Artery - wikipedia Artery Jump to : navigation , search For other uses , see Artery ( disambiguation ) . Artery Diagram of an artery . Details Identifiers Latin Arteria ( plural : arteriae ) TA A12. 0.00. 003 A12. 2.00. 001 FMA 50720 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) An artery ( plural arteries ) ( from Greek ἀρτηρία ( artēria ) , meaning ' windpipe , artery ' ) is a blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to all parts of the body . Most arteries carry oxygenated blood ; the two exceptions are the pulmonary and the umbilical arteries , which carry deoxygenated blood to the organs that oxygenate it . The effective arterial blood volume is that extracellular fluid which fills the arterial system . The arteries are part of the circulatory system , which is responsible for the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all cells , as well as the removal of carbon dioxide and waste products , the maintenance of optimum blood pH , and the circulation of proteins and cells of the immune system . In developed countries , the two leading causes of death , myocardial infarction ( heart attack ) , and stroke , may each directly result from an arterial system that has been slowly and progressively compromised by years of deterioration . Contents ( hide ) 1 Structure 1.1 Development 2 Function 2.1 Aorta 2.2 Capillaries 3 Clinical significance 4 History 5 References 6 External links Structure ( edit ) Microscopic anatomy of an artery . Cross-section of a human artery See also : Arterial tree The anatomy of arteries can be separated into gross anatomy , at the macroscopic level , and microanatomy , which must be studied with the aid of a microscope . The arterial system of the human body is divided into systemic arteries , carrying blood from the heart to the whole body , and pulmonary arteries , carrying deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs . The outermost layer of an artery ( or vein ) is known as the tunica externa , also known as tunica adventitia , and is composed of connective tissue made up of collagen fibers . Inside this layer is the tunica media , or media , which is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastic tissue ( also called connective tissue proper ) . The innermost layer , which is in direct contact with the flow of blood , is the tunica intima , commonly called the intima . This layer is mainly made up of endothelial cells . The hollow internal cavity in which the blood flows is called the lumen . Development ( edit ) Arterial formation begins when endothelial cells begin to express arterial specific genes , such as ephrin B2 . Function ( edit ) Arteries form part of the human circulatory system Main article : Circulatory system Arteries form part of the circulatory system . They carry blood that is oxygenated after it has been pumped from the heart . Coronary arteries also aid the heart in pumping blood . Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the tissues , except for pulmonary arteries , which carry blood to the lungs for oxygenation ( usually veins carry deoxygenated blood to the heart but the pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood ) . There are two types of unique arteries . The pulmonary artery carries blood from the heart to the lungs , where it receives oxygen . It is unique because the blood in it is not `` oxygenated '' , as it has not yet passed through the lungs . The other unique artery is the umbilical artery , which carries deoxygenated blood from a fetus to its mother . Arteries have a blood pressure higher than other parts of the circulatory system . The pressure in arteries varies during the cardiac cycle . It is highest when the heart contracts and lowest when heart relaxes . The variation in pressure produces a pulse , which can be felt in different areas of the body , such as the radial pulse . Arterioles have the greatest collective influence on both local blood flow and on overall blood pressure . They are the primary `` adjustable nozzles '' in the blood system , across which the greatest pressure drop occurs . The combination of heart output ( cardiac output ) and systemic vascular resistance , which refers to the collective resistance of all of the body 's arterioles , are the principal determinants of arterial blood pressure at any given moment . Systemic arteries are the arteries ( including the peripheral arteries ) , of the systemic circulation , which is the part of the cardiovascular system that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart , to the body , and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart . Systemic arteries can be subdivided into two types - muscular and elastic - according to the relative compositions of elastic and muscle tissue in their tunica media as well as their size and the makeup of the internal and external elastic lamina . The larger arteries ( > 10 mm diameter ) are generally elastic and the smaller ones ( 0.1 -- 10 mm ) tend to be muscular . Systemic arteries deliver blood to the arterioles , and then to the capillaries , where nutrients and gases are exchanged . After travelling from the aorta , blood travels through peripheral arteries into smaller arteries called arterioles , and eventually to capillaries . Arterioles help in regulating blood pressure by the variable contraction of the smooth muscle of their walls , and deliver blood to the capillaries . Aorta ( edit ) The aorta is the root systemic artery . In humans , it receives blood directly from the left ventricle of the heart via the aortic valve . As the aorta branches , and these arteries branch in turn , they become successively smaller in diameter , down to the arterioles . The arterioles supply capillaries , which in turn empty into venules . The very first branches off of the aorta are the coronary arteries , which supply blood to the heart muscle itself . These are followed by the branches off the aortic arch , namely the brachiocephalic artery , the left common carotid , and the left subclavian arteries . Capillaries ( edit ) Main article : Capillaries The capillaries are the smallest of the blood vessels and are part of the microcirculation . The capillaries have a width of a single cell in diameter to aid in the fast and easy diffusion of gases , sugars and nutrients to surrounding tissues . Capillaries have no smooth muscle surrounding them and have a diameter less than that of red blood cells ; a red blood cell is typically 7 micrometers outside diameter , capillaries typically 5 micrometers inside diameter . The red blood cells must distort in order to pass through the capillaries . These small diameters of the capillaries provide a relatively large surface area for the exchange of gases and nutrients . Clinical significance ( edit ) Diagram showing the effects of atherosclerosis on an artery . Systemic arterial pressures , are generated by the forceful contractions of the heart 's left ventricle . High blood pressure is a factor in causing arterial damage . Healthy resting arterial pressures , are relatively low , mean systemic pressures typically being under 100 mmHg , about 1.8 lbf / in2 , above surrounding atmospheric pressure ( about 760 mmHg or 14.7 lbf / in2 at sea level ) . To withstand and adapt to the pressures within , arteries are surrounded by varying thicknesses of smooth muscle which have extensive elastic and inelastic connective tissues . The pulse pressure , i.e. systolic vs. diastolic difference , is determined primarily by the amount of blood ejected by each heart beat , stroke volume , versus the volume and elasticity of the major arteries . A blood squirt also known as an arterial gush is the effect when an artery is cut due to the higher arterial pressures . Blood is spurted out at a rapid , intermittent rate , that coincides with the heartbeat. The amount of blood loss can be copious , can occur very rapidly , and be life - threatening . Over time , factors such as elevated arterial blood sugar ( particularly as seen in diabetes mellitus ) , lipoprotein , cholesterol , high blood pressure , stress and smoking , are all implicated in damaging both the endothelium and walls of the arteries , resulting in atherosclerosis . Atherosclerosis is a disease marked by the hardening of arteries . This is caused by an atheroma or plaque in the artery wall and is a build - up of cell debris , that contain lipids , ( cholesterol and fatty acids ) , calcium and a variable amount of fibrous connective tissue . Accidental intra-arterial injection either iatrogenically or through recreational drug use can cause symptoms such as intense pain , paresthesia and necrosis . It usually causes permanent damage to the limb ; often amputation is necessary . History ( edit ) Among the ancient Greeks , the arteries were considered to be `` air holders '' that were responsible for the transport of air to the tissues and were connected to the trachea . This was as a result of finding the arteries of the dead devoid of blood . In medieval times , it was recognized that arteries carried a fluid , called `` spiritual blood '' or `` vital spirits '' , considered to be different from the contents of the veins . This theory went back to Galen . In the late medieval period , the trachea , and ligaments were also called `` arteries '' . William Harvey described and popularized the modern concept of the circulatory system and the roles of arteries and veins in the 17th century . Alexis Carrel at the beginning of 20th century first described the technique for vascular suturing and anastomosis and successfully performed many organ transplantations in animals ; he thus actually opened the way to modern vascular surgery that was before limited to vessels permanent ligation . Theodor Kocher the Swiss researcher , reported that atherosclerosis often developed in patients who had undergone a thyroidectomy and suggested that hypothyroidism favors atherosclerosis , which was , in the 1900s at autopsies , seen more frequently in iodine - deficient Austrians compared to Icelanders , which are not deficient in iodine . Turner reported the effectiveness of iodide and dried extracts of thyroid in the prevention of atherosclerosis in laboratory rabbits . References ( edit ) Jump up ^ ἀρτηρία , Henry George Liddell , Robert Scott , A Greek - English Lexicon , on Perseus Jump up ^ Swift , MR ; Weinstein , BM ( Mar 13 , 2009 ) . `` Arterial - venous specification during development '' . Circulation Research . 104 ( 5 ) : 576 -- 88 . doi : 10.1161 / CIRCRESAHA. 108.188805 . PMID 19286613 . Jump up ^ Maton , Anthea ; Jean Hopkins ; Charles William McLaughlin ; Susan Johnson ; Maryanna Quon Warner ; David LaHart ; Jill D. Wright ( 1999 ) . Human Biology and Health . Englewood Cliffs , New Jersey : Prentice Hall . ISBN 0 - 13 - 981176 - 1 . Jump up ^ `` U.S. Navy Standard First Aid Manual , Chapter 3 ( online ) '' . Retrieved 3 Feb 2003 . Jump up ^ Bertazzo , S. et al. Nano - analytical electron microscopy reveals fundamental insights into human cardiovascular tissue calcification . Nature Materials 12 , 576 - 583 ( 2013 ) . Jump up ^ Miller , J.D. Cardiovascular calcification : Orbicular origins . Nature Materials 12 , 476 - 478 ( 2013 ) . Jump up ^ Sen MD , Surjya ; Nunes Chini MD Phd , Eduardo ; Brown MD , Michael J. ( June 2005 ) . `` Complications After Unintentional Intra-arterial Injection of Drugs : Risks , Outcomes , and Management Strategies '' ( Online archive of Volume 80 , Issue 6 , Pages 783 -- 795 , June 2005 Mayo Clinic Proceedings ) . Mayo Clinic Proceedings . MAYO Clinic . Retrieved 25 August 2014 . Unintentional intra-arterial injection of medication , either iatrogenic or self - administered , is a source of considerable morbidity . Normal vascular anatomical proximity , aberrant vasculature , procedurally difficult situations , and medical personnel error all contribute to unintentional cannulation of arteries in an attempt to achieve intravenous access . Delivery of certain medications via arterial access has led to clinically important sequelae , including paresthesias , severe pain , motor dysfunction , compartment syndrome , gangrene , and limb loss . We comprehensively review the current literature , highlighting available information on risk factors , symptoms , pathogenesis , sequelae , and management strategies for unintentional intra-arterial injection . We believe that all physicians and ancillary personnel who administer intravenous therapies should be aware of this serious problem . Jump up ^ Oxford English Dictionary . Jump up ^ Shakespeare , William . Hamlet Complete , Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts , Critical History , and Essays from Five Contemporary Critical Perspectives . Boston : Bedford Books of St. Martins Press , 1994 . pg. 50 . Jump up ^ Bruger , Maurice ; Rosenkrantz , J.A. ( 1942 - 03 - 01 ) . `` Arteriosclerosis and Hypothyroidism : Observations on Their Possible Interrelationship '' . The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2 ( 3 ) : 176 -- 180 . doi : 10.1210 / jcem - 2 - 3 - 176 . ISSN 0368 - 1610 . External links ( edit ) Look up artery in Wiktionary , the free dictionary . Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arteries . Human arterial system Human systems and organs Musculoskeletal Skeletal system Bone Carpus Collar bone ( clavicle ) Thigh bone ( femur ) Fibula Humerus Mandible Metacarpus Metatarsus Ossicles Patella Phalanges Radius Skull Tarsus Tibia Ulna Rib Vertebra Pelvis Sternum Cartilage Joints Fibrous joint Cartilaginous joint Synovial joint Muscular system Muscle Tendon Diaphragm Circulatory system Cardiovascular system peripheral Artery Vein Lymphatic vessel Heart Lymphatic system primary Bone marrow Thymus secondary Spleen Lymph node CNS equivalent Glymphatic system Nervous system Brain Spinal cord Nerve Sensory system Ear Eye Integumentary system Skin Subcutaneous tissue Breast Mammary gland Immune system Myeloid Myeloid immune system Lymphoid Lymphoid immune system Respiratory system Upper Nose Nasopharynx Larynx Lower Trachea Bronchus Lung Digestive system Mouth Salivary gland Tongue upper GI Oropharynx Laryngopharynx Esophagus Stomach lower GI Small intestine Appendix Colon Rectum Anus accessory Liver Biliary tract Pancreas Urinary system Genitourinary system Kidney Ureter Bladder Urethra Reproductive system Female Uterus Vagina Vulva Ovary Placenta Male Scrotum Penis Prostate Testicle Seminal vesicle Endocrine system Pituitary Pineal Thyroid Parathyroid Adrenal Islets of Langerhans Arteries and veins Vessels Arteries Nutrient artery Arteriole Metarteriole Capillaries Types Continuous Fenestrated Sinusoidal Precapillary sphincter Precapillary resistance Veins Vena comitans Superficial vein Deep vein Emissary veins Venous plexus Venule Lymph Lymphatic vessel Lymph Lymph capillary Circulatory system Systemic Left heart → Aorta → Arteries → Arterioles → Capillaries → Venules → Veins → Vena cava → ( Right heart ) Pulmonary Right heart → Pulmonary arteries → Lungs → Pulmonary vein → Left heart Microanatomy Microcirculation Tunica intima Endothelium Internal elastic lamina Tunica media Tunica externa Vasa vasorum Vasa nervorum Vascular nerves Rete mirabile Circulatory anastomosis ( hide ) Arteries in the human body Arteries of the head and neck CC EC sup . thyroid superior laryngeal sternocleidomastoid branch infrahyoid branch cricothyroid branch glandular branches asc . pharyngeal posterior meningeal pharyngeal branches inferior tympanic lingual suprahyoid dorsal lingual deep lingual sublingual facial cervical branches ( ascending palatine , tonsillar , submental , glandular ) facial branches ( inferior labial superior labial / nasal septum lateral nasal angular ) occipital sternocleidomastoid meningeal occipital auricular descending post . auricular stylomastoid stapedial auricular occipital Parotid sup . temporal transverse facial middle temporal ( zygomatico - orbital ) anterior auricular frontal parietal maxillary 1st part / mandibular anterior tympanic deep auricular middle meningeal ( superior tympanic , petrosal ) accessory meningeal inferior alveolar 2nd part / pterygoid to muscles of mastication ( deep temporal , pterygoid , masseteric ) buccal 3rd part / pterygopalatine posterior superior alveolar infraorbital ( anterior superior alveolar ) descending palatine ( greater palatine , lesser palatine ) artery of the pterygoid canal sphenopalatine ( posterior septal branches , posterior lateral nasal ) pharyngeal IC cervical carotid sinus petrous Vidian caroticotympanic cavernous / ophthalmic orbital group : anterior ethmoidal posterior ethmoidal lacrimal ( lateral palpebral ) medial palpebral terminal ( supraorbital , supratrochlear , dorsal nasal ) ocular group : central retinal ciliary ( short posterior , long posterior , anterior ) Circulus arteriosus major hypophysial ( superior , inferior ) brain Circle of Willis ACA ( anterior communicating , medial striate , Orbitofrontal artery ) MCA ( anterolateral central , Prefrontal artery , Superior terminal branch , Inferior terminal branch , Anterior temporal branch ) posterior communicating anterior choroidal SC vertebral artery meningeal spinal ( posterior , anterior ) basilar : pontine labyrinthine cerebellar ( AICA , SCA , PICA ) cerebral ( PCA ) thyrocervical trunk inferior thyroid inferior laryngeal tracheal esophageal ascending cervical pharyngeal glandular branches transverse cervical superficial branch deep branch / dorsal scapular scapular anastomosis suprascapular acromial branch scapular anastomosis costocervical trunk deep cervical Supreme Intercostal artery Arteries of the torso and chest Lungs Pulmonary artery Right Left ( Ligamentum arteriosum ) Heart Coronary circulation Right coronary : SA nodal AV nodal Atrial Right marginal Posterior interventricular Left coronary : Anterior interventricular Left circumflex ( Left marginal ) Aorta Sections Ascending aorta Aortic arch Descending aorta Thoracic aorta Abdominal aorta Aortic body Aortic arch Brachiocephalic Thyreoidea ima Right subclavian Right common carotid Left common carotid External carotid Internal carotid Carotid body Carotid sinus Carotid bifurcation Left subclavian Internal thoracic : Anterior intercostal Thymic Pericardiacophrenic Perforating branches terminal ( Musculophrenic , superior epigastric ) Costocervical trunk : Highest intercostal ( Posterior intercostal 1 -- 2 ) Deep cervical Descending aorta visceral : Bronchial Esophageal Mediastinal parietal : Posterior intercostal 3 -- 11 Subcostal Superior phrenic Arteries of the abdomen and pelvis Abdominal aorta Celiac Left gastric Esophageal branches Common hepatic Proper hepatic cystic Right gastric Gastroduodenal right gastroepiploic superior pancreaticoduodenal supraduodenal Splenic Pancreatic branches greater dorsal Short gastrics Left gastroepiploic Superior mesenteric Inferior pancreaticoduodenal Intestinal jejunal ileal arcades vasa recta Ileocolic colic anterior cecal posterior cecal ileal branch appendicular Right colic Middle colic Marginal Suprarenal Middle suprarenal Renal Inferior suprarenal Ureteral Gonadal Testicular artery Ovarian artery Lumbar Lumbar arteries Inferior mesenteric Left colic Marginal Sigmoid Superior rectal Common iliac Internal iliac Posterior surface Iliolumbar Lumbar branch Iliac branch Anterior surface Superior vesical artery Umbilical artery Medial umbilical ligament to ductus deferens Obturator Anterior branch Pubic branch Posterior branch Acetabular branch Cruciate anastomosis Corona mortis Middle rectal Vaginal branch ♀ / Prostatic branch ♂ Uterine ♀ Arcuate Vaginal branches Ovarian branches Tubal branches Spiral Vaginal ♀ / Inferior vesical ♂ Inferior gluteal Accompanying of sciatic nerve Cruciate anastomosis Internal pudendal Inferior rectal Perineal posterior scrotal posterior labial Bulb of penis / vestibule Urethral Deep artery of the penis helicine Deep artery of clitoris Dorsal of the penis Dorsal of the clitoris External iliac Inferior epigastric Corona mortis Deep circumflex iliac Femoral see arteries of lower limbs Median sacral Coccygeal glomus Arteries of the human arm Axillary Shoulder ( before teres minor ) 1st part Superior thoracic artery 2nd part Thoracoacromial artery pectoral branch acromial branch clavicular branch deltoid branch Lateral thoracic artery 3rd part Subscapular artery scapular anastomosis circumflex scapular artery thoracodorsal artery anterior humeral circumflex artery posterior humeral circumflex artery Brachial Forearm ( before cubital fossa ) profunda brachii radial collateral medial collateral ulnar collateral superior inferior Radial artery forearm radial recurrent wrist / carpus Dorsal carpal branch dorsal carpal arch Palmar carpal branch deep palmar arch hand Superficial palmar branch princeps pollicis radialis indicis artery superficial palmar arch Median artery median artery Ulnar artery forearm ulnar recurrent anterior posterior common interosseous anterior posterior interosseous recurrent wrist / carpus Dorsal carpal branch dorsal carpal arch Palmar carpal branch superficial palmar arch Arterial Arches Dorsal carpal arch dorsal metacarpal dorsal digital Palmar carpal arch superficial palmar arch common palmar digital proper palmar digital deep palmar arch palmar metacarpal Arteries of the human leg Inferior epigastric cremasteric ♂ / round ligament ♀ Deep circumflex iliac no major branches Femoral In femoral canal superficial epigastric superficial circumflex iliac superficial external pudendal deep external pudendal ( anterior scrotal ♂ Descending genicular saphenous branch articular branches Profunda femoris medial circumflex femoral ascending descending superficial deep acetabular lateral circumflex femoral descending transverse ascending perforating Cruciate anastomosis Trochanteric anastomosis Popliteal Genicular superior genicular ( medial , lateral ) middle genicular inferior genicular ( medial , lateral ) Sural no major branches Anterior tibial tibial recurrent posterior anterior ) anterior malleolar medial lateral dorsalis pedis : tarsal ( medial , lateral ) Tibial - fibular ( Tibial - peroneal ) trunk Posterior tibial circumflex fibular medial plantar lateral plantar fibular ( peroneal ) Arches arcuate dorsal metatarsal first dorsal metatarsal deep plantar dorsal digital arteries plantar arch plantar metatarsal common plantar digital proper plantar digital GND : 4003066 - 0 NDL : 00561681 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Artery&oldid=815089923 '' Categories : Angiology Cardiovascular physiology Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2013 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Aragonés ܐܪܡܝܐ Asturianu Azərbaycanca বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Български Bosanski Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Ido Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ಕನ್ನಡ Қазақша Kiswahili Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Latina Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Монгол မြန်မာဘာသာ Nederlands नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Piemontèis Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Shqip Simple English سنڌي Slovenčina Slovenščina کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் తెలుగు ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt Võro 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 12 December 2017 , at 18 : 28 . 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Question: what is the name of the main artery which takes blood from the heart to the body


Poverty in the United States - Wikipedia Poverty in the United States Jump to : navigation , search Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate : 1959 to 2015 . United States . Poverty is a state of deprivation , lacking the usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions . The most common measure of poverty in the U.S. is the `` poverty threshold '' set by the U.S. government . This measure recognizes poverty as a lack of those goods and services commonly taken for granted by members of mainstream society . The official threshold is adjusted for inflation using the consumer price index . Most Americans will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point between ages 25 and 75 . Poverty rates are persistently higher in rural and inner city parts of the country as compared to suburban areas . In 2015 , 13.5 % ( 43.1 million ) of Americans lived in poverty . Starting in the 1930s , relative poverty rates have consistently exceeded those of other wealthy nations . The lowest poverty rates are found in New Hampshire , Vermont , Minnesota and Nebraska , which have between 8.7 % and 9.1 % of their population living in poverty . In 2009 the number of people who were in poverty was approaching 1960s levels that led to the national War on Poverty . In 2011 extreme poverty in the United States , meaning households living on less than $2 per day before government benefits , was double 1996 levels at 1.5 million households , including 2.8 million children . In 2012 the percentage of seniors living in poverty was 14 % while 18 % of children were . The addition of Social Security benefits contributed more to reduce poverty than any other factor . Recent census data shows that half the population qualifies as poor or low income , with one in five Millennials living in poverty . Academic contributors to The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States postulate that new and extreme forms of poverty have emerged in the U.S. as a result of neoliberal structural adjustment policies and globalization , which have rendered economically marginalized communities as destitute `` surplus populations '' in need of control and punishment . In 2011 , child poverty reached record high levels , with 16.7 million children living in food insecure households , about 35 % more than 2007 levels . A 2013 UNICEF report ranked the U.S. as having the second highest relative child poverty rates in the developed world . According to a 2016 study by the Urban Institute , teenagers in low income communities are often forced to join gangs , save school lunches , sell drugs or exchange sexual favors because they can not afford food . There were about 643,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people nationwide in January 2009 . Almost two - thirds stayed in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program and the other third were living on the street , in an abandoned building , or another place not meant for human habitation . About 1.56 million people , or about 0.5 % of the U.S. population , used an emergency shelter or a transitional housing program between October 1 , 2008 and September 30 , 2009 . Around 44 % of homeless people are employed . In June 2016 , the IMF warned the United States that its high poverty rate needs to be tackled urgently by raising the minimum wage and offering paid maternity leave to women to encourage them to enter the labor force . In December 2017 , the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights , Philip Alston , undertook a two week investigation on the effects of systemic poverty in the United States , and sharply condemned `` private wealth and public squalor '' . Contents ( hide ) 1 Measures of poverty 1.1 Two official measures of poverty 1.2 Recent poverty rate and guidelines 1.3 Relative measures of poverty 1.4 Income distribution and relative poverty 2 Poverty and demographics 2.1 Poverty and family status 2.2 By race / ethnicity and family status , based on data from 2007 2.3 Poverty and race / ethnicity 2.4 Poverty among Native Americans 2.5 Poverty and age 2.5. 1 Child poverty 3 Poverty and education 4 Factors in poverty 5 Concerns regarding accuracy 5.1 Understating poverty 5.2 Overstating poverty 6 Fighting poverty 7 See also 7.1 Other 7.2 International 8 References 9 Bibliography and further reading 10 External links Measures of poverty ( edit ) Two official measures of poverty ( edit ) Poverty Rates by Age 1959 to 2015 . United States . There are two basic versions of the federal poverty measure : the poverty thresholds ( which are the primary version ) ; and the poverty guidelines . The Census Bureau issues the poverty thresholds , which are generally used for statistical purposes -- for example , to estimate the number of people in poverty nationwide each year and classify them by type of residence , race , and other social , economic , and demographic characteristics . The Department of Health and Human Services issues the poverty guidelines for administrative purposes -- for instance , to determine whether a person or family is eligible for assistance through various federal programs . The `` Orshansky Poverty Thresholds '' form the basis for the current measure of poverty in the U.S. Mollie Orshansky was an economist working for the Social Security Administration ( SSA ) . Her work appeared at an opportune moment . Orshansky 's article was published later in the same year that Johnson declared war on poverty . Since her measure was absolute ( i.e. , did not depend on other events ) , it made it possible to objectively answer whether the U.S. government was `` winning '' this war . The newly formed United States Office of Economic Opportunity adopted the lower of the Orshansky poverty thresholds for statistical , planning , and budgetary purposes in May 1965 . The Bureau of the Budget ( now the Office of Management and Budget ) adopted Orshansky 's definition for statistical use in all Executive departments . The measure gave a range of income cutoffs , or thresholds , adjusted for factors such as family size , sex of the family head , number of children under 18 years old , and farm or non-farm residence . The economy food plan ( the least costly of four nutritionally adequate food plans designed by the Department of Agriculture ) was at the core of this definition of poverty . At the time of creating the poverty definition , the Department of Agriculture found that families of three or more persons spent about one third of their after - tax income on food . For these families , poverty thresholds were set at three times the cost of the economy food plan . Different procedures were used for calculating poverty thresholds for two - person households and persons living alone . Annual updates of the SSA poverty thresholds were based on price changes in the economy food plan , but updates do not reflect other changes ( food is no longer one - third of the after - tax income ) . Two changes were made to the poverty definition in 1969 . Thresholds for non-farm families were tied to annual changes in the Consumer Price Index rather than changes in the cost of the economy food plan . Farm thresholds were raised from 70 to 85 % of the non-farm levels . In 1981 , further changes were made to the poverty definition . Separate thresholds for `` farm '' and `` female - householder '' families were eliminated . The largest family size category became `` nine persons or more . '' Apart from these changes , the U.S. government 's approach to measuring poverty has remained static for the past forty years . Recent poverty rate and guidelines ( edit ) United States Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) figures for Federal Poverty Level in 2015 Persons in Family Unit 48 Contiguous States and D.C. Alaska Hawaii $11,770 $14,720 $13,550 $15,930 $19,920 $18,330 $20,090 $25,120 $23,110 $24,250 $30,320 $27,890 5 $28,410 $35,520 $32,670 6 $32,570 $40,720 $37,450 7 $36,730 $45,920 $42,230 8 $40,890 $51,120 $47,010 Each additional person adds $4,160 $5,200 $4,780 The poverty guideline figures are not the figures the Census Bureau uses to calculate the number of poor persons . The figures that the Census Bureau uses are the poverty thresholds . The Census Bureau provides an explanation of the difference between poverty thresholds and guidelines . The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty . The 2010 figure for a family of 4 with no children under 18 years of age is $22,541 , while the figure for a family of 4 with 2 children under 18 is $22,162 . For comparison , the 2011 HHS poverty guideline for a family of 4 is $22,350 . Relative measures of poverty ( edit ) Another way of looking at poverty is in relative terms . `` Relative poverty '' can be defined as having significantly less income and wealth than other members of society . Therefore , the relative poverty rate is a measure of income inequality . When the standard of living among those in more financially advantageous positions rises while that of those considered poor stagnates , the relative poverty rate will reflect such growing income inequality and increase . Conversely , the relative poverty rate can decrease , with low income people coming to have less wealth and income if wealthier people 's wealth is reduced by a larger percentage than theirs . Some critics argue that relying on income disparity to determine who is impoverished can be misleading . The Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggests that consumer spending varies much less than income . In 2008 , the poorest one fifth of Americans households spent on average $12,955 per person for goods and services ( other than taxes ) , the second quintile spent $14,168 , the third $16,255 , the fourth $19,695 , while the richest fifth spent $26,644 . The disparity of expenditures is much less than the disparity of income . Income distribution and relative poverty ( edit ) This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( November 2016 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Although the relative approach theoretically differs largely from the Orshansky definition , crucial variables of both poverty definitions are more similar than often thought . First , the so - called standardization of income in both approaches is very similar . To make incomes comparable among households of different sizes , equivalence scales are used to standardize household income to the level of a single person household . When compared to the US Census poverty line , which is based on a defined basket of goods , for the most prevalent household types both standardization methods show very similar results . Poverty and demographics ( edit ) In addition to family status , race / ethnicity and age also correlate with high poverty rates in the United States . Although data regarding race and poverty are more extensively published and cross tabulated , the family status correlation is by far the strongest . Poverty and family status ( edit ) Homeless children in the United States . The number of homeless children reached record highs in 2011 , 2012 , and 2013 at about three times their number in 1983 . According to the US Census , in 2007 5.8 % of all people in married families lived in poverty , as did 26.6 % of all persons in single parent households and 19.1 % of all persons living alone . More than 75 % of all poor households are headed by women ( 2012 ) . By race / ethnicity and family status , based on data from 2007 ( edit ) Camden , New Jersey is one of the poorest cities in the United States . Among married couple families : 5.8 % lived in poverty . This number varied by race and ethnicity as follows : 5.4 % of all white persons ( which includes white Hispanics ) , 10.7 % of all black persons ( which includes black Hispanics ) , and 14.9 % of all Hispanic persons ( of any race ) living in poverty . Among single parent ( male or female ) families : 26.6 % lived in poverty . This number varied by race and ethnicity as follows : 22.5 % of all white persons ( which includes white Hispanics ) , 44.0 % of all black persons ( which includes black Hispanics ) , and 33.4 % of all Hispanic persons ( of any race ) living in poverty . Among individuals living alone : 19.1 % lived in poverty . This number varied by race and ethnicity as follows : 18 % of white persons ( which includes white Hispanics ) 28.9 % of black persons ( which includes black Hispanics ) and 27 % of Hispanic persons ( of any race ) living in poverty . Poverty and race / ethnicity ( edit ) The US Census declared that in 2014 14.8 % of the general population lived in poverty : 10.1 % of all white non-Hispanic persons 12.0 % of all Asian persons 23.6 % of all Hispanic persons ( of any race ) 26.2 % of all African American persons 28.3 % of Native Americans / Alaska Natives As of 2010 about half of those living in poverty are non-Hispanic white ( 19.6 million ) . Non-Hispanic white children comprised 57 % of all poor rural children . In FY 2009 , African American families comprised 33.3 % of TANF families , non-Hispanic white families comprised 31.2 % , and 28.8 % were Hispanic . Poverty among native Americans ( edit ) Poverty is also notoriously high on Native American reservations ( see Reservation poverty ) . 7 of the 11 poorest counties in per capita income , including the 2 poorest in the U.S. , encompass Lakota Sioux reservations in South Dakota . This fact has been cited by some critics as a mechanism that enables the `` kidnapping '' of Lakota children by the state of South Dakota 's Department of Social Services . The Lakota People 's Law Project , among other critics , allege that South Dakota `` inappropriately equates economic poverty with neglect ... South Dakota 's rate of identifying ' neglect ' is 18 % higher than the national average ... In 2010 , the national average of state discernment of neglect , as a percent of total maltreatment of foster children prior to their being taken into custody by the state , was 78.3 % . In South Dakota the rate was 95.8 % . '' Poverty in the Pine Ridge Reservation in particular has had unprecedented effects on its residents ' longevity . `` Recent reports state the average life expectancy is 45 years old while others state that it is 48 years old for men and 52 years old for women . With either set of figures , that 's the shortest life expectancy for any community in the Western Hemisphere outside Haiti , according to The Wall Street Journal . '' Poverty and age ( edit ) Poverty rates by gender and work for Americans aged 65 and over The US Census declared that in 2010 15.1 % of the general population lived in poverty : 22 % of all people under age 18 13.7 % of all people 19 -- 21 and 9 % of all people ages 65 and older The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) uses a different measure for poverty and declared in 2008 that child poverty in the US is 20 % and poverty among the elderly is 23 % . The non-profit advocacy group Feeding America has released a study ( May 2009 ) based on 2005 -- 2007 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Agriculture Department , which claims that 3.5 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of hunger in the United States . The study claims that in 11 states , Louisiana , which has the highest rate , followed by North Carolina , Ohio , Kentucky , Texas , New Mexico , Kansas , South Carolina , Tennessee , Idaho and Arkansas , more than 20 percent of children under 5 are allegedly at risk of going hungry . ( Receiving fewer than 1,800 calories per day ) The study was paid by ConAgra Foods , a large food company . Child poverty ( edit ) In 2012 , 16.1 million American children were living in poverty . Outside of the 49 million Americans living in food insecure homes , 15.9 million of them were children . In 2013 , child poverty reached record high levels in the U.S. , with 16.7 million children living in food insecure households . Many of the neighborhoods these children live in lack basic produce and nutritious food . 47 million Americans depend on food banks , more than 30 % above 2007 levels . Households headed by single mothers are most likely to be affected . 30 percent of low - income single mothers can not afford diapers . Inability to afford this necessity can cause a chain reaction , including mental , health , and behavioral problems . Some women are forced to make use of one or two diapers , using them more than once . This causes rashes and sanitation problems as well as health problems . Without diapers , children are unable to enter into daycare . The lack of childcare can be detrimental to single mothers , hindering their ability to obtain employment . Worst affected are Oregon , Arizona , New Mexico , Florida , and the District of Columbia , while North Dakota , New Hampshire , Virginia , Minnesota and Massachusetts are the least affected . 31 million low - income children received free or reduced - price meals daily through the National School lunch program during the 2012 federal fiscal year . Nearly 14 million children are estimated to be served by Feeding America with over 3 million being of the ages of 5 and under . A 2014 report by the National Center on Family Homelessness states the number of homeless children in the U.S. has reached record levels , calculating that 2.5 million children , or one child in every 30 , experienced homelessness in 2013 . High levels of poverty , lack of affordable housing and domestic violence were cited as the primary causes . A 2017 peer - reviewed study published in Health Affairs found that the U.S. has the highest levels of child mortality among 20 OECD countries . Poverty and education ( edit ) Poverty affects individual access to quality education . The U.S. education system is often funded by local communities ; therefore the quality of materials and teachers can reflect the affluence of community . That said , many communities address this by supplementing these areas with funds from other districts . Low income communities are often not able to afford the quality education that high income communities do which results in a cycle of poverty . Factors in poverty ( edit ) There are numerous factors related to poverty in the United States . Income has a high correlation with educational levels . In 2007 , the median earnings of household headed by individuals with less than a 9th grade education was $20,805 while households headed by high school graduates earned $40,456 , households headed by holders of bachelor 's degrees earned $77,605 , and families headed by individuals with professional degrees earned $100,000 . Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen stated in 2014 : `` Public funding of education is another way that governments can help offset the advantages some households have in resources available for children . One of the most consequential examples is early childhood education . Research shows that children from lower - income households who get good - quality pre-Kindergarten education are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college as well as hold a job and have higher earnings , and they are less likely to be incarcerated or receive public assistance . '' In many cases poverty is caused by job loss . In 2007 , the poverty rate was 21.5 % for individuals who were unemployed , but only 2.5 % for individuals who were employed full - time . In 1991 , 8.3 % of children in two - parent families were likely to live in poverty ; 19.6 % of children lived with a father in a single parent family ; and 47.1 % in a single parent family headed by a mother . Income levels vary with age . For example , the median 2009 income for households headed by individuals age 15 -- 24 was only $30,750 , but increased to $50,188 for household headed by individuals age 25 -- 34 and $61,083 for household headed by individuals 35 -- 44 . Work experience and additional education may be factors . Income levels vary along racial / ethnic lines : 21 % of all children in the United States live in poverty , about 46 % of black children and 40 % of Latino children . The poverty rate is 9.9 % for black married couples , and only 30 % of black children are born to married couples ( see Marriage below ) . The poverty rate for native born and naturalized whites is identical ( 9.6 % ) . On the other hand , the poverty rate for naturalized blacks is 11.8 % compared to 25.1 % for native born blacks , suggesting race alone does not explain income disparity . Not all minorities have low incomes . Asian families have higher incomes than all other ethnic groups . For example , the 2005 median income of Asian families was $68,957 compared to the median income of white families of $59,124 . Asians , however , report discrimination occurrences more frequently than blacks . Specifically , 31 % of Asians reported employment discrimination compared to 26 % of blacks in 2005 . Policies that address income and wealth inequality ( i.e. , policies that transfer money from higher - income and more wealthy families to less wealthy families ) bear significantly on poverty . Economist Jared Bernstein and Elise Gould of the Economic Policy Institute suggest that poverty could have decreased significantly if inequality had not increased over the last few decades . Economist Larry Summers estimated that at 1979 levels of income inequality , the bottom 80 % of families would have an average of $11,000 more per year in income in 2014 . The relationship between tax rates and poverty is disputed . A study comparing high tax Scandinavian countries with the U.S. suggests high tax rates are inversely correlated with poverty rates . The poverty rate , however , is low in some low tax countries like Switzerland . A comparison of poverty rates between states reveals that some low tax states have low poverty rates . For example , New Hampshire has the lowest poverty rate of any state in the U.S. , and has very low taxes ( 46th among all states ) . It is true however that both Switzerland and New Hampshire have a very high household income and other measures offsetting the lack of taxation . For example , Switzerland has Universal Healthcare and a free system of education for children as young as four years old . New Hampshire has no state income tax or sales tax , but does have the nation 's highest property taxes . The poor in the United States are incarcerated at a much higher rate than their counterparts in other developed nations , with penal confinement being , according to sociologist Bruce Western , `` commonplace for poor men of working age . '' A 2015 study by the Vera Institute of Justice contends that jails in the U.S. have become `` massive warehouses '' of the impoverished since the 1980s . Writing in The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States , the scholars Reuben Jonathan Miller and Emily Shayman state that the shift to neoliberal policies `` has more deeply embedded the carceral state within the lives of the poor , transforming what it means to be poor in America . '' According to the American Enterprise Institute , research has shown that income and intelligence are related . In a 1998 study , Charles Murray compared the earnings of 733 full sibling pairs with differing intelligence quotients ( IQs ) . He referred to the sample as utopian in that the sampled pairs were raised in families with virtually no illegitimacy , divorce or poverty . The average earnings of sampled individuals with an IQ of under 75 was $11,000 , compared to $16,000 for those with an IQ between 75 and 90 , $23,000 for those with an IQ between 90 and 110 , $27,000 for those with an IQ between 110 and 125 , and $38,000 for those with an IQ above 125 . Murray 's work on IQ has been criticized by Stephen Jay Gould , Loïc Wacquant and others , including the Southern Poverty Law Center . Concerns regarding accuracy ( edit ) In recent years , there have been a number of concerns raised about the official U.S. poverty measure . In 1995 , the National Research Council 's Committee on National Statistics convened a panel on measuring poverty . The findings of the panel were that `` the official poverty measure in the United States is flawed and does not adequately inform policy - makers or the public about who is poor and who is not poor . '' The panel was chaired by Robert Michael , former Dean of the Harris School of the University of Chicago . According to Michael , the official U.S. poverty measure `` has not kept pace with far - reaching changes in society and the economy . '' The panel proposed a model based on disposable income : `` According to the panel 's recommended measure , income would include , in addition to money received , the value of non-cash benefits such as food stamps , school lunches and public housing that can be used to satisfy basic needs . The new measure also would subtract from gross income certain expenses that can not be used for these basic needs , such as income taxes , child - support payments , medical costs , health - insurance premiums and work - related expenses , including child care . '' Understating poverty ( edit ) Many sociologists and government officials have argued that poverty in the United States is understated , meaning that there are more households living in actual poverty than there are households below the poverty threshold . A recent NPR report states that as many as 30 % of Americans have trouble making ends meet and other advocates have made supporting claims that the rate of actual poverty in the US is far higher than that calculated by using the poverty threshold . A study taken in 2012 estimated that roughly 38 % of Americans live `` paycheck to paycheck . '' According to William H. Chafe , if one used a relative standard for measuring poverty ( a standard that took into account the rising standards of living rather than an absolute dollar figure ) then 18 % of families were living in poverty in 1968 , not 13 % as officially estimated at that time . As far back as 1969 , the Bureau of Labor Statistics put forward suggested budgets for adequate family living . 60 % of working - class Americans lived below one of these budgets , which suggested that a far higher proportion of Americans lived in poverty than the official poverty line suggested . These findings were also used by observers on the left when questioning the long - established view that most Americans had attained an affluent standard of living in the two decades following the end of the Second World War . A neighborhood of poor white southerners , Chicago , 1974 Using a definition of relative poverty ( reflecting disposable income below half the median of adjusted national income ) , it was estimated that , between 1979 and 1982 , 17.1 % of Americans lived in poverty . As noted above , the poverty thresholds used by the US government were originally developed during the Johnson administration 's War on Poverty initiative in 1963 -- 1964 . Mollie Orshansky , the government economist working at the Social Security Administration who developed the thresholds , based the threshold levels on the cost of purchasing what in the mid-1950s had been determined by the US Department of Agriculture to be the minimal nutritionally - adequate amount of food necessary to feed a family . Orshansky multiplied the cost of the food basket by a factor of three , under the assumption that the average family spent one third of its income on food . While the poverty threshold is updated for inflation every year , the basket of food used to determine what constitutes being deprived of a socially acceptable minimum standard of living has not been updated since 1955 . As a result , the current poverty line only takes into account food purchases that were common more than 50 years ago , updating their cost using the Consumer Price Index . When methods similar to Orshansky 's were used to update the food basket using prices for the year 2000 instead of from nearly a half century earlier , it was found that the poverty line should actually be 200 % higher than the official level being used by the government in that year . Yet even that higher level could still be considered flawed , as it would be based almost entirely on food costs and on the assumption that families still spend a third of their income on food . In fact , Americans typically spent less than one tenth of their after - tax income on food in 2000 . For many families , the costs of housing , health insurance and medical care , transportation , and access to basic telecommunications take a much larger bite out of the family 's income today than a half century ago ; yet , as noted above , none of these costs are considered in determining the official poverty thresholds . According to John Schwarz , a political scientist at the University of Arizona : `` The official poverty line today is essentially what it takes in today 's dollars , adjusted for inflation , to purchase the same poverty - line level of living that was appropriate to a half century ago , in 1955 , for that year furnished the basic data for the formula for the very first poverty measure . Updated thereafter only for inflation , the poverty line lost all connection over time with current consumption patterns of the average family . Quite a few families then did n't have their own private telephone , or a car , or even a mixer in their kitchen ... The official poverty line has thus been allowed to fall substantially below a socially decent minimum , even though its intention was to measure such a minimum . '' The issue of understating poverty is especially pressing in states with both a high cost of living and a high poverty rate such as California where the median home price in May 2006 was determined to be $564,430 . In the Monterey area , where the low - pay industry of agriculture is the largest sector in the economy and the majority of the population lacks a college education , the median home price was determined to be $723,790 , requiring an upper middle class income only earned by roughly 20 % of all households in the county . Such fluctuations in local markets are , however , not considered in the Federal poverty threshold and thus leave many who live in poverty - like conditions out of the total number of households classified as poor . In 2011 , the Census Bureau introduced a new supplemental poverty measure aimed at providing a more accurate picture of the true extent of poverty in the United States . The SPM extends the official poverty measure by taking account of many of the government programs designed to assist low - income families and individuals that are not included in the current official poverty measure . According to this new measure , 16 % of Americans lived in poverty in 2011 , compared with the official figure of 15.2 % . The new measure also estimated that nearly half of all Americans lived in poverty that year , defined as living within 200 % of the federal poverty line . Duke University Professor of Public Policy and Economics Sandy Darity , Jr. says , `` There is no exact way of measuring poverty . The measures are contingent on how we conceive of and define poverty . Efforts to develop more refined measures have been dominated by researchers who intentionally want to provide estimates that reduce the magnitude of poverty . '' According to an 2017 academic study by MIT economist Peter Temin , Americans trapped in poverty live in conditions rivaling the developing world , and are forced to contend with substandard education , dilapidated housing , and few stable employment opportunities . A 2017 study published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene found that hookworm , a parasite that thrives on extreme poverty , is flourishing in the Deep South . A report on the study in The Guardian stated : Scientists in Houston , Texas , have lifted the lid on one of America 's darkest and deepest secrets : that hidden beneath fabulous wealth , the US tolerates poverty - related illness at levels comparable to the world 's poorest countries . More than one in three people sampled in a poor area of Alabama tested positive for traces of hookworm , a gastrointestinal parasite that was thought to have been eradicated from the US decades ago . According to Philip Alston , the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights , 19 million people live in deep poverty ( a total family income that is below one - half of the poverty threshold ) in the United States as of 2017 . Overstating poverty ( edit ) Youth play in Chicago 's Stateway Gardens high - rise housing project in 1973 . Some critics assert that the official U.S. poverty definition is inconsistent with how it is defined by its own citizens and the rest of the world , because the U.S. government considers many citizens statistically impoverished despite their ability to sufficiently meet their basic needs . According to a heavily criticised 2011 paper by The Heritage Foundation research fellow Robert Rector , of the 43.6 million Americans deemed by the U.S. Census Bureau to be below the poverty level in 2009 , the majority had adequate shelter , food , clothing and medical care . In addition , the paper stated that those assessed as below the poverty line in 2011 have a much higher quality of living than those who were identified by the census 40 years ago as being in poverty . For example , in 2005 , 63.7 % of those living in poverty had cable or satellite television . In some cases the report even said that people currently living in poverty were actually better off than middle class people of the recent past . For example , in 2005 , 78.3 % of households living in poverty had air conditioning , whereas in 1970 , 36.0 % of all households had air conditioning . According to The Heritage Foundation , the federal poverty line also excludes income other than cash income , especially welfare benefits . Thus , if food stamps and public housing were successfully raising the standard of living for poverty stricken individuals , then the poverty line figures would not shift , since they do not consider the income equivalents of such entitlements . A 1993 study of low income single mothers titled Making Ends Meet , by Kathryn Edin , a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania , showed that the mothers spent more than their reported incomes because they could not `` make ends meet '' without such expenditures . According to Edin , they made up the difference through contributions from family members , absent boyfriends , off - the - book jobs , and church charity . According to Edin : `` No one avoided the unnecessary expenditures , such as the occasional trip to the Dairy Queen , or a pair of stylish new sneakers for the son who might otherwise sell drugs to get them some money or something , or the Cable TV subscription for the kids home alone and you are afraid they will be out on the street if they are not watching TV . '' However many mothers skipped meals or did odd jobs to cover those expenses . According to Edin , for `` most welfare - reliant mothers food and shelter alone cost almost as much as these mothers received from the government . For more than one - third , food and housing costs exceeded their cash benefits , leaving no extra money for uncovered medical care , clothing , and other household expenses . '' Fighting poverty ( edit ) See also : War on poverty and Welfare 's effect on poverty In the age of inequality , such anti-poverty policies are more important than ever , as higher inequality creates both more poverty along with steeper barriers to getting ahead , whether through the lack of early education , nutrition , adequate housing , and a host of other poverty - related conditions that dampen ones chances in life . -- Jared Bernstein There have been many governmental and nongovernmental efforts to reduce poverty and its effects . These range in scope from neighborhood efforts to campaigns with a national focus . They target specific groups affected by poverty such as children , people who are autistic , immigrants , or people who are homeless . Efforts to alleviate poverty use a disparate set of methods , such as advocacy , education , social work , legislation , direct service or charity , and community organizing . Recent debates have centered on the need for policies that focus on both `` income poverty '' and `` asset poverty . '' Advocates for the approach argue that traditional governmental poverty policies focus solely on supplementing the income of the poor through programs such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children ( AFDC ) and Food Stamps . According to the CFED 2012 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard , 27 percent of households -- nearly double the percentage that are income poor -- are living in `` asset poverty . '' These families do not have the savings or other assets to cover basic expenses ( equivalent to what could be purchased with a poverty level income ) for three months if a layoff or other emergency leads to loss of income . Since 2009 , the number of asset poor families has increased by 21 percent from about one in five families to one in four families . In order to provide assistance to such asset poor families , Congress appropriated $24 million to administer the Assets for Independence Program under the supervision of the US Department for Health and Human Services . The program enables community - based nonprofits and government agencies to implement Individual Development Account or IDA programs , which are an asset - based development initiative . Every dollar accumulated in IDA savings is matched by federal and non-federal funds to enable households to add to their assets portfolio by buying their first home , acquiring a post-secondary education , or starting or expanding a small business . Additionally , the Earned Income Tax Credit ( EITC or EIC ) is a credit for people who earn low - to - moderate incomes . This credit allows them to get money from the government if their total tax outlay is less than the total credit earned , meaning it is not just a reduction in total tax paid but can also bring new income to the household . The Earned Income Tax Credit is viewed as the largest poverty reduction program in the United States . There is an ongoing debate in the U.S. about what the most effective way to fight poverty is , through the tax code with the EITC , or through the minimum wage laws . Government safety net programs put in place since the War on Poverty have helped reduce the poverty rate from 26 % in 1967 to 16 % in 2012 , according to a Supplemental Poverty Model ( SPM ) created by Columbia University , while the official U.S. Poverty Rate has not changed , as the economy by itself has done little to reduce poverty . According to the 2013 Columbia University study which created the ( SPM ) method of measuring poverty , without such programs the poverty rate would be 29 % today . An analysis of the study by Kevin Drum suggests the American welfare state effectively reduces poverty among the elderly but provides relatively little assistance to the working - age poor . A 2014 study by Pew Charitable Trusts shows that without social programs like food stamps , social security and the federal EITC , the poverty rate in the U.S. would be much higher . Nevertheless , the U.S. has the weakest social safety net of all developed nations . Sociologist Monica Prasad of Northwestern University argues that this developed because of government intervention rather than lack of it , which pushed consumer credit for meeting citizens ' needs rather than applying social welfare policies as in Europe . See also ( edit ) United States portal US Census report on Income , Poverty , and Health Insurance Coverage Income in the United States Income inequality in the United States Income deficit List of U.S. states by poverty rate List of lowest - income places in the United States Lowest - income counties in the United States Homelessness in the United States Hunger in the United States Poor person Social programs in the United States Pathways out of Poverty ( POP ) Other ( edit ) Human Poverty Index Mississippi Teacher Corps Basic Income Negative Income Tax Tipping Point Community Redistributive change De-industrialization crisis The Other America Two Americas Kids Against Hunger Can you hear their voices ? ( 1931 play ) Feminization of poverty Unintended pregnancy Social determinants of health in poverty International ( edit ) Poverty by country International Ranking of Household Income List of Average Wages per Country References ( edit ) Jump up ^ Zweig , Michael ( 2004 ) What 's Class Got to do With It , American Society in the Twenty - first Century . ILR Press . ISBN 978 - 0 - 8014 - 8899 - 3 Jump up ^ Schwartz , J.E. ( 2005 ) . Freedom reclaimed : Rediscovering the American vision . Baltimore : G - University Press . Jump up ^ Hacker , J.S. ( 2006 ) . The great risk shift : The new insecurity and the decline of the American dream . New York : Oxford University Press ( USA ) . Jump up ^ Savage , Sarah . `` Child Poverty High in Rural America '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved August 26 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Child Poverty High in Rural America Newswise , Retrieved on August 26 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Basic Statistics - Talk Poverty '' . Talk Poverty . Retrieved October 27 , 2016 . 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Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ Employment and Homelessness . National Coalition for the Homeless , July 2009 . Jump up ^ IMF warns the US over high poverty . BBC , June 22 , 2016 . ^ Jump up to : Alston , Philp ( December 15 , 2017 ) . `` Statement on Visit to the USA , by Professor Philip Alston , United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights '' . OHCHR . Retrieved December 24 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty '' . census.gov . United States Census Bureau . Archived from the original on July 11 , 2010 . Retrieved September 16 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` 2015 POVERTY GUIDELINES '' . hhs.gov . United States Department of Health and Human Services . Retrieved September 3 , 2015 . ^ Jump up to : Poverty Definition U.S. Census Bureau . Accessed : July 10 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` 2015 Poverty Guidelines '' . Aspe.hhs.gov . November 23 , 2015 . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ Census Bureau answer to What is the difference between poverty thresholds and guidelines ? Jump up ^ `` How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty - U.S Census Bureau '' . Web.archive.org . July 11 , 2010 . Archived from the original on July 11 , 2010 . Retrieved October 14 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Census Bureau Poverty thresholds '' . Census.gov . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Bureau of Labor Statistics ' 2008 Consumer Spending Survey , Table 1 '' ( TXT ) . Ftp.bls.gov \ accessdate = 14 October 2017 . The reported expenditures were computed by dividing the average annual expenditures ( reduced by real property , income and other taxes ) by the average number of persons in the household . Jump up ^ Bassuk , E.L. , et al. ( 2011 ) America 's Youngest Outcasts : 2010 ( Needham , MA : The National Center on Family Homelessness ) page 20 Jump up ^ `` Homeless children at record high in US . Can the trend be reversed ? '' Christian Science Monitor , December 13 , 2011 ^ Jump up to : `` State of the Homeless 2012 '' Coalition for the Homeless , June 8 , 2012 Jump up ^ `` 600 homeless children in D.C. , and no one seems to care '' Archived July 28 , 2013 , at the Wayback Machine . Washington Post , February 8 , 2013 ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau . Current Population Survey . Persons in Families by Family Structure , Age , and Sex , Iterated by Income - to - Poverty Ratio and Race : 2007 : Below 100 % of Poverty -- All Races Archived September 30 , 2008 , at the Wayback Machine ... Jump up ^ Dáil , Paula vW. ( 2012 ) . Women and Poverty in 21st Century America . NC , USA : McFarland . p. 27 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 4903 - 3 . ^ Jump up to : U.S. Census Bureau . Current Population Survey . People in Families by Family Structure , Age , and Sex , Iterated by Income - to - Poverty Ratio and Race : 2007 : Below 100 % of Poverty -- White Alone Archived April 13 , 2009 , at the Wayback Machine ... ^ Jump up to : `` Poverty 3 - Part 100_06 '' . Pubdb3.census.gov . August 26 , 2008 . Archived from the original on June 12 , 2011 . Retrieved September 16 , 2010 . ^ Jump up to : `` Poverty 2 - Part 100_09 '' . Pubdb3.census.gov . August 26 , 2008 . Archived from the original on January 8 , 2010 . Retrieved September 16 , 2010 . Cite error : Invalid < ref > tag ; name `` pubdb3. census '' defined multiple times with different content ( see the help page ) . Jump up ^ `` Poverty 1 - Part 100_03 '' . Pubdb3.census.gov . August 26 , 2008 . Retrieved September 16 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Poverty 1 - Part 100_09 '' . Pubdb3.census.gov . August 26 , 2008 . Retrieved September 16 , 2010 . ^ Jump up to : `` Income and Poverty in the United States : 2014 '' . U.S. Census Bureau Jump up ^ `` Poverty Is a Persistent Reality for Many Rural Children in U.S. '' , William O'Hare ( September 2009 ) , Population Reference Bureau . Jump up ^ `` Characteristics and Financial Circumstances of TANF Recipients -- Fiscal Year 2009 '' . United States Department of Health and Human Services . Jump up ^ Statistics derived from U.S. Census Bureau data ; U.S. Department of Commerce , Bureau of Economic Analysis , Survey of Current Business ; and DataQuick Information Systems , a public records database company located in La Jolla , San Diego , CA . Jump up ^ `` Lakota People 's Law Project '' . Lakotalaw.org . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on February 1 , 2014 . Retrieved January 17 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Pine Ridge Statistics '' . 4aihf.org . Retrieved October 14 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` OECD ( 2008 ) , Growing Unequal ? : Income Distribution and Poverty in OECD Countries : COUNTRY NOTE : UNITED STATES '' ( PDF ) . Oecd.org . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ `` 3.5 M Kids Under 5 On Verge Of Going Hungry Study : 11 Percent Of U.S. Households Lack Food For Healthy Lifestyle '' ( `` SHTML ) . Health . CBS NEWS . May 7 , 2009 . Retrieved May 8 , 2009 . Jump up ^ `` Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics '' . Feeding America . ^ Jump up to : `` Poverty in 2013 : When Even Diapers Are a Luxury '' . The Nation . Jump up ^ `` Child Hunger Facts '' . Feeding America . Jump up ^ David Crary and Lisa Leff ( November 17 , 2014 ) . New Report : Child Homelessness on the Rise in US . The Associated Press . Retrieved November 17 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Howard , Jacqueline ( January 8 , 2018 ) . `` Among 20 wealthy nations , US child mortality ranks worst , study finds '' . CNN . Retrieved January 11 , 2018 . ^ Jump up to : `` U.S. Census : Income , Expenditures , Poverty and Wealth '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved March 20 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Perspectives on Inequality and Opportunity from the Survey of Consumer Finances '' . Board of Governors of Federal Reserve System . Retrieved December 26 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' . Archived from the original on November 22 , 2005 . Retrieved May 3 , 2009 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on June 23 , 2012 . Retrieved September 16 , 2010 . Jump up ^ Center for the Future of Children , The Future of Children . Vol. 7 , No 2 , 1997 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' . Archived from the original on January 2 , 2007 . Retrieved December 27 , 2006 . Jump up ^ Amy Joyce , `` The Bias Breakdown , '' The Washington Post , December 9 , 2005 , p . D01 citing Gallop Poll data . Jump up ^ Jared Bernstein ( January 13 , 2014 ) . Poverty and Inequality , in Charts . The New York Times Retrieved September 20 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Elise Gould ( January 15 , 2014 ) . No Matter How We Measure Poverty , the Poverty Rate Would Be Much Lower If Economic Growth Were More Broadly Shared . Economic Policy Institute . Retrieved September 20 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Summers , Lawrence ( January 18 , 2015 ) . `` Focus on growth for the middle class '' . Washingtonpost.com . Jump up ^ `` The Social Benefits and Economic Costs of Taxation '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved December 20 , 2007 . Jump up ^ The Swiss education system swissworld.org , Retrieved on June 23 , 2009 Jump up ^ `` Tax Foundation '' . Tax Foundation . Retrieved October 14 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Bruce Western ( May 2011 ) . `` Poverty Politics and Crime Control in Europe and America '' . Contemporary Sociology. 40 ( 3 ) : 283 -- 286 . doi : 10.1177 / 0094306110404514d . Jump up ^ Tom Hall ( February 13 , 2015 ). Study says US jails have become `` massive warehouses '' for the poor . World Socialist Web Site . Retrieved February 15 , 2015 . Jump up ^ Stephen Haymes , Maria Vidal de Haymes and Reuben Miller ( eds ) , The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States , ( London : Routledge , 2015 ) , ISBN 0415673445 , p. 346 . Jump up ^ Charles Murray ( 1998 ) . Income Inequality and IQ . Washington : AEI Press . Jump up ^ Hu , Meng ( September 24 , 2012 ) . `` Income Inequality and IQ , by Charles Murray '' . Menghublog.wordpress.com . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ The Bell Curve # Criticisms Jump up ^ Loïc Wacquant . Prisons of Poverty . University of Minnesota Press ( 2009 ) . ISBN 0816639019 . pp. 11 - 14 . Jump up ^ `` Weekend Read : Intellectual Racism '' . The SPLC , April 22 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Harms , W. ( 1995 ) Poverty definition flawed , more accurate measure needed The University of Chicago Chronicle , 14 : 17 . ^ Jump up to : Adams , J.Q. ; Pearlie Strother - Adams ( 2001 ) . Dealing with Diversity . Chicago , IL : Kendall / Hunt Publishing Company . ISBN 0 - 7872 - 8145 - X . Jump up ^ `` More Americans live paycheck - to - paycheck '' . CBS News . Jump up ^ The Unfinished Journey : America Since World War II by William H. Chafe Jump up ^ `` America in Our Time : From World War II to Nixon -- what Happened and why '' . 1976 . ISBN 0691122881 . Jump up ^ `` That Seventies Show '' . The Nation . Jump up ^ Jennings , James ( January 1 , 1994 ) . `` Understanding the Nature of Poverty in Urban America '' . ISBN 9780275949532 . ^ Jump up to : Fisher , Gordon M. `` The Development of the Orshansky Poverty Thresholds and Their Subsequent History as the Official U.S. Poverty Measure '' . Poverty -- Experimental Measures . U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved January 11 , 2012 . ^ Jump up to : Fisher , Gordon M. `` Remembering Mollie Orshansky -- The Developer of the Poverty Thresholds '' . U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Retirement and Disability Policy . Retrieved January 11 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Schwarz , John E. ( 2005 ) . Freedom Reclaimed : Rediscovering the American Vision . Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University . pp. 194 note 13 . ISBN 0 - 8018 - 7981 - 7 . Jump up ^ Clauson , Annette ( September 2000 ) . `` Despite Higher Food Prices , Percent of U.S. Income Spent on Food Remains Constant '' . Amber Waves ( U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service ) . ^ Jump up to : `` California median home price '' . Retrieved July 6 , 2006 . Jump up ^ `` Monterey County income distribution '' . Retrieved July 6 , 2006 . Jump up ^ `` New poverty measure highlights positive effect of government assistance '' . Epi.org . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ `` News Tip : Census Bureau 's New Measure of Poverty Misses the Mark , Say Duke Experts '' . Today.duke.edu . Retrieved 14 October 2017 . Jump up ^ Temin , Peter ( 2017 ) . The Vanishing Middle Class : Prejudice and Power in a Dual Economy . MIT Press . ISBN 9780262036160 . Jump up ^ Pilkington , Ed ( September 5 , 2017 ) . `` Hookworm , a disease of extreme poverty , is thriving in the US south . Why ? '' . The Guardian . Retrieved September 6 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Jonathan Rothwell ( November 8 , 2011 ) . Why Heritage Is Wrong About Poverty in America . The New Republic Retrieved November 18 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Melissa Boteach and Donna Cooper ( August 5 , 2011 ) . What You Need When You 're Poor ; Heritage Foundation Has n't a Clue . Center For American Progress . Retrieved November 18 , 2014 Jump up ^ Courtland Milloy ( September 13 , 2011 ) . Study dismisses poverty , but try telling that to the poor . The Washington Post . Retrieved November 18 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Katrina vanden Heuvel ( July 28 , 2011 ) . Colbert Challenges the Poverty Deniers . The Nation Retrieved November 18 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Rector , Robert ; Rachel , Sheffield ( July 18 , 2011 ) . `` Air Conditioning , Cable TV , and an Xbox : What is Poverty in the United States Today ? '' . The Heritage Foundation . Retrieved July 27 , 2011 . Jump up ^ Timbro . `` E.U. vs U.S.A '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on November 15 , 2016 . Retrieved November 10 , 2007 . Jump up ^ Poor Poverty Yardsticks by Rea Hederman , Heritage Foundation , Washington Post . September 7 , 2006 . Accessed : February 18 , 2007 Jump up ^ Devising New Math to Define Poverty by Louis Uchitelle , New York Times . October 18 , 1999 . Accessed : June 16 , 2006 Jump up ^ Kevin Drum ( 26 September 2013 ) . We Can Reduce Poverty If We Want To . We Just Have To Want To . Mother Jones . Retrieved 28 September 2013 . Jump up ^ `` 2016 A&O Scorecard '' . CFED Assets & Opportunity Scorecard . Archived from the original on August 2 , 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' . Archived from the original on May 6 , 2013 . Retrieved April 23 , 2013 . Jump up ^ Zachary A. Goldfarb ( December 9 , 2013 ) . Study : U.S. poverty rate decreased over past half - century thanks to safety - net programs . The Washington Post . Retrieved January 20 , 2015 . Jump up ^ Drum , Kevin ( December 9 , 2013 ) . New Study Says Poverty Rate Has n't Budged For 40 Years . Mother Jones . Retrieved February 15 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Jana Kasperkevic ( November 12 , 2014 ) . Welfare programs shown to reduce poverty in America . The Guardian . Retrieved December 27 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Kenworthy , L. ( 1999 ) . `` Do Social - Welfare Policies Reduce Poverty ? A Cross-National Assessment '' . Social Forces . 77 ( 3 ) : 1119 -- 1139 . doi : 10.1093 / sf / 77.3. 1119 . Jump up ^ Bradley , D. , E. Huber , S. Moller , F. Nielsen , and J.D. Stephens ( 2003 ) . `` Determinants of Relative Poverty in Advanced Capitalist Democracies '' . American Sociological Review . 68 ( 1 ) : 22 -- 51 . doi : 10.2307 / 3088901 . CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Gould , Elise and Wething , Hilary ( July 24 , 2012 ) . `` U.S. poverty rates higher , safety net weaker than in peer countries . '' Economic Policy Institute . Retrieved February 11 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Monica Prasad , The Land of Too Much : American Abundance and the Paradox of Poverty , ( Harvard University Press , 2012 ) , ISBN 0674066529 Bibliography and further reading ( edit ) Abramsky , Sasha ( 2013 ) . The American Way of Poverty : How the Other Half Still Lives . Nation Books . ISBN 1568587260 . Alston , Philip . ( 2017 ) `` Statement on Visit to the USA , by Professor Philip Alston , United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights . '' Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights . Baradaran , Mehrsa ( 2015 ) . How the Other Half Banks : Exclusion , Exploitation , and the Threat to Democracy . Harvard University Press . ISBN 9780674286061 Caudill , Harry ( 1962 ) . Night Comes to the Cumberlands . Little , Brown and Company . ISBN 0 - 316 - 13212 - 8 . Desmond , Matthew ( 2016 ) . Evicted : Poverty and Profit in the American City . Crown Publishing Group . ISBN 0553447432 Edin , Kathryn and Lein , Laura ( 1997 ) . Making Ends Meet : How Single Mothers Survive Welfare and Low - Wage Work . Russell Sage Foundation . ISBN 087154234X Edin , Kathryn and H. Luke Shaefer ( 2016 ) . $2.00 a Day : Living on Almost Nothing in America . Mariner Books . ISBN 978 - 0544811959 Ehrenreich , Barbara ( 2001 ) . Nickel and Dimed : On ( Not ) Getting By in America . Metropolitan Books . ISBN 0 - 8050 - 8838 - 5 Harrington , Michael ( 1962 ) . The Other America . Macmillan . ISBN 0 - 684 - 82678 - X . Haymes , Stephen , Maria Vidal de Haymes and Reuben Miller ( eds ) . The Routledge Handbook of Poverty in the United States . Routledge , 2015 . ISBN 0415673445 . Hedges , Chris and Sacco , Joe ( 2012 ) . Days of Destruction , Days of Revolt . Nation Books . ISBN 1568586434 Howe , Louise Kapp , ed. ( 1970 ) . The White Majority : between Poverty and Affluence , in series , Vintage Book ( s ) . New York : New York : Random House . xii , 303 p . SBN 394 - 71666 - 3 Katz , Michael B ( 2013 ) . The Undeserving Poor : America 's Enduring Confrontation with Poverty : Fully Updated and Revised . Oxford University Press ; 2 edition . ISBN 0199933952 Lyon - Callo , Vincent ( 2004 ) . Inequality , Poverty , and Neoliberal Governance : Activist Ethnography in the Homeless Sheltering Industry . University of Toronto Press . ISBN 1442600861 Prasad , Monica ( 2012 ) . The Land of Too Much : American Abundance and the Paradox of Poverty . Harvard University Press . ISBN 0674066529 Sarnoff , Susan ; Yoon , Hong - Sik ( 2003 ) . `` Central Appalachia -- Still the Other America '' . Journal of Poverty . The Haworth Press . 7 ( 1 & 2 ) : 123 -- 139 . doi : 10.1300 / J134v07n01_06 . Sciandra , M. , Sanbonmatsu , L. , Duncan , G.J. , Gennetian , L.A. , Katz , L.F. , Kessler , R.C. , et al. ( 2013 ) . Long - term effects of the Moving to Opportunity residential mobility experiment on crime and delinquency . Journal of Exp Criminol 9 , 451 - 489 . Shipler , David K ( 2004 ) . The Working Poor : Invisible in America , Knopf . Wacquant , Loïc ( 2009 ) . Prisons of Poverty . University of Minnesota Press . ISBN 0816639019 -- -- -- ( 2009 ) . Punishing the Poor : The Neoliberal Government of Social Insecurity . Duke University Press . ISBN 082234422X External links ( edit ) U.S. Census Bureau Poverty Definition U.S. Census Bureau Poverty in the United States Child Poverty and Tax : a simple graph of child disposable income disparity in OECD countries against tax burdens . F.H.C. Ministries Charity is not Reform ! From Poverty to Prosperity : A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half , The Center for American Progress , April 2007 . Explanation of poverty definition by economist Ellen Frank in Dollars & Sense magazine , January / February 2006 `` Deciding Who 's Poor '' by economist Barbara Bergmann in Dollars & Sense magazine , March / April 2000 37 million poor hidden in the land of plenty David Walls , Models of Poverty and Planned Change U.S. Government Does Relatively Little to Lessen Child Poverty Rates U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Poverty Guidelines , Research , and Measurement Cities Tolerate Homeless Camps by Jennifer Levitz , The Wall Street Journal , August 11 , 2009 The Forgotten Americans PBS series by Hector Galan about colonias . Americans living in Third World conditions This article discusses the living conditions of people inhabiting colonias ( with pictures ) . Steve Suitts , `` The Worst of Times : Children in Extreme Poverty in the South and Nation , '' Southern Spaces , June 29 , 2010 . 80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Face Near - Poverty , Unemployment : Survey -- Huffington Post , July 28 , 2013 The American Way of Poverty : As Inequality Hits Record High , Sasha Abramsky on the Forgotten Poor . DemocracyNow ! September 12 , 2013 . America 's Shameful Poverty Stats , Sasha Abramsky . The Nation , September 18 , 2013 . How Much Money to End Poverty in America ? Truthdig . September 26 , 2013 . Poverty in the United States : 2012 Congressional Research Service It Is Expensive to Be Poor . The Atlantic . January 13 , 2014 . Here 's The Painful Truth About What It Means To Be ' Working Poor ' In America . The Huffington Post , May 19 , 2014 . 10 Poverty Myths , Busted . Mother Jones , March / April 2014 issue . FPL Calculator , A mobile app for calculating federal poverty level . The Poor Get Prison . Institute for Policy Studies , 2015 . Americans Have n't Been This Poor and Indebted in Decades . New York . January 5 , 2018 . 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Question: what percentage of the us population lives below the poverty line