University of Maryland
Sociology 498: Homelessness 

Rossi on poverty and homelessness

Rossi begins his book with a pair of statements that identify homelessness as primarily a problem of extreme poverty: Some of Rossi's data from his Chicago survey support this perspective.

Survey data on poverty and homelessness


Rossi: Chicago
other homeless samples
1990 Chicago Census data
comparison source
table
Chicago
1985-6

U.S. cities
1987
U.S. cities
1996
U.S. nation
1996
U.S.
formerly homeless
1996

all city poor extremely
poor
Income: amount



Mean monthly income 4.9 $253
$240 $342 $402 $514
$2,196 $337 $171
Median monthly income 4.9 $151
$115 $219 $328 $505
$1,756 $269 $136
% with no monthly income 4.9 18.1%
17.0% 17.8% 13.5%

11.8% 28.6% 38.0%
% with < $200 income 4.9 69.8%
na 35.5% 30.0%

19.2% 47.6% 70.9%
Income: sources



Worked in last month 4.11 32%
25% 45% 44%

63% 29% 22%

Note: All $ figures are for 2000 constant $.

See also:


return to: Sociology 498 home page 498 schedule 498 exam Rossi reading questions main page for poverty

Last updated February 13, 2006
comments to: Reeve Vanneman. reeve@cwmills.umd.edu