ABOUT CAMDEN

• Leading news organizations have named Camden both the poorest and the most dangerous city in America.

• 44 percent of the city’s 80000 residents live in poverty, the highest rate in the nation.

• The median household income in Camden is $ 18,007, the lowest of all US communities with populations of more than 65000.

• 22 percent of Camden families earn less than $ 10,000 a year.

• The population of Camden is much younger than the national average. 37 percent are under eighteen years of age.

• As early as 4th grade, the majority of public school students fail state language arts and math proficiency tests. Among 8th graders almost three quarters fail both tests.

• Recently, 58 percent of high school juniors failed the language arts test and 76 percent failed the math test.

• At the city’s two largest high schools, the drop-out rate is more than 60 percent.

• For the past ten years, Camden has ranked consistently among the ten most dangerous cities with a population over 75000.

• In 2004 and 2005, Camden ranked number one on the most dangerous city list.

• In 2007, it was ranked fifth.

• Nearly one in five housing units in Camden is vacant.