A Snapshot of Poverty in the U.S.    
- The number of people who are poor by official government standards is 37 million
- The federal poverty level for a family of four is $21,200
- The typical American estimates that it takes about $45,000 to support a family of four in a metropolitan area such as the Twin Cities
- Poverty is not limited to a small minority of our citizens. More than half of all Americans will experience poverty for at least one year during their adult lives (ages 20-65). (cf. Mark Rank, One Nation, Underprivileged.)
- 25 million people in our nation sought help from food banks last year — an increase of 18 percent since 1997
- The highest rates of poverty are among children, especially children of color. African Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans are about three times as likely to live in poverty as are white Americans
- More than 7 million people living in rural areas are poor — a poverty rate of 17 percent
- Catholic Charities' own statistics show a steady increase in requests for emergency assistance, food, shelter and utility assistance
- The number of people who are poor in our nation (37 million) is equal to the combined populations of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Alaska. Here's what that looks like on a map.
Unless otherwise noted, the source for the data on this page is the U.S. Census Bureau.
For more extensive information and facts about poverty, visit our Understanding Poverty page.
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