From the same American Community Survey data cited in the last post, here are the median 2012 earnings of Clevelanders who worked full-time, year-round in five sectors that, taken together, accounted for about 55% of our city's 94,000 fully-employed residents:
The 2012 Federal “poverty level” for a three-person household was $19,090, and for a four-person household was $23,050.
The eligibility ceiling for SNAP (food assistance) benefits was 130% of these poverty guidelines: $24,817 for a family of three, $29,965 for a family of four.
The ceiling for Medicaid was 133% of the poverty guidelines: $25,390 for a family of three, $30,657 for a family of four.
Compare these "poverty program" thresholds to the median pay levels for full-time workers listed above -- remembering that "median" means half earned less.
The bottom line: A single parent with two or three kids and a full-time job, living in Cleveland, has a pretty good chance of qualifying for Federal food assistance and Medicaid... especially if her job is in food services, retail or “administrative, support and waste management”.