Poverty rate Black families U.S. 2021

In 2021, 17.4 percent of black families were living below the poverty line in the United States.
Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing, and shelter.

Percentage of black families in the United States who live below the poverty level from 1990 to 2021

Characteristic	Percentage of poor black families
2021	17.4%
2020	16.8%
2019	16.3%
2018	17.7%
2017	18.2%
2016	19%
2015	21.1%
2014	22.9%
2013	22.8%
2012	23.7%
2011	24.2%
2010	24.1%
2009	22.7%
2008	22%
2007	22.1%
2006	21.6%
2005	22.1%
2004	22.8%
2003	22.3%
2002	21.5%
2001	20.7%
2000	19.3%
1999	21.8%
1998	23.4%
1997	23.6%
1996	26.1%
1995	26.4%
1994	27.3%
1993	31.3%
1992	31.1%
1991	30.4%
1990	29.3%

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Release date

August 2022

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

1990 to 2021

Supplementary notes

The Census Bureau defines a family as follows: "A family is a group of two people or more (one of whom is the householder) related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together; all such people (including related subfamily members) are considered as members of one family."
Black alone - with and without children under 18 years.
Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter.
Further information regarding the poverty threshold can be accessed here.

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