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Poverty

Poverty

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Within Poverty

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Poverty

The Census Bureau provides poverty data from several household surveys and programs. Here you can find poverty estimates, learn about these surveys and programs, and get guidance on how to choose the right estimate for your needs.

Featured

Publication
Poverty in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024
September 11, 2025
This brief uses the 2023 and 2024 American Community Surveys 1-year estimates to analyze poverty rates for states, metropolitan areas, and the nation.
Publication
Poverty in the United States: 2024
September 09, 2025
This report presents data on poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2025 and earlier CPS ASEC.
Table
Poverty Rates by Survey
November 2024
Poverty rates for all people and by major age groups for the CPS ASEC, the ACS, and the SIPP.
Table
Poverty Thresholds
Poverty Thresholds by Size of Family and Number of Related Children Under 18 YearsSource: Current Population Survey (CPS)
Guidance for Poverty Data Users
Get more background on each survey or program, the difference between them, and how to choose the right data source for your needs.

News

Press Release
Metro and Micro Areas have Large Gains in Educational Attainment
January 29, 2026
New American Community Survey 5-year estimates show rise in percentage of adults age 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree in metropolitan areas.
Press Release
Aumentan los niveles educativos en áreas metro y micropolitanas
January 29, 2026
Nuevas estimaciones de 5 años de la ACS muestran aumento del porcentaje de adultos de 25 años o más con titulo universitario en áreas metropolitanas.
Press Release
2024 SAIPE Released for States, Counties and School Districts
January 27, 2026
The median estimated poverty rate of children ages 5 to 17 in U.S. school districts in 2024 was 12.5%, according to data released today.

Publications

Publication
Poverty in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024
September 11, 2025
This brief uses the 2023 and 2024 American Community Surveys 1-year estimates to analyze poverty rates for states, metropolitan areas, and the nation.
Publication
Poverty in the United States: 2024
September 09, 2025
This report presents data on poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2025 and earlier CPS ASEC.
Publication
Monthly and Episodic Poverty: 2023
July 18, 2025
This brief uses the 2024 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to analyze monthly and episodic poverty rates in 2023.

Data

Table
Poverty in the United States: 2024
September 09, 2025
These tables present data on poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2025 and earlier CPS ASEC.
Table
Poverty Rates by Survey
November 2024
Poverty rates for all people and by major age groups for the CPS ASEC, the ACS, and the SIPP.
Table
Poverty in the United States: 2023
September 10, 2024
These tables present data on poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2024 and earlier CPS ASEC.

Working Papers

Working Paper
Results of ASEC Exploratory Interviews (March 2024)
January 06, 2026
Working Paper
Effect of Vintage 2024 Population Controls on 2023 Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance in the United States Estimates
September 09, 2025
This paper shows the impact of Vintage 2024 population controls on key 2023 income, poverty, and health insurance estimates in the CPS ASEC.
Working Paper
The Relationship Between the Population Experiencing Homelessness and Living in Shelters and Poverty
July 2025
This paper addresses how the sheltered and household populations differ by poverty status.

All Subtopics Within 'Income and Poverty'

Income
Census money income is defined as income received on a regular basis before payments for taxes, social security, etc. and does not reflect noncash benefits.
Income Inequality
Income inequality is the extent to which income is distributed unevenly among a population.
Poverty
If a family's total income is less than the official poverty threshold for a family of that size and composition, then they are considered to be in poverty.
Program Income and Public Assistance
Public assistance refers to assistance programs that provide either cash or in-kind benefits to individuals and families from any governmental entity.
Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)
The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) program provides more current estimates for the administration and allocation of federal programs and funds.
Supplemental Poverty Measure
In 2009, the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) created a Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) to replace previous experimental poverty measures.
Wealth and Asset Ownership
Household net worth or wealth is an important defining factor of economic well-being - it can become an additional source of income in hard times or retirement.
Well-Being
Factors that contribute to well-being include income, possession of consumer durables, housing and neighborhood conditions, and the meeting of basic needs.