Population Losses Mount in U.S. Rural Areas
Despite rapid population growth in parts of the U.S. South and West, 43 percent of all counties lost population since 2000—nearly twice the number of counties that lost population during the 1990s (1,346 counties vs. 689 counties). The data, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's newly released 2007 population estimates, reveal a wide demographic divide between fast- and slow-growing areas. (March 2008)

Family Planning Worldwide 2008 Data Sheet
The Population Reference Bureau's Family Planning Worldwide 2008 Data Sheet contains the latest estimates of lifetime births per woman and other key family planning indicators for more than 100 countries, including percent of women using both traditional and modern family planning, unmet need, and use of modern contraception by wealth group. Accompanying graphs illustrate trends in contraceptive use, projected increases in contraceptive needs, and the gap between desired vs. actual number of children, and the reasons women stop using the pill within one year of trying it. (March 2008)

PopWire: Preschoolers With Working Moms Rely on Grandparent's Care
There were nearly 11.3 million children younger than 5 whose mothers were employed in 2005. Of those, nearly one-third counted on regular care by a grandparent during their mother's working hours (30 percent), according to tables recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. (March 2008)

Family Planning Policies and the Poor in Peru
Over the past two decades, the government of Peru has instituted a series of laws and policies designed to expand access to family planning services. A recent article in International Family Planning Perspectives notes that in practice, these policies have not always achieved their desired effect. (March 2008)

Driving Up Demand for Health Services in Latin America
Millions of people live in poverty in Latin America, and many young people often face few prospects for a bright future. To combat the cycle of poverty, over the past decade governments throughout Latin America have adopted a new approach—conditional cash transfers (CCTs). This strategy offers poor households cash in return for fulfilling specific requirements related to health, education, and nutrition. (January 2008)

Child Poverty is Highest in Rural Counties in U.S.
While many people think of poverty in the United States as primarily an urban problem, data released by the Census Bureau this week indicate that most of the counties with high child poverty rates are located in rural America. (January 2008)

Addressing Population in Poverty Reduction Strategies (PDF: 221KB)
Poverty reduction strategies form the basis of World Bank and International Monetary Fund assistance in the poorest developing countries. The detailed guidelines, "poverty reduction strategy papers," are prepared in the host country and influence the investments made in most sectors of development. But because family planning is receiving less attention and dedicated funding since the advent of PRSPs, those who support continued investments in family planning need to understand PRSPs and stay engaged in order to ensure that funding for family planning is sustained. (November 2007)

PopWire: Younger U.S. Baby Boomers Less Likely to Divorce by 40 Than Older Boomers
Younger U.S. baby boomers were less likely to be divorced by 40 than older ones. The patterns is similar for women, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. (October 2007)

PopWire: Veterans Are More Likely to Be Homeless Than Other Civilians
Although U.S. veterans tend to be better off economically than nonveterans, they are more likely to be homeless than the total civilian population ages 18 and older. In fact, 26 percent of homeless people are veterans, but they make up just 11 percent of the adult population. (November 2007)

Standards of Living in Appalachia: 1960 to 2000 (PDF: 240KB)
This report addresses improvements in living standards in Appalachia, whether these living standards are approaching the typical standards for families in the rest of the United States. Poverty rates in Appalachia are still high, particularly in more isolated rural areas, but conditions have improved dramatically relative to national averages. This report was published by the Population Reference Bureau and the Appalachian Regional Commission. (September 2007)