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Data on Poverty in the United States

The Center for American Progress’ new poverty data project contains U.S. Census Bureau data on the national, state, and congressional district levels, all in one place. Below, users can explore data on poverty and more than a dozen other topics that measure the health of the economy, as well as identify potential solutions to the problems these data reveal.

  • Poverty rate (OPM) 1

    11.1%

    36.8 million people

    Percentage of people who fell below the poverty threshold—$30,900 for a family of four—in 2023

  • Double the poverty threshold (OPM) 2

    26.9%

    Percentage of people who fell below twice the poverty threshold—$61,800 for a family of four—in 2023

  • Half the poverty threshold (OPM) 3

    5.2%

    Percentage of people who fell below half the poverty threshold—$15,450 for a family of four—in 2023

  • Child poverty rate (OPM) 4

    15.3%

    11 million people

    Percentage of children under age 18 who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Women's poverty rate (OPM) 5

    11.9%

    20.1 million people

    Percentage of women who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Men's poverty rate (OPM) 6

    10.2%

    16.7 million people

    Percentage of men who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • African American poverty rate (OPM) 7

    17.9%

    8 million people

    Percentage of African Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Hispanic or Latino poverty rate (OPM) 8

    16.6%

    10.9 million people

    Percentage of Hispanics or Latinos who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Asian American poverty rate (OPM) 9

    9.1%

    2 million people

    Percentage of Asian Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • White poverty rate (OPM) 10

    7.7%

    14.9 million people

    Percentage of non-Hispanic or Latino Whites who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Native American poverty rate (OPM) 11

    21.2%

    0.9 million people

    Percentage of Native Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • People with disabilities poverty rate (OPM) 12

    22.3%

    3.7 million people

    Percentage of people with disabilities ages 18-64 who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Poverty rate (SPM) 13

    12.9%

    42.8 million people

    Percentage of people who fell below the poverty thresholds adjusted for housing costs—$36,915 for a family of four with a mortgage, $30,870 for a family of four without a mortgage, and $37,482 for a family of four that pays rent—in 2023

  • Double the poverty threshold (SPM) 14

    41.3%

    Percentage of people who fell below twice the poverty thresholds adjusted for housing costs—$73,830 for a family of four with a mortgage, $61,740 for a family of four without a mortgage, and $74,964 for a family of four that pays rent—in 2023

  • Half the poverty threshold (SPM) 15

    4.4%

    Percentage of people who fell below half the poverty thresholds adjusted for housing costs—$18,458 for a family of four with a mortgage, $15,435 for a family of four without a mortgage, and $18,741 for a family of four that pays rent—in 2023

  • Child poverty rate (SPM) 16

    13.7%

    10 million people

    Percentage of children under age 18 who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Women's poverty rate (SPM) 17

    13.4%

    22.5 million people

    Percentage of women who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Men's poverty rate (SPM) 18

    12.4%

    20.3 million people

    Percentage of men who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • African American poverty rate (SPM) 19

    18.5%

    8.3 million people

    Percentage of African Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Hispanic or Latino poverty rate (SPM) 20

    20.9%

    13.7 million people

    Percentage of Hispanics or Latinos who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Asian American poverty rate (SPM) 21

    13.6%

    3 million people

    Percentage of Asian Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • White poverty rate (SPM) 22

    8.8%

    17 million people

    Percentage of non-Hispanic or Latino whites who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Native American poverty rate (SPM) 23

    19%

    0.8 million people

    Percentage of Native Americans who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • People with disabilities poverty rate (SPM) 24

    22.8%

    3.8 million people

    Percentage of people with disabilities ages 18-64 who fell below the poverty threshold in 2023

  • Income inequality 25

    17x

    The multiplier signifying the difference in size between the share of income going to the top 20 percent of households versus that going to the bottom 20 percent of households in 2023

  • High school graduation rate 26

    86.6%

    Percentage of public high school students who graduated on time in the 2021-22 school year

  • Disconnected youth 27

    12%

    Percentage of youth ages 18 to 24 with no degree beyond high school who were not in school or working in 2022

  • Higher education attainment rate 28

    49%

    Percentage of young adults ages 25 to 34 who had an associate’s degree or higher in 2023

  • Gender wage gap 29

    74.8¢

    Median earnings of all working women compared to that of men in 2023, per dollar

  • Unemployment rate 30

    3.6%

    Percentage of all workers who were unemployed in 2023

  • Unemployment insurance coverage 31

    28.7%

    Percentage of unemployed workers who received unemployment insurance in 2023

  • Children living apart from parents 32

    5 kids

    Number of children who lived in foster care for every 1,000 children under age 18 in 2021

  • Teen birth rate 33

    14 births

    Births that took place for every 1,000 women ages 15 to 19 in 2022

  • Hunger and food insecurity 34

    13.5%

    Percentage of households that were food insecure on average in 2023, meaning that at some point during the year, they experienced difficulty providing enough food for their families due to a lack of money or resources

  • Affordable and available housing 35

    34 units

    Number of apartments or other units that were affordable and available for every 100 renter households with extremely low incomes—those with incomes at or below the federal poverty guideline or 30 percent of the area median income—in 2022

  • Savings and assets 36

    4.4%

    Percentage of households who used high-cost, high-risk forms of credit to make ends meet during 2021, including payday loans, automobile title loans, refund anticipation loans, rent-to-own, and pawning

  • Lack of health insurance coverage 37

    15.7%

    Percentage of people under age 65 and below 138 percent of the poverty threshold who did not have health insurance at any time in 2023

  • Zero or negative net worth 38

    11.1%

    Percentage of households with zero or negative net worth—the sum of assets minus the sum of liabilities—in 2022

Share these data

Poverty in the United States: Compare the States

Use U.S. Census Bureau poverty data to compare states across more than a dozen topics that measure the health of the economy.

Compare States

Poverty in the United States: Explore the Data

Use U.S. Census Bureau poverty data to explore more than a dozen topics that measure the health of the economy at the state and congressional district levels.

Poverty in the United States: Explore the Map

Use U.S. Census Bureau poverty data to explore more than a dozen topics that measure the health of the economy at the state and national levels.

See The Data

* Correction, December 15, 2022: The 2021, 2019, and 2018 versions of this page have been updated to state the correct year captured in the food insecurity data available under the “Economic security” tab.

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Endnotes

  1. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  2. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  3. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  4. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  5. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  6. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  7. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  8. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  9. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  10. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  11. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  12. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  13. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  14. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  15. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  16. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  17. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  18. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  19. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  20. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  21. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  22. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  23. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  24. Emily A. Shrider, U.S. Census Bureau, “Poverty in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-283.pdf.
  25. United States Census Bureau, Shares of Aggregate Household Income by Quintile: 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2024) available at https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B19082?q=B19082:%20SHARES%20OF%20AGGREGATE%20HOUSEHOLD%20INCOME%20BY%20QUINTILE.
  26. U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Public high school 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for the United States, (U.S. Department of Education, 2023), available at https://eddataexpress.ed.gov/download/data-builder/data-download-tool?f%5B1%5D=all_students%3AAll%20Students%20in%20SEA&f%5B2%5D=file_spec%3A150&f%5B3%5D=file_spec%3A151&f%5B4%5D=level%3AState%20Education%20Agency&f%5B5%5D=population%3AAll%20Students&f%5B6%5D=school_year%3A2021-2022&f%5B0%5D=all_students%3AAll%20Students.
  27. Kids Count Data Center, Persons age 18 to 24 not attending school, not working, and no degree beyond high school (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2024), available at https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/5063-young-adults-ages-18-to-24-not-attending-school-not-working-and-no-degree-beyond-high-school?loc=1&loct=2#detailed/2/2-53/false/1095/any/11485.
  28. United States Census Bureau, Sex by Age by Educational Attainment for the Population 18 Years and Over: 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2024) available at https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B15001?q=B15001:%20SEX%20BY%20AGE%20BY%20EDUCATIONAL%20ATTAINMENT%20FOR%20THE%20POPULATION%2018%20YEARS%20AND%20OVER.
  29. Gloria Guzman and Melissa Kollar, “Income in the United States: 2023” (United States Department of Commerce, 2024), available at https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/p60-282.pdf.
  30. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2023, available at https://www.bls.gov/lau/lastrk23.htm.
  31. Employment and Training Administration, Unemployment Insurance Chartbook, (U.S. Department of Labor, 2023), available at https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/chartbook.asp.
  32. Kids Count Data Center, Children 0 to 17 in Foster Care, (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2023), available at https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/6242-children-ages-birth-to-17-in-foster-care?loc=1&loct=2#detailed/2/2-52/true/2048/any/20455.
  33. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “National Vital Statistics Reports: Births Final Data for 2022”, Vol. 73 No. 2, (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024), available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-02.pdf.
  34. Alisha Coleman-Jensen, Matthew Rabbitt, Christian Gregory, and Anita Singh for the Economic Research Service, “Household Food Security in the United States in 2023”, No. 337, (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2024), available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/109896/err-337.pdf?v=1000.7.
  35. National Low Income Housing Coalition, "The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes" (2024), available at https://nlihc.org/gap.
  36. Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, Custom Data Table Tool: Alternative financial services, (FDIC, 2022), available at hhttps://www.fdic.gov/analysis/household-survey/.
  37. United States Census Bureau, Health Insurance Coverage Status by Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months by Age: 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates, (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2024), available at https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.C27016?q=C27016:%20Health%20Insurance%20Coverage%20Status%20by%20Ratio%20of%20Income%20to%20Poverty%20Level%20in%20the%20Past%2012%20Months%20by%20Age.
  38. United States Census Bureau, Percent Distribution of Household Net Worth, by Amount of Net Worth and Selected Characteristics: Survey of Income and Program Participation, (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2024), available at https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/wealth/data/tables.All.List_2110684178.html#list-tab-List_2110684178.

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