Poverty rate in the United States 1990-2021
In 2021, the around 11.6 percent of the population was living below the national poverty line in the United States.
Poverty in the United States
As shown in the statistic above, the poverty rate among all people living in the Unites 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. Black Americans are the ethnic group with the most people living in poverty in 2020, with about 19.5 percent of the Black population with an income below the poverty line. In comparison to that, only 8.2 percent of the White (non-Hispanic) population, were living below the poverty line in 2020.
Children are one of the most poverty endangered population groups in the U.S. between 1990 and 2020. 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 16.1 percent in 2020.
The number of people living in poverty in the U.S. varies from state to state. Compared to California, where about 4.32 million people were living in poverty in 2020, the state of Minnesota had about 468,000 people living in poverty.
Poverty in the United States
As shown in the statistic above, the poverty rate among all people living in the Unites 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. Black Americans are the ethnic group with the most people living in poverty in 2020, with about 19.5 percent of the Black population with an income below the poverty line. In comparison to that, only 8.2 percent of the White (non-Hispanic) population, were living below the poverty line in 2020.
Children are one of the most poverty endangered population groups in the U.S. between 1990 and 2020. 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 16.1 percent in 2020.
The number of people living in poverty in the U.S. varies from state to state. Compared to California, where about 4.32 million people were living in poverty in 2020, the state of Minnesota had about 468,000 people living in poverty.
