Addendum. Apparently US dwellings are massively larger than European ones. So -- ceteris paribus -- we could expect the "average poor person" in the US (I think that must mean something like "modal poor person") to have more living space than the average European city dweller. Heritage Report>Of course, the living conditions of the average poor >American should not be taken as representing all the poor. There is >actually a wide range in living conditions among the poor. For >example, over a quarter of poor households have cell phones and >telephone answering machines, but, at the other extreme, approximately >one-tenth have no phone at all. While the majority of poor households >do not experience significant material problems, roughly a third do >experience at least one problem such as overcrowding, temporary >hunger, or difficulty getting medical care. .... >However, two caveats should be applied to this generally >optimistic picture. First, many poor families have difficulty >paying their regular bills and must scramble to make ends meet. >For example, around one-quarter of poor families are late in >paying the rent or utility bills at some point during the year. .... >While most of America's poor live in accommodations with >two or more rooms per person, roughly a tenth of the poor >are crowded, with less than one room per person. .... >Overall, more than one-quarter of poor families >experienced at least one financial difficulty during t >he year. Most had a late payment of rent or utility bills. >Some 12 percent had phones or utilities cut off or were evicted. >Poor households also experienced the material problems listed on >Table 7.32 Some 14 percent lacked medical insurance and >had a family member who needed to go to a doctor or hospital >but did not go; 11 percent experienced hunger in the household; >and around 9 percent were overcrowded, with more than one > person per room. ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html