Welfare by the Numbers

Here are some important statistics and numbers related to welfare recipients and employing people on welfare.

• 94 percent of welfare recipients don’t have automobiles.
• 80 percent of welfare recipients traditionally quit or are fired within 16 months of starting a new job.
• 70 percent to 80 percent of welfare recipients who complete training programs before starting a job stay in their new jobs.
• 66.3 percent of women on welfare have recent work experience. Most have more than four years’ work experience.
• 62.8 percent of companies don’t hire welfare applicants or don’t have a well-defined program because of the lack of information about welfare recipients.
• 58 percent of all welfare recipients have completed high school or a higher level of education.
• 37 percent of welfare recipients are African-American.
• 36 percent of welfare recipients are white.
• 31 years is the age of the average adult receiving welfare.
• 21 percent of welfare recipients are Hispanic.
• 11 million people, or 4 percent of the population, will remain on welfare this year, the lowest number since 1970.
• 4 million U.S. families currently receive welfare.
• 2 is the average number of children in families who receive welfare.

SOURCE: The Welfare to Work Partnership, Washington, D.C.; and “Hire Resources,” September 1997, published by The David Institute, Cleveland.