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Income and Poverty /
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 Years Source: 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

The Cost of Homeownership Continues to Rise

September 11, 2025

The median monthly owner costs for U.S. homeowners with a mortgage increased to $2,035 in 2024 from $1,960 (inflation-adjusted) in 2023.
Press Release

El costo de tener vivienda sigue aumentando

September 11, 2025

El precio de tener un hogar sigue subiendo.
Press Release

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.: 2024

September 09, 2025

The U.S. Census Bureau today announced that real median household income was $83,730 in 2024.

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

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.
Working Paper

The Inclusion of the Incarcerated Population in Income and Poverty Estimates in the ACS

June 2025

This paper examines the effect of including data on the incarcerated population in income and poverty estimates.

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.