Percent of Population Who are Under the Poverty Level

People who are at or below the poverty level are less likely to attain a diploma or degree, have lower physical and mental health outcomes, lower life expectancy, and more limited work and career opportunities, among many other social indicators.

The graphic below, using the 2025 US Census Current Population Survey, illustrates the percentage of people who are at or below the povery rate, by various indicators. Here is what the data tell us:

1. Total Population. 11 percent of the population is at or under the poverty rate.
2. Educational Attainment. People with higher levels of education are less likely to live in poverty. Thirteen percent of those with a high school diploma fell within the poverty rate compared to 9 percent of people with some college and 4 percent of those with a BA or higher.
3. Disability Status. People with a disability were 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty. Nine percent of people without a disability fell within poverty guidelines compared to 21 percent of those with a disability.
4. Work Experience. Twenty-eight percent of people who did not work were in poverty compared to 2 percent of those who worked full time.
5. Age. Children—those under the age of 18 years old—were more likely to live in poverty than adults (14 versus 10 percent, respectively).
6. Gender. Women were more likely to live in poverty than men (12 percent versus 10 percent).
7. Race/Ethnicity. Black (18), Hispanic (15), and American Indian/Alaska Natives (19) were more likely to live in poverty than White (8) or Asians (8) by a factor of at least two.