37 Million People in Poverty
in the U.S. 

AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE (AFSC) / Street Spirit v.11, n.10, 1oct2005

[Data and Graphics from US Census Bureau below]

Nationwide, 37 million people, including 13 million children, live below the official poverty line. Eliminating safety-net programs for the poor in favor of tax cuts for the rich — while 37 million live in poverty — is immoral.

by the American Friends Service Committee

In response to recently released Census Bureau poverty figures, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) called on Congress to adopt a moral budget that helps people meet their basic needs. Eliminating safety-net programs for the poor in favor of tax cuts for the rich — while 37 million live in poverty — is immoral, declared the AFSC, an international social justice organization.

In its Current Population Survey, released on August 30, the Census Bureau reported that over one million more people lived in poverty in 2004 than in the previous year. Data also show that nearly six percent of the U.S. population lived in extreme poverty, defined as below 50 percent of the poverty threshold.

"The Census Bureau report should be a wake-up call for our nation," said Roberta Spivek, AFSC's national representative for economic justice. "At a time when at least one in every eight people in our country lives in poverty, Congress is poised to cut $35 billion from survival programs like Food Stamps and Medicaid. At the same time, it is considering $70 billion in tax breaks that will mainly benefit the most affluent households."

African Americans, Native Americans, and indigenous peoples of Alaska had the highest extreme poverty rates of people surveyed. People who were foreign born were more likely to live near the poverty threshold or in extreme poverty than were those who were native born.

Nationwide, 37 million people, including 13 million children, live below the official poverty line of $9,643 for one person and $19,311 for a family of four. Nearly one in five U.S. children is poor.

AFSC is conducting a Save Our Services (SOS!) campaign that calls attention to inequities in the federal budget. The campaign urges Congress to avoid cutting essential services and to reject tax cuts that benefit a few, when it completes its work on the fiscal year 2006 federal budget this fall.

"How our nation responds to poverty is a moral issue," emphasized Kathryn Kurtz, associate director of the AFSC community relations unit. "Congress can either adopt tax and budget policies that will increase income inequality and poverty, or it can choose policies that promote the common good and the values of dignity and equality."

"Many experts believe the official poverty threshold is too low, and seriously underreports the true extent of U.S. poverty," Spivek added.

AFSC is also campaigning for an increase in the minimum wage and working to keep Social Security a public, not private, program. Social Security is widely regarded as one of the most effective U.S. anti-poverty programs.

For information on AFSC's SOS! Campaign, see www.saveourservices.org. See the Census Bureau report at www.census.gov. [ For complete Poverty 2004 report, see: www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04.html Some charts and data below] 

The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service.

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Data and Graphics from US Census Bureau - Poverty 2004
source: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04.html  17oct2005
complete PDF at http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p60-229.pdf (3.64MB)

Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate: 1959 to 2004

Note: The data points are placed at the midpoints of the respective years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 1960 to 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

source: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04/pov04fig03.pdf 17oct2005

US Poverty Rates by Age: 1959 to 2004

Note: The data points are placed at the midpoints of the respective years.
Data for people 18 to 64 and 65 and older are not available from 1960 to 1965.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 1960 to 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

source: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04/pov04fig04.pdf  17oct2005

Differences in 2-Year Average Poverty Rates by State: 2003-2004 Less 2002-2003

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2003 to 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

source: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04/pov04fig09.pdf  17oct2005

Three-Year Average Poverty Rate by State: 2002 to 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2003 to 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

source:  http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty04/pov04figd2.pdf 17oct2005

United States 
General Demographic Characteristics: 2004 
Data Set: 2004 American Community Survey 

NOTE. Data are limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions. 

Survey Methodology

The data in this table are based on the American Community Survey conducted in 2004. To maintain confidentiality, the Census Bureau applies statistical procedures that introduce some uncertainty into data for geographic areas with small population groups. The data in this table contain sampling error and nonsampling error. Data users who create their own estimates using data from American FactFinder tables should cite the Census Bureau as the source of the original data only. See also definitions of subject characteristics.

For information on response rates, coverage rates, sample size and allocation rates see quality measures.

For the full documentation on the ACS sample design, estimation methodology, and accuracy of the ACS data, see http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/ACS/accuracy2004.pdf (47 KB).

General Demographic Characteristics: 2004

Order of data
Estimate
Lower Bound
Upper Bound

Total population
285,691,501
*****
*****

SEX AND AGE

Male
139,782,818    [Estimate]
139,718,900    [Lower Bound]
139,846,736    [Upper Bound]

Female
145,908,683
145,844,765
145,972,601

Under 5 years
20,008,152
19,978,334
20,037,970

5 to 9 years
19,659,110
19,553,918
19,764,302

10 to 14 years
21,084,611
20,982,837
21,186,385

15 to 19 years
19,077,645
19,020,003
19,135,287

20 to 24 years
19,327,806
19,258,661
19,396,951

25 to 34 years
38,692,519
38,628,148
38,756,890

35 to 44 years
43,571,574
43,503,975
43,639,173

45 to 54 years
41,219,069
41,158,009
41,280,129

55 to 59 years
16,227,169
16,144,211
16,310,127

60 to 64 years
12,618,545
12,533,373
12,703,717

65 to 74 years
18,163,750
18,127,521
18,199,979

75 to 84 years
12,415,691
12,362,767
12,468,615

85 years and over
3,625,860
3,577,679
3,674,041

Median age (years)
36.2
36.0
36.4

18 years and over
212,767,197
212,736,338
212,798,056

21 years and over
202,103,066
202,025,863
202,180,269

62 years and over
41,217,820
41,143,325
41,292,315

65 years and over
34,205,301
34,167,815
34,242,787



18 years and over
212,767,197
212,736,338
212,798,056

Male
102,545,454
102,502,017
102,588,891

Female
110,221,743
110,184,901
110,258,585



65 years and over
34,205,301
34,167,815
34,242,787

Male
14,546,816
14,524,417
14,569,215

Female
19,658,485
19,633,402
19,683,568



RACE

One race
280,285,784
280,156,882
280,414,686

Two or more races
5,405,717
5,276,815
5,534,619



Total population
285,691,501
*****
*****

One race
280,285,784
280,156,882
280,414,686

White
216,036,244
215,809,398
216,263,090

Black or African American
34,772,381
34,679,004
34,865,758

American Indian and Alaska Native
2,151,322
2,103,555
2,199,089

Cherokee tribal grouping
331,491
312,103
350,879

Chippewa tribal grouping
92,041
81,792
102,290

Navajo tribal grouping
230,401
204,174
256,628

Sioux tribal grouping
67,666
52,606
82,726

Asian
12,097,281
12,044,920
12,149,642

Asian Indian
2,245,239
2,185,945
2,304,533

Chinese, except Taiwanese
2,829,627
2,754,807
2,904,447

Filipino
2,148,227
2,082,151
2,214,303

Japanese
832,039
796,701
867,377

Korean
1,251,092
1,190,164
1,312,020

Vietnamese
1,267,510
1,207,353
1,327,667

Other Asian
1,523,547
1,459,371
1,587,723

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
403,832
381,192
426,472

Native Hawaiian
154,666
136,758
172,574

Guamanian or Chamorro
68,336
54,223
82,449

Samoan
60,520
47,833
73,207

Other Pacific Islander
120,310
106,585
134,035

Some other race
14,824,724
14,613,740
15,035,708



Two or more races
5,405,717
5,276,815
5,534,619

White and Black or African American
1,141,232
1,088,289
1,194,175

White and American Indian and Alaska Native
1,370,675
1,315,626
1,425,724

White and Asian
881,813
849,722
913,904

Black or African American and American Indian and Alaska Native
204,832
184,055
225,609



Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:

Total population
285,691,501
*****
*****

White
220,707,536
220,492,105
220,922,967

Black or African American
36,597,015
36,528,597
36,665,433

American Indian and Alaska Native
4,006,160
3,940,605
4,071,715

Asian
13,466,479
13,416,350
13,516,608

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
743,314
710,884
775,744

Some other race
15,983,697
15,762,294
16,205,100



HISPANIC ORIGIN AND RACE

Total population
285,691,501
*****
*****

Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
40,459,196
40,435,119
40,483,273

Mexican
25,894,763
25,734,311
26,055,215

Puerto Rican
3,874,322
3,783,673
3,964,971

Cuban
1,437,828
1,384,398
1,491,258

Other Hispanic or Latino
9,252,283
9,087,861
9,416,705

Not Hispanic or Latino
245,232,305
245,208,228
245,256,382

White alone
192,362,875
192,324,442
192,401,308

Black or African American alone
34,142,554
34,051,425
34,233,683

American Indian or Alaska Native alone
1,852,775
1,814,319
1,891,231

Asian alone
11,955,401
11,904,873
12,005,929

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
364,656
344,717
384,595

Some other race alone
601,187
560,769
641,605

Two or more races:
3,952,857
3,850,573
4,055,141

Two races including Some other race
185,083
169,857
200,309

Two races excluding Some other race, and Three or more races
3,767,774
3,668,524
3,867,024



RELATIONSHIP

Household population
285,691,501
*****
*****

Householder
113,448,071
113,288,860
113,607,282

Spouse
57,012,791
56,832,777
57,192,805

Child
85,030,196
84,844,446
85,215,946

Other relatives
16,419,200
16,270,038
16,568,362

Nonrelatives
13,781,243
13,587,354
13,975,132

Unmarried partner
6,035,051
5,950,675
6,119,427



HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE

Total households
109,902,090
109,663,965
110,140,215

Family households (families)
73,885,953
73,625,696
74,146,210

With own children under 18 years
34,976,246
34,820,576
35,131,916

Married-couple families
55,223,574
54,932,885
55,514,263

With own children under 18 years
24,319,914
24,154,782
24,485,046

Female householder, no husband present
13,850,917
13,727,543
13,974,291

With own children under 18 years
8,308,267
8,201,618
8,414,916

Nonfamily households
36,016,137
35,851,637
36,180,637

Householder living alone
29,572,372
29,426,488
29,718,256

65 years and over
9,948,787
9,875,127
10,022,447



Households with one or more people under 18 years
38,657,986
38,499,839
38,816,133

Households with one or more people 65 years and over
25,156,235
25,042,180
25,270,290



Average household size
2.60
2.59
2.61

Average family size
3.18
3.17
3.19


General Demographic Characteristics: 2004

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 American Community Survey

Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a confidence interval. The interval shown here is a 90 percent confidence interval. The stated range can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the lower and upper bounds contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error (for a discussion of nonsampling variability, see Accuracy of the Data). The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables.

Notes:
· The number of householders does not necessarily equal the number of households because of differences in the weighting schemes for the population and occupied housing units.
· For more information on understanding race and Hispanic origin data, please see the Census 2000 Brief entitled, Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin, issued March 2001. (pdf format)

Explanation of Symbols:
1. An '*' entry in the lower and upper bound columns indicates that too few sample observations were available to compute a standard error and thus the lower and upper bounds. A statistical test is not appropriate.
2. An '**' entry in the lower and upper bound columns indicates that no sample observations were available to compute a standard error and thus the lower and upper bounds. A statistical test is not appropriate.
3. An '-' entry in the estimate column indicates that no sample observations were available to compute an estimate.
4. An '-' following a median estimate means the median falls in the lowest interval of an open-ended distribution.
5. An '+' following a median estimate means the median falls in the upper interval of an open-ended distribution.
6. An '***' entry in the lower and upper bound columns indicates that the median falls in the lowest interval or upper interval of an open-ended distribution. A statistical test is not appropriate.
7. An '*****' entry in the lower and upper bound columns indicates that the estimate is controlled. A statistical test for sampling variability is not appropriate.
8. An 'N' entry in the estimate, lower bound, and upper bound columns indicates that data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.