Poverty in 2015: Causes and Solutions Twitter Chat @povertyresearch on 9/13 12 p.m. ET
On September 13th, the U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual
report on income and poverty in the United States. The report
documents how many Americans are poor and who they are. What it
does not tell us is how we got here or how we can do better.
Join the conversation with leading experts on U.S. poverty and
contribute to how we as a nation can increase opportunity for
all.
Center for Poverty Research faculty affiliates are available to
comment for stories related to all aspects of poverty in the
United States. Contact the
Center if you have specific request for one of our
faculty not on this list.
The official poverty rate is 11.6 percent, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimates for 2021. That year, an estimated 37.9 million Americans lived in poverty according to the official measure. Neither the rate nor the number differed significantly from 2020. According to the supplemental poverty measure, the poverty rate was 7.8 percent.
Each year, the U.S. Census Bureau counts people in poverty with
two measures. Both the official and supplemental poverty measures
are based on estimates of the level of income needed to cover
basic needs. Those who live in households with earnings below
those incomes are considered to be in poverty.
