During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country saw a jump in poverty levels between 2019 and 2020 when millions of Americans lost their jobs. The rate has since been trending back down to pre-pandemic levels. The U.S. Census Bureau calculates poverty based on the size of a family and the cost of living using the Consumer Price Index. For example, in 2023, a family of four earning $30,000 or less would be considered below the poverty threshold.
Overall, 40,763,043 Americans were below the poverty threshold in 2023—12.5% of the total U.S. population. January is National Poverty Awareness Month, and we’ve listed the number of people below the poverty threshold in each state and the percentage of each state’s population that lives in poverty.
Source: US Census Bureau