What is the poorest state?
That would be Mississippi.
According to NBCNews, Missisippi is the poorest state of them all. Median household income in the U.S. declined for the second straight year, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Income was $50,502 in 2011, more than 8 percent below the 2007 pre-recession peak. The national median is $51,000.
According to 247Wallst, "Median income ranged from $36,919 in Mississippi to $70,004 in Maryland, positions both states have held since before the recession. Based on the 2011 Census Bureau American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states with the highest and lowest median household income.
Between 2010 and 2011, Vermont was the only state where median income increased. Income fell in 18 states and remained statistically unchanged in 31. In Hawaii, which remained one of the wealthiest states in the country, median income decreased by more than $3,000 between 2010 and 2011 alone."
"Of the states with the lowest income, eight had among the 10 highest poverty rates. Mississippi had the highest poverty rate in the country, at 22.6% of residents, compared to the national rate of 15.9%.
The poorest states in the country are almost entirely found in the South, with the exception of New Mexico. The wealthiest states can be found all across the country, including three in New England, four in the Mid-Atlantic, and two outside the contiguous 48 states."
According to USNews, "real median household income in the United States sank 2.3 percent from 2009 levels, to $49,445 nationally in 2010. The number of Americans living in poverty in 2010 increased to 46.2 million people as well, up from 43.6 million in 2009. Unemployment continues to be a nagging problem, with 19 states dealing with rates higher than the 9.1 percent national average. Here's a look at America's 10 poorest states by median income."
No one can help but notice that Mississipi was also the fattest state in America for 2011. The southern state has been the #1 fattest in the nation for the sixth consecutive year.
A new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) named the most obese states to the thinnest states in the United States.
Mississippi has an adult obesity of 34.9 percent, and Colorado is the thinnest with 20.7 percent.
Could this correlate to it being the poorest state? Fast food is one of the main causes of obesity, and since Mississippi is the poorest state, it would be assumed that its residents are buying more fast food than any other state.
Twenty-six of the 30 states with the highest obesity rates are in the Midwest and South.
"Obesity has contributed to a stunning rise in chronic disease rates and health care costs. It is one of the biggest health crises the country has ever faced," said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, TFAH executive director. "The good news is that we have a growing body of evidence and approaches that we know can help reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase physical activity based on making healthier choices easier for Americans. The bad news is we're not investing anywhere near what we need to in order to bend the obesity curve and see the returns in terms of health and savings."