U.S. number of people living below the poverty line 1990-2023

Published by Statista Research Department, Oct 23, 2024

In 2023, about 36.79 million people were living below the poverty line in the United States, a considerable decrease from the previous year. The number of people living in poverty peaked in 2014, but had been trending downwards until the year of the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Number of people living below the poverty line in the United States from 1990 to 2023 (in millions)

CharacteristicNumber of people in millions
1990 33.59
1991 35.71
1992 38.01
1993 39.27
1994 38.06
1995 36.43
1996 36.53
1997 35.57
1998 34.48
1999 32.79
2000 31.58
2001 32.91
2002 34.57
Showing entries 1 to 13 (34 entries in total)
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of people in millions33.5933.5935.7135.7138.0138.0139.2739.2738.0638.0636.4336.4336.5336.5335.5735.5734.4834.4832.7932.7931.5831.5832.9132.9134.5734.5735.8635.8637.0437.0436.9536.9536.4636.4637.2837.2839.8339.8343.5743.5746.3446.3446.2546.2546.546.545.3245.3246.6646.6643.1243.1240.6240.6239.739.738.1538.1533.9833.9837.5537.5537.9337.9337.9237.9236.7936.791990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
02.557.51012.51517.52022.52527.53032.53537.54042.54547.55052.5

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Release date

September 2024

Region

United States

Survey time period

1990 to 2023

Supplementary notes

The U.S. census poverty threshold is calculated each year. Further information on the 2021 guidelines can be found here.

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