In 2023, the around 11.1 percent of the population was living below the national poverty line in the United States. Poverty in the United StatesAs shown in the statistic above, the poverty rate among all people living in the United States has shifted within the last 15 years. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines poverty as follows: “Absolute poverty measures poverty in relation to the amount of money necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. The concept of absolute poverty is not concerned with broader quality of life issues or with the overall level of inequality in society.” The poverty rate in the United States varies widely across different ethnic groups. American Indians and Alaska Natives are the ethnic group with the most people living in poverty in 2022, with about 25 percent of the population earning an income below the poverty line. In comparison to that, only 8.6 percent of the White (non-Hispanic) population and the Asian population were living below the poverty line in 2022. Children are one of the most poverty endangered population groups in the U.S. between 1990 and 2022. Child poverty peaked in 1993 with 22.7 percent of children living in poverty in that year in the United States. Between 2000 and 2010, the child poverty rate in the United States was increasing every year; however,this rate was down to 15 percent in 2022. The number of people living in poverty in the U.S. varies from state to state. Compared to California, where about 4.44 million people were living in poverty in 2022, the state of Minnesota had about 429,000 people living in poverty.

In 2023, 17.9 percent of Black people living in the United States were living below the poverty line, compared to 7.7 percent of white people. That year, the total poverty rate in the U.S. across all races and ethnicities was 11.1 percent. Poverty in the United States Single people in the United States making less than 12,880 U.S. dollars a year and families of four making less than 26,500 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.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for United States (PPAAUS00000A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about percent, child, poverty, and USA.

Louisiana Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. Analyze over 60 metrics of the Louisiana poverty database including by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more. In Louisiana, an estimated 829,565 of 4,467,616 people live in poverty, which is 18.6%. Compared to the national average of 12.6%, the poverty rate in Louisiana is 47.62% higher.

In 2023, about 12.8 percent of North Carolina's population lived below the poverty line. This accounts for persons or families whose collective income in the preceding 12 months was below the national poverty level of the United States. . The poverty rate of the United States can be accessed here.

In 2023, about four percent of the people with a Bachelor's degree or higher were living below the poverty line in the United States. This is far below the poverty rate of those without a high school diploma, which was 25.1 percent in 2023.

Argentina Poverty Line: Total Basic Basket data was reported at 334,535.800 USD in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 331,532.430 USD for Dec 2024. Argentina Poverty Line: Total Basic Basket data is updated monthly, averaging 14,998.970 USD from Apr 2016 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 334,535.800 USD in Jan 2025 and a record low of 3,663.660 USD in Apr 2016. Argentina Poverty Line: Total Basic Basket data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Censuses. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Argentina – Table AR.G011: Indigence and Poverty Lines: National Statistics & Census Institute.

Massachusetts Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. Analyze over 60 metrics of the Massachusetts poverty database including by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more. In Massachusetts, an estimated 700,156 of 6,763,338 people live in poverty, which is 10.4%. Compared to the national average of 12.6%, the poverty rate in Massachusetts is 17.46% lower.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in St. Louis city, MO (S1701ACS029510) from 2012 to 2023 about St. Louis City, MO; St. Louis; MO; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Los Angeles County, CA (PPAACA06037A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about Los Angeles County, CA; Los Angeles; CA; percent; child; poverty; and USA.

Count and rate of population with income in the last 12 months below poverty level in an area. ( B17001). County and State values are from ACS 1-year survey.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Percent of People Age 0-17 in Poverty for St. Louis City, MO (PPU18MO29510A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about St. Louis City, MO; St. Louis; under 18 years; MO; percent; child; poverty; and USA.

Poverty and low-income statistics by disability status, age group, sex and economic family type, Canada, annual.

In 2023, 9.5 percent of Maryland's population lived below the poverty line. This accounts for persons or families whose collective income in the preceding 12 months was below the national poverty level of the United States.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Iowa County, IA (S1701ACS019095) from 2012 to 2023 about Iowa County, IA; IA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Minnesota Poverty Rate Statistics for 2023. Analyze over 60 metrics of the Minnesota poverty database including by age, education, race, gender, work experience and more. In Minnesota, an estimated 540,079 of 5,599,770 people live in poverty, which is 9.6%. Compared to the national average of 12.6%, the poverty rate in Minnesota is 23.81% lower.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in District of Columbia (S1701ACS011001) from 2012 to 2023 about DC, Washington, percent, poverty, 5-year, population, and USA.

Finland - At Risk of Poverty rate was 12.60% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Finland - At Risk of Poverty rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on March of 2025. Historically, Finland - At Risk of Poverty rate reached a record high of 13.80% in December of 2009 and a record low of 10.80% in December of 2021.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Lee County, IA (S1701ACS019111) from 2012 to 2023 about Lee County, IA; IA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.