Census data shows a struggling Glendale

The latest statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week show Glendale has taken a major economic hit since the recession began in 2007.

The median household income in Glendale last year fell 15% since the recession took hold at the end of 2007, according to the statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

That puts the median income in Glendale at $47,647 — slightly higher than the $46,148 in Los Angeles, but below the $64,147 logged in Burbank, which remained relatively steady despite the economic turmoil. The national median income in 2011 was $50,502, according to the annual American Community Survey released on Thursday.

The Census Bureau produces the yearly estimates on topics from housing to income for cities larger than 65,000 residents.

In 2011, 12.7% of the roughly 98,000 workers over 16 years old in Glendale were unemployed, up from 4.9% in 2007.

“That’s a very dramatic increase,” said Census spokesman Robert Bernstein.

It put Glendale’s rate above the statewide unemployment rate, which nearly doubled from 6.6% in 2007 to 12.3% in 2011. Nationwide, the unemployment rate was about 10.3% last year, up from 6.3% before the recession.

About 40% of Glendale workers had management, business, science and art occupations, with 26% in the retail sales and office industries.

Also according to the census data, in 2011, 75% of workers drove alone to work, 9% carpooled, 5% took public transportation and less than 1% biked. The City Council recently approved a multi-year bicycle transportation plan to improve infrastructure throughout the city for cyclists.

Additionally, about 7% worked at home, up from 4.9% in 2010, according to the survey.

Meanwhile, the median value of a home dropped significantly to $588,000 in 2011 from $720,300 in 2007. Comparatively, in 2011 it was $173,600 nationwide, $438,300 in Los Angeles and $542,000 in Burbank.

About 22% of Glendale residents had no health insurance coverage, compared with 15% nationally, last year. Of those who did have health insurance in Glendale, about 33% had public health insurance, such as Medicare.

And roughly 55% of Glendale residents last year were foreign-born, compared to 13% nationwide.

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