless certain criminal conditions were met.”

Somaj de 20,2% in 2011… Deci somajul a crescut de la 18,4% in 2010 la 20,2% in 2011. Politia a decis sa prioritizeze crimele violente si sa nu mai raspunda pentru crimele de proprietate din oras decat daca se indeplinesc in mod sigur conditiile privind infractiunea. Dupa parerea mea, in acest caz e destul de limpede ca somajul masiv influenteaza aceasta rata ridicata a criminalitatii. Daca somajul ar scadea, spre exemplu la 10%, si rata criminalitatii ar scadea simtitor. Ea, totusi, nu e asa de mare ca in Detroit sau Flint datorita medianei veniturilor, care e mai ridicata. Foarte interesant acest caz. De observat cum saracia, lipsa de ocupatie influenteaza in rau comportamentul oamenilor.

DE citit si…

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