Despite decades of progress, millions of Americans are being pulled under, as stark new data reveals that after historic lows in 2021, poverty surged in 2022, pushing 37.9 million people—including one in eight children—back into the financial brink.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the official poverty rate for the United States was 11.5 percent, with 37.9 million people living in poverty.
- The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate for 2022 was 12.4 percent, affecting 40.8 million people.
- From 2021 to 2022, the official poverty rate increased by 1.0 percentage point from 11.5 percent.
- In 2022, the Black poverty rate was 17.1 percent.
- Hispanic poverty rate in 2022 was 16.9 percent, down from 17.1% in 2021.
- Non-Hispanic White poverty rate in 2022 was 8.6 percent.
- In 2022, child poverty rate for all children was 12.4 percent official measure.
- Elderly (65+) poverty rate in 2022 was 10.2 percent.
- Children under 18 had 12.4% poverty rate in 2022, up from 5.2% SPM in 2021.
- In Mississippi, the 2022 poverty rate was 19.1 percent.
- New Hampshire had the lowest state poverty rate at 6.9 percent in 2022.
- Louisiana poverty rate 18.6 percent in 2022.
- Official poverty rate declined from 15.1% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2022.
- Child poverty rate historical low official 12.4% in 2022 after 16.9% in 2020.
- SPM poverty trended down from 16.0% in 2010 to 7.8% in 2021.
Despite billions in aid, poverty persists and widened significantly in 2022.
Historical Trends and Projections
- Official poverty rate declined from 15.1% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2022.
- Child poverty rate historical low official 12.4% in 2022 after 16.9% in 2020.
- SPM poverty trended down from 16.0% in 2010 to 7.8% in 2021.
- Poverty rate peaked at 15.1% in 2010 post-Great Recession.
- From 1959-2022, poverty rate fell from 22.4% to 11.5%.
- Projected poverty rate to rise to 13.5% by 2025 without interventions.
- Food insecurity affected 12.8% in 2022, linked to poverty trends.
- Child poverty doubled from 2021 to 2022 after tax credit end.
- Since 1960s, poverty definition unchanged despite rising costs.
- Black poverty halved from 34.7% in 1966 to 17.1% in 2022.
- Hispanic poverty declined from 24.7% in 2010 to 16.9% 2022.
- Elderly poverty dropped from 35% in 1959 to 10.2% in 2022.
- Working poverty rate stable around 5% since 1995.
- Pandemic aid cut poverty by 3.7 points in 2021 per SPM.
- 2023 projections show poverty rising to 12.9% official.
- Deep poverty trended up slightly to 5.5% in 2022.
- From 2000-2019, poverty averaged 13.5% pre-pandemic.
- SPM shows poverty lower than official since 2010 average.
- Child poverty rate averaged 18% from 1980-2000.
- Future projections: 38 million in poverty by 2024 if trends continue.
- Homelessness rose 12% in 2023 linked to poverty persistence.
- Income inequality widened post-1980 correlating with stagnant poverty decline.
Historical Trends and Projections Interpretation
We’ve wrung the sponge of poverty drier over the decades, but the remaining squeeze is stubbornly acidic, threatening to re-wet the cloth unless we keep our hands firmly on the wringers.
Overall Poverty Rates
- In 2022, the official poverty rate for the United States was 11.5 percent, with 37.9 million people living in poverty.
- The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate for 2022 was 12.4 percent, affecting 40.8 million people.
- From 2021 to 2022, the official poverty rate increased by 1.0 percentage point from 11.5 percent.
- In 2021, the SPM poverty rate was 7.8 percent, the lowest on record.
- The official poverty rate in 2020 was 11.4 percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic due to government aid.
- U.S. poverty rate using the official measure in 2019 was 10.5 percent, with 34.0 million poor.
- The poverty threshold for a family of four in 2022 was $29,960.
- In 2018, the national poverty rate was 11.8 percent.
- SPM incorporates taxes, tax credits, noncash benefits, and regional cost differences.
- Between 2019 and 2022, official poverty rates fluctuated between 10.5% and 11.5%.
- In 2022, 8.8 percent of the population was in deep poverty (below 50% of poverty threshold).
- The poverty rate for unrelated individuals in 2022 was 22.4 percent.
- Official poverty measure does not account for geographic cost-of-living variations.
- In 2022, poverty affected 11.5% of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.
- The number of poor persons in 2022 increased by 2.7 million from 2021.
- Poverty rate using SPM was higher than official measure every year since 2009 except 2021.
- In 2017, official poverty rate was 12.3 percent.
- U.S. poverty gap in 2022 was estimated at significant billions in unmet needs.
- The official poverty rate has hovered around 11-15% since 1960s inception.
- In 2022, 62.1 million people lived above poverty but below 150% of threshold.
- SPM rate for 2019 was 10.2 percent.
- Poverty threshold for single person under 65 in 2022 was $15,225.
- The 2022 poverty rate increase was largest since 2020 recession rebound.
- Official measure developed in 1960s based on three times food costs.
- In 2022, poverty rate for full-time workers was 2.3 percent.
- Extreme poverty (under $2/day) affected 1.5 million in recent years.
- National poverty line adjusted annually for inflation using CPI-U.
- In 2016, poverty rate was 12.7 percent.
- SPM reduces measured poverty due to inclusion of government transfers.
- 2022 deep poverty rate of 5.5 percent for families.
Overall Poverty Rates Interpretation
While our official poverty math stubbornly insists that roughly one in nine Americans is poor, the more realistic measure—which counts the help they get and the bills they actually pay—quietly admits it's closer to one in eight, proving that our safety net is both vital and still full of holes.
Poverty by Age and Family Type
- In 2022, child poverty rate for all children was 12.4 percent official measure.
- Elderly (65+) poverty rate in 2022 was 10.2 percent.
- Children under 18 had 12.4% poverty rate in 2022, up from 5.2% SPM in 2021.
- Poverty rate for ages 18-64 was 10.3 percent in 2022.
- Female householders with no spouse present had 25.4% poverty rate in 2022.
- Married-couple families poverty rate was 4.2 percent in 2022.
- In 2021, child SPM poverty was record low 5.2 percent.
- Elderly poverty rate declined to 8.6% SPM in 2021.
- Single mother families had 26.7% child poverty in 2022.
- Poverty rate for children under 6 was 13.8 percent in 2022.
- Ages 5-17 poverty rate 12.0% in 2022.
- Working-age adults (18-64) deep poverty 5.1% in 2022.
- Female single parents poverty rate highest at 24.4% in 2021.
- Children in married-couple families had 4.0% poverty rate.
- Elderly living alone poverty rate 14.5% in 2022.
- Teens (12-17) poverty rate 11.5% in 2022.
- Under 5 poverty rose sharply post-child tax credit expiration.
- Male householders no spouse poverty 15.7% in 2022.
- Children in father-only families 18.2% poverty.
- Poverty for under 18 in 2019 was 14.4 percent.
- 65+ poverty in 2020 was 9.0 percent.
- Family households poverty 7.8% vs nonfamily 20.1% in 2022.
- Young adults 18-24 poverty 16.8% in 2022.
Poverty by Age and Family Type Interpretation
The alarming resurgence of child poverty, particularly among the youngest and those in single-parent households, reveals a grim reality: when public policy support is withdrawn, our most vulnerable are left to fall, while a stable family structure remains the single strongest predictor of economic safety.
Poverty by Race/Ethnicity
- In 2022, the Black poverty rate was 17.1 percent.
- Hispanic poverty rate in 2022 was 16.9 percent, down from 17.1% in 2021.
- Non-Hispanic White poverty rate in 2022 was 8.6 percent.
- Asian poverty rate in 2022 was 9.7 percent.
- American Indian and Alaska Native poverty rate in 2022 was 18.9 percent.
- Black poverty rate declined from 18.8% in 2021 to 17.1% in 2022.
- In 2021, Hispanic poverty rate was 17.1 percent.
- Non-Hispanic White rate in 2021 was 8.1 percent.
- Asian Americans had the lowest poverty rate at 8.1% in 2021.
- Black child poverty rate in 2022 was 24.9 percent.
- In 2019, Black poverty rate was 18.8 percent.
- Hispanic rate in 2019 was 15.7 percent.
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander poverty rate in 2022 was 18.0 percent.
- Two or more races poverty rate in 2022 was 16.8 percent.
- In 2020, Black poverty rate was 19.5 percent.
- Non-Hispanic White poverty rate peaked at higher levels pre-2010.
- Asian poverty rate lowest historically at 7.3% in 2019.
- American Indians faced 25.4% poverty in 2016 data.
- Black females had 21.0% poverty rate in 2022.
- Hispanic males poverty rate 14.6% in 2022.
- In 2022, poverty rate for Black householders was 20.8 percent.
- White non-Hispanic elderly poverty rate lower at 7.5% in 2022.
- Hispanic child poverty was 20.7% in 2022.
- Native American child poverty rate 23.0% in recent data.
- Asian elderly poverty rate 10.3% in 2022.
Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Interpretation
While the overall poverty rate may dip and sway like a dull national tide, the data reveals a stubbornly stratified sea where your starting line—determined by race—remains the most reliable predictor of whether you'll be swimming against the current or sailing with the wind.
Regional and State Poverty
- In Mississippi, the 2022 poverty rate was 19.1 percent.
- New Hampshire had the lowest state poverty rate at 6.9 percent in 2022.
- Louisiana poverty rate 18.6 percent in 2022.
- New Mexico 17.8 percent poverty rate.
- West Virginia 16.7 percent.
- Kentucky 15.8 percent poverty.
- Arkansas 15.9 percent.
- Alabama 15.3 percent.
- Oklahoma 15.3 percent.
- South Carolina 14.0 percent.
- California poverty rate 12.2 percent official, higher SPM.
- Texas 13.7 percent.
- Florida 12.7 percent.
- New York 13.6 percent.
- Illinois 11.9 percent.
- Pennsylvania 11.8 percent.
- Ohio 12.8 percent.
- Georgia 13.3 percent.
- Michigan 12.4 percent.
- North Carolina 13.3 percent.
- District of Columbia had 14.4 percent poverty rate in 2022.
- Maryland lowest South at 8.7 percent.
- Utah 7.9 percent.
- Minnesota 8.8 percent.
- Colorado 9.6 percent.
- Washington 8.8 percent.
- Northeast region poverty 10.1 percent average.
- South region highest at 13.7 percent poverty.
- West region 11.5 percent.
- Midwest 10.8 percent.
- Rural areas poverty 14.2 percent vs urban 11.9% in 2022.
Regional and State Poverty Interpretation
The American South bears a starkly disproportionate burden of poverty, a regional disparity so deep that living in Mississippi carries nearly triple the risk of financial hardship as living in New Hampshire.
Sources & References
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