Not the best of times yet

Poverty statistics are going the opposite way in the city of San Diego and the United States. Today (September 18) San Diego's Center on Policy Initiatives reported that the San Diego poverty rate rose to 15.8 percent last year. Two days ago, the Census Bureau reported that the U.S. poverty rate had dipped to 14.5 percent.

Data released by the Census Bureau today shows the poverty rate in San Diego County rose slightly last year to 15.2 percent. The cities with the highest rates are El Cajon, 19.7 percent; Escondido, 19.6 percent; Vista, 16.8; and Oceanside, 16.7.

The Center on Policy Initiatives reports that 209,045 people living in the city of San Diego were below the poverty level last year, including 21.9 percent of all children. San Diego's median household income was flat for the third year in a row at $63,000.