A new report finds one in six full-time Iowa workers struggles to pay for basic needs. The non-profit Common Good Iowa, which advocates for families and children, estimates 17.5% of all Iowa working households earn below what’s needed to cover a basic-needs budget. Sean Finn, a policy analyst for the non-profit, says figures this year show more low-income Iowans are struggling compared to last year, even as the state sees strong wage growth.
Finn says one reason is the historical like “red-lining,” where financial services are withheld from neighborhoods that have significant numbers of racial and ethnic minorities. Finn says red-lining has lasting effects.
The ninth annual report estimates one-third of full-time Black and Latino workers make below what is needed to support their families’ basic needs. That’s almost double the statewide average.
