In 2023, **** percent of Black people living in the United States were living below the poverty line, compared to *** percent of white people. That year, the total poverty rate in the U.S. across all races and ethnicities was **** percent. Poverty in the United States Single people in the United States making less than ****** U.S. dollars a year and families of four making less than ****** U.S. dollars a year are considered to be below the poverty line. Women and children are more likely to suffer from poverty, due to women staying home more often than men to take care of children, and women suffering from the gender wage gap. Not only are women and children more likely to be affected, racial minorities are as well due to the discrimination they face. Poverty data Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the United States had the third highest poverty rate out of all OECD countries in 2019. However, the United States' poverty rate has been fluctuating since 1990, but has been decreasing since 2014. The average median household income in the U.S. has remained somewhat consistent since 1990, but has recently increased since 2014 until a slight decrease in 2020, potentially due to the pandemic. The state that had the highest number of people living below the poverty line in 2020 was California.

In 2023, 15.4 percent of Black families were living below the poverty line in the United States. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing, and shelter.

In the U.S., the share of the population living in poverty fluctuated significantly throughout the six decades between 1987 and 2023. In 2023, the poverty level across all races and ethnicities was 11.1 percent. Black Americans have been the ethnic group with the highest share of their population living in poverty almost every year since 1974. In 1979 alone, Black poverty was well over double the national average, and over four times the poverty rate in white communities; in 1982, almost 48 percent of the Black population lived in poverty. Although poverty rates have been trending downward across all ethnic groups, 17.8 percent of Black Americans and 18.9 percent of American Indian and Alaskan Natives still lived below the poverty line in 2022.

In 2023, 6.5 percent of Black married-couple families were living below the poverty line in the United States. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter.

The Census Bureau determines that a person is living in poverty when his or her total household income compared with the size and composition of the household is below the poverty threshold. The Census Bureau uses the federal government's official definition of poverty to determine the poverty threshold. Beginning in 2000, individuals were presented with the option to select one or more races. In addition, the Census asked individuals to identify their race separately from identifying their Hispanic origin. The Census has published individual tables for the races and ethnicities provided as supplemental information to the main table that does not dissaggregate by race or ethnicity. Race categories include the following - White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Some other race, and Two or more races. We are not including specific combinations of two or more races as the counts of these combinations are small. Ethnic categories include - Hispanic or Latino and White Non-Hispanic. This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates, table B17001. The ACS collects these data from a sample of households on a rolling monthly basis. ACS aggregates samples into one-, three-, or five-year periods. CTdata.org generally carries the five-year datasets, as they are considered to be the most accurate, especially for geographic areas that are the size of a county or smaller.Poverty status determined is the denominator for the poverty rate. It is the population for which poverty status was determined so when poverty is calculated they exclude institutionalized people, people in military group quarters, people in college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years of age.Below poverty level are households as determined by the thresholds based on the criteria of looking at household size, Below poverty level are households as determined by the thresholds based on the criteria of looking at household size, number of children, and age of householder.number of children, and age of householder.

Black or African American Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Shiprock, New Mexico by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Black or African American Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in August, California by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

In 1990, 48.1 percent of all Black families with a single mother in the United States lived below the poverty level. In 2023, that figure had decreased to 25.9 percent. This is significantly higher than white households with a single mother. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter.

Graph and download economic data for 90% Confidence Interval Upper Bound of Estimate of Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA (PPCIUBAAIA19013A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about Black Hawk County, IA; Waterloo; IA; percent; child; poverty; persons; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Percent of People Age 0-17 in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA (PPU18IA19013A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about Black Hawk County, IA; Waterloo; under 18 years; IA; percent; child; poverty; and USA.

Black or African American Poverty Rate Statistics for 2022. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Washington County, Alabama by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Disclaimer: This application is a DRAFT and is still under development. A look at the Equity Atlas Poverty indicator in Dallas using the methodology described below. Poverty (S1701)

Each scored category represents 20% of the total population of the City of Dallas.

A score of 5 represents that the percentage of people in poverty is between 23.4% - 80.4%..

A score of 4 represents the percentage of people in poverty is between 16.4% - 23.4%.

A score of 3 represents that the percentage of people in poverty is between 9.9% - 16.3%.

A score of 2 represents that the percentage of people in poverty is between 5.1% - 9.8%.

A score of 1 represents the percentage of people in poverty is between 0.4% - 5%.

Parameter

Data Field

Data Source

American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate 2018-2022

POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

All people that are living in poverty

Estimated percent of all people that are living in poverty as of 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

White people who lived in poverty

Estimated percent of all White people who lived in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

Black or African American people who lived in poverty

Estimated percent of all Black or African American people who lived in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

Asian people who lived in poverty

Estimated percentage of all Asian people who lived in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

American Indian and Alaskan Native people who lived in poverty

Estimated percent of all American Indian and Alaskan Native people who lived in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander people who were living in poverty

Estimated percent of all Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander people who were living in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

people of Some Other Race living in poverty

Estimated percent of all people of "Some Other Race" living in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

people of two or more races living below the poverty level

Estimated percent of all people of "two or more races" living below the poverty level between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

Hispanic or Latino people who were living in poverty

Estimated percentage of all Hispanic or Latino people who were living in poverty between 2018-2022

U.S. Census Bureau, Table: S1701

Black or African American Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Nebraska by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA was 14.20% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA reached a record high of 18.00 in January of 2010 and a record low of 9.80 in January of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

In 2023 the poverty rate in the United States was highest among people between 18 and 24, with a rate of 16 percent for male Americans and a rate of 21 percent for female Americans. The lowest poverty rate for both men and women was for those aged between 45 and 54. What is the poverty line? The poverty line is a metric used by the U.S. Census Bureau to define poverty in the United States. It is a specific income level that is considered to be the bare minimum a person or family needs to meet their basic needs. If a family’s annual pre-tax income is below this income level, then they are considered impoverished. The poverty guideline for a family of four in 2021 was 26,500 U.S. dollars. Living below the poverty line According to the most recent data, almost one-fifth of African Americans in the United States live below the poverty line; the most out of any ethnic group. Additionally, over 7.42 million families in the U.S. live in poverty – a figure that has held mostly steady since 1990, outside the 2008 financial crisis which threw 9.52 million families into poverty by 2012. The poverty gender gap Wage inequality has been an ongoing discussion in U.S. discourse for many years now. The poverty gap for women is most pronounced during their child-bearing years, shrinks, and then grows again in old age. While progress has been made on the gender pay gap over the last 30 years, there are still significant disparities, even in occupations that predominantly employ men. Additionally, women are often having to spend more time attending to child and household duties than men.

ACS 1-year estimates are based on data collected over one calendar year, offering more current information but with a higher margin of error. ACS 5-year estimates combine five years of data, providing more reliable information but less current. Both are based on probability samples. Some racial and ethnic categories are suppressed to avoid misleading estimates when the relative standard error exceeds 30%.

Data Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 1- & 5-Year Estimates

Why This Matters

Poverty threatens the overall well-being of individuals and families, limiting access to stable housing, healthy foods, health care, and educational and employment opportunities, among other basic needs.Poverty is associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic physical and mental illness, lower life expectancy, developmental delays, and others.

Racist policies and practices have contributed to racial economic inequities. Nationally, Black, Indigenous, and people of color experience poverty at higher rates than white Americans, on average.

The District's Response

Boosting assistance programs that provide temporary cash and health benefits to help low-income residents meet their basic needs, including Medicaid, TANF For District Families, SNAP, etc.

Housing assistance and employment and career training programs to support resident’s housing and employment security. These include the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Permanent Supportive Housing vouchers, Career MAP, the DC Infrastructure Academy, among other programs and services.

Creation of the DC Commission on Poverty to study poverty issues, evaluate poverty reduction initiatives, and make recommendations to the Mayor and the Council.

Estimated Percent of People Age 0-17 in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA was 15.10% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Estimated Percent of People Age 0-17 in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA reached a record high of 25.20 in January of 2010 and a record low of 12.20 in January of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Estimated Percent of People Age 0-17 in Poverty for Black Hawk County, IA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Mortality Hazard Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals for African Americans relative to Whites by Sex and Poverty Status, Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span Study, Baltimore, Maryland, 2004–2013 (N = 3675).

Black or African American Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. This is part of a larger dataset covering poverty in Alaska by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more.

To assist communities in identifying racially/ethnically-concentrated areas of poverty (R/ECAPs), HUD has developed a census tract-based definition of R/ECAPs. The definition involves a racial/ethnic concentration threshold and a poverty test. The racial/ethnic concentration threshold is straightforward: R/ECAPs must have a non-white population of 50 percent or more. Regarding the poverty threshold, Wilson (1980) defines neighborhoods of extreme poverty as census tracts with 40 percent or more of individuals living at or below the poverty line. Because overall poverty levels are substantially lower in many parts of the country, HUD supplements this with an alternate criterion. Thus, a neighborhood can be a R/ECAP if it has a poverty rate that exceeds 40% or is three or more times the average tract poverty rate for the metropolitan/micropolitan area, whichever threshold is lower. Census tracts with this extreme poverty that satisfy the racial/ethnic concentration threshold are deemed R/ECAPs. This translates into the following equation: Where i represents census tracts, () is the metropolitan/micropolitan (CBSA) mean tract poverty rate, is the ith tract poverty rate, () is the non-Hispanic white population in tract i, and Pop is the population in tract i.While this definition of R/ECAP works well for tracts in CBSAs, place outside of these geographies are unlikely to have racial or ethnic concentrations as high as 50 percent. In these areas, the racial/ethnic concentration threshold is set at 20 percent. Data Source: Related AFFH-T Local Government, PHA Tables/Maps: Table 4, 7; Maps 1-17.Related AFFH-T State Tables/Maps: Table 4, 7; Maps 1-15, 18.References:Wilson, William J. (1980). The Declining Significance of Race: Blacks and Changing American Institutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.To learn more about R/ECAPs visit:https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/affh ; https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/FHEO/documents/AFFH-T-Data-Documentation-AFFHT0006-July-2020.pdf, for questions about the spatial attribution of this dataset, please reach out to us at GISHelpdesk@hud.gov. Date of Coverage: 2017 - 2021 ACSDate Updated: 10/2023