The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report analyzing the census data from September 16 to examine trends in unemployment and the number of uninsured people. They conclude that the government’s response has helped to moderate the increase in unemployment, but they speculate that this assistance may expire before the hardships disappear.

From the executive summary:

Looking forward, poverty is likely to remain very high through at least 2011, if the labor market remains weak as is widely forecast. In fact, poverty is likely to rise higher in 2011 (especially using the broader measure of poverty), because most of the Recovery Act’s expanded unemployment benefits, tax credits, and other assistance targeted on people of modest means will expire by the end of 2010 unless Congress takes further action. Without such action, the level of poverty could climb considerably.

Full report:  Census Data Show Large Jump in Poverty and the Ranks of the Uninsured (PDF | 841 KB) 

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2010). Census data show large jump in poverty and rank of the uninsured in 2009. Sherman, A., Trisi, D., Greenstein, R., and Broaddus, M.