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Characteristics of the Population Below the Poverty Level: 1974

Report Number P60-102

This report presents detailed social and economic statistics for the population of the United States below the poverty level in 1974 based on the March 1975 Current Population Survey (CPS). Data are presented by selected characteristics such as race, family status, education, work experience, type and source of income, and residence in poverty areas. Several historical tables detailing a picture of the changing composition of the population below and above the poverty level since 1959, the first year for which such data are available, are also presented.

In this text the terms "poverty," "low-income," and "poor" are used interchangeably. The poverty threshold for a nonfarm family of four persons was $5,038 in 1974, about 11 percent higher than the comparable 1973 cutoff of $4,540. The poverty thresholds are updated every year to reflect changes in the annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI). See page 143 for a detailed explanation of the poverty level.

A Note on Language

Census statistics date back to 1790 and reflect the growth and change of the United States. Past census reports contain some terms that today’s readers may consider obsolete and inappropriate. As part of our goal to be open and transparent with the public, we are improving access to all Census Bureau original publications and statistics, which serve as a guide to the nation's history.

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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