The Census Bureau has released the 2010 report on poverty in America. Follow this site for in depth reports, and lots of charts, on this topic during the next week.
The press is making much of the actual numbers of Americans in poverty. Remember, however, that with a growing population, the numbers will increase even if the rate stays the same. Every person living in poverty matters, but it is the increase or decrease in the rate that will describe most accurately what the economy is doing.
46,180,000 Americans are believed to live in poverty according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Just over 33 million live in families and about 12.4 million are unrelated individuals. 15,895,000 Americans live in poverty in homes headed by a female with no husband present.
| TERM |
AVG % ALL |
AVG % FAMILIES |
| Reagan I |
14.7 |
13.3 |
| Reagan II |
13.5 |
12.0 |
| Bush 41 |
13.8 |
12.4 |
| Clinton I |
14.3 |
12.8 |
| Clinton II |
12.3 |
10.7 |
| Bush 43 I |
12.3 |
10.5 |
| Bush 43 II |
12.7 |
10.9 |
| Obama |
14.7 |
12.9 |
The Term “American”, for this piece, includes non-citizens living in the United States. There will be a later report on that topic. For now, they’re included and the media is making the same assumption.

Numbers of Americans living in poverty 1981-2010. Click on chart for a larger version.

Percentage of Americans living in poverty 1961 to 2010. Click on the chart for a larger version.

Percentage of Americans living in poverty 1981 to 2010. Click on the chart for a larger image.
Americans living in a family group, in poverty, make up 71% of all those in poverty. 34% of all those living in poverty live in families with a female head of household and no husband present. that also is 48% of all those family members living in poverty.

Americans in families living in poverty 1960 to 2010. Click on the chart for a larger view.

Americans in families living in poverty 1981 to 2010. Click on the chart for a larget image.
Future pieces in this series will examine poverty in America by race, by citizenship and will also look at wage equity for women.
All charts were prepared from the data in the report by Charles Simmins.