The number of American households that could not meet basic expenses increased by 16 percent (from 16.4 million to 19.1 million) from 2005 to 2011. During that same period, the number unable to pay their rent or mortgages increased by 39 percent (from 2.7 million to 9.6 million), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In a report issued Thursday, the bureau said 22 percent of households experienced one or more difficulties in fulfilling their basic needs in the previous 12 months. Among the hardships they faced was the inability to pay their rent, mortgage or utilities, including their phone service. In other cases, they were not able to see a doctor or dentist when they needed to, they did not have enough food, or they were evicted from their houses.
The difficulties people have experienced making ends meet are chronicled in the bureau's report, “Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011.”
During the period from 2005 to 2011, from before the recession started until about two years after the recession ended, several measures of financial difficulty got worse, according to the Census Bureau. The number of households with unmet essential expenses increased from 16.4 million to 20 million or from 14 percent to 16 percent of all households. At the same time, the number of households experiencing food shortages rose from 2.7 million to 3.4 million or from 2 percent to 3 percent.
Most households (86 percent) expected to obtain help from friends, family or community agencies if they got into financial trouble, but few actually received help when it happened. For example, when householders had trouble making rent or mortgage payments, only 5 percent received assistance from friends, 17 percent from family members and 10 percent from other sources, the bureau says.