Minnesota Shines In Support For Those Living In Poverty

With over 36 million Americans currently living in poverty, the need has never been greater for government assistance. Fortunately for those living in Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is among the very best when it comes to assistance.

CHARITABLE CITIZENS 

The Minnesota Attorney General's estimates that Minnesota gives over $4 billion annually to charitable organizations.

Using the categories of Education/Transportation Availability (access to public transportation, public schools per capita, public school spending per student and presence of free community college); Income/Benefits  (charities for reducing poverty per capita, share of residents living in poverty, public welfare expenditure, minimum wage, individual income tax, income inequality, presence of mandatory paid sick leave and presence of paid family leave);  Housing/Healthcare/Food, SmileHub found Minnesota to be the second-most supportive in the country.

WE'RE... #2! 

Overall, Minnesota finished 11th in the Education/Transportation category, third in Income/Benefits and first in the nation in Housing/Healthcare/Food.

Minnesota finished particularly well in the subcategories of Lowest Food Insecurity Rate (4th-lowest), Lowest Share of Residents Living in Poverty (3rd-lowest).

Massachusetts was found to be the most supportive state, while Washington finished third, New Jersey fourth and Maryland fifth.

The states SmileHub found to be the least-supportive were Mississippi (50th), followed by Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

IT'S A MIDWEST SWING

Of the midwestern states, Iowa finished as the 19th-most charitable, North Dakota 23rd, South Dakota 24th and Wisconsin 31st.