Northern Kentucky families enjoyed the biggest wage increases in Greater Cincinnati since 1989, but the region did not fare as well in its efforts to cut poverty, a new U.S. Census report shows.

        The report — released Wednesday — which examines the income and poverty levels of counties nationwide, also said that Greater Cincinnati's wealthiest families live in Warren County.

        While the report did not include poverty and income rates for cities, it showed a strong U.S. and regional economy helped pluck people out of poverty throughout Greater Cincinnati with better-paying jobs.

        The most dramatic improvements were in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties, where family wages jumped more than 40 percent from 1989 to 1997. Hamilton County's family income jump of 26.2 percent was the slowest increase in the region, but it was slightly ahead of Ohio's increase of 25.9 percent.

        By comparison, the U.S. Consumer Price Index increased 24.7 percent during the same period, meaning

        household income in all Greater Cincinnati counties increased at a faster rate than inflation nationwide.

        Northern Kentucky's improved wealth is no surprise to Danny Fore, president of the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corp. His group helped recruit companies such as Toyota and Fidelity Investments that have driven up wages in Northern Kentucky.

        “It's very logical that those numbers would be coming in,” Mr. Fore said. “The types and number of companies that have located in Northern Kentucky over the last 10 years have had higher wages.

        “What we're talking about is a better quality of life.”

        The Census estimates are used to determine how almost $7 billion in federal education dollars are distributed for Head Start and other Title I programs designed to help students in low-income communities.

        The estimates are separate than the Census 2000 count compiled through mailed surveys and home visits. Those figures will be released in waves starting spring 2001.

        Even though fewer families are considered poor, many are still struggling to cover basic living costs like rent, utilities, food, clothes and other necessities. A family of four earning $17,029 or less a year is considered poor.

        “The cost of housing is going up for all families, so there's still a strong demand for (subsidized housing),” said Donald Troendle, executive director of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Au thority. “A number of people have moved from poverty level to low-income wage earners, because of welfare reform.”

        Mr. Troendle advocates new policies to encourage more subsidized housing for struggling families who cannot afford to pay the going rate to rent an apartment or house.

        Child poverty rates in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties bumped up slightly from 1989 to 1997 while Butler, Clermont and Hamilton counties managed to whittle away child poverty.

        Warren County also reduced child poverty from 9.3 percent to 7.4 percent — the fourth-lowest rate in Ohio. The suburb north of Cincinnati is the state's second-fastest growing county and third-wealthiest with a median income of $50,152.

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