Briefing Papers Number 6, February 2009 | Page 7

Poverty in the United States
More than 37 million people in the United States Employment alone is not always sufficient to prolived in poverty in 2007
vide a family’s basic needs
• The number of people living in poverty has
increased by almost 6 million since 2000.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

• 55 percent of children in low-income families have
at least one parent who works full-time, year-round.
National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), 2008

• More than 15.5 million people lived below half
of the poverty line in 2007.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

• 36 percent of households receiving emergency food
assistance had at least one employed adult.
America’s Second Harvest, 2007

• 37 percent of households headed by women
with children present lived in poverty in 2007.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

• In 2005, 25 percent of all workers earned a povertylevel hourly wage.
Economic Policy Institute, 2008

Children in the United States have the highest
poverty rate of all age groups
• More than 13 million children (age 18 and younger)
lived in poverty in 2007.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008
• The poverty rate for children was 18 percent in
2007—much higher than the poverty rates for adults
18-64 (10.9 percent) and for the elderly (9.7 percent).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008
• A family of four generally needs to earn twice the
poverty threshold to provide children with basic
necessities.
National Center for Children in Poverty, 2008

Figure 5: Children Living in Low-Income and
Poor Families, by age group, 2007
Percent (%)

Low-income

50
40

Poor
43%
5.4 million

43%
3.5 million

30

42%
1.7 million

39%
9.3 million

35%
8.9 million

20
21%
2.7 million

21%
1.7 million

Under 3

10

3-4

20%
0.8 million

17%
4.1 million

5

6 - 11

16%
3.9 million

0

Minorities and immigrants are
disproportionately affected by poverty
Figure 6: Poverty by Race
35
30
Percent in Poverty (%)

• In 2007, the poverty threshold for a family of
four was $21,203.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

25

Children
Total

20
15
10
5
0
White

Black

Hispanic

Race
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008.

• 24.5 percent of black and 21.5 percent of Hispanic
people live in poverty, compared to 8.2 percent of
white people. 34.5 percent of black and 28.6 percent
of Hispanic children live in poverty, compared to 15
percent of white children.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008
• 16.5 percent of foreign-born US residents experience
poverty versus 11.9 percent of native-born residents.
This number is particularly high among immigrants
who have not naturalized, at 21.3 percent.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2008

12 - 17

© National Center for children in Poverty (www.nccp.org)
Basic Facts About Low-Income Children: Birth to Age 18.

www.bread.org

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