39,000. in oakland 33,000. but the reality is the reality is for years huge gap between what americans think when he hears poverty and east coast the old way that the government defined it when you see the mainstream media running a story on poverty saying they are 49 million poor people. they will feature a homeless family but only about 2% of the poor are homeless. in fact, the average poor american lives in a house or apartment that is larger than the average nonpoor french men, german or englishman. 80% of under the old definition had airconditioning. two thirds cable tv. half of them have a computer. a third of them have a wide screen hdtv. a quarter of them have a tivo. if you have them was anyone in your family hungry at any for even a single day during the last year? the overwhelming majority will say no. they have access to medical care. they have no hardship whatsoever.