The “poverty level” in the US is a collection of measures based on the theoretical amount of money needed to live a simple, healthy, and happy life. The poverty line is determined by the Census Bureau and adjusted annually for inflation, while poverty guidelines set by the Department of Health and Human Services are used for administrative purposes. Poverty affects certain groups more than others, and there are numerous causes and ways to combat it. Poverty levels are just one way of assessing poverty, and it’s important to consider multiple angles to understand the root causes and possible solutions.
Several measures of poverty in the United States are collectively referred to as the “poverty level,” to the irritation of many US government departments. All of these measures are based on the amount of money theoretically needed to live a simple, healthy and happy life. Poverty levels are the subject of intense scrutiny and debate; for example, estimates of the percentage of Americans living in poverty range from 12 to 18 percent, depending on which poverty measure is used.
For most purposes, the “poverty level” refers to two different measurements. The first is the poverty line, which is determined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau adjusts this threshold annually to account for inflation, and this number is used for the purpose of generating poverty statistics. According to the United States Census Bureau, the poverty line is US$20,614 for a family of four as of 2007. This number adjusts slightly based on the age of family members, but is a point of fundamental departure.
For administrative purposes, government officials use poverty guidelines set by the Department of Health and Human Services. The rubric for determining these guidelines was developed by Mollie Orshansky in the 1960s. Families are evaluated against these guidelines when applying for services such as food stamps and Medicare. In 2007, the poverty line was US$20,650 for a family of four; for larger families, add $3,480 US for each person. In Alaska and Hawaii, poverty guidelines are slightly higher, reflecting the different costs of living in these areas.
Some people prefer to think of the poverty level in more relative terms, comparing the incomes of various Americans with each other. For example, the living standards of Americans earning the bottom 10% of national income are radically different from those earning the top 10%. Relative measures can help highlight problems that are hidden by more absolute measures. Many critics of the government’s attempts to establish a poverty level argue that these levels are ridiculously low and that it is unrealistic to expect a family to actually live on that much money, or even less.
Certain groups in the United States are at particular risk of living below the poverty line. People under 18 are more likely to live in poverty, and the United States has one of the highest child poverty rates in the developed world. African-American and Hispanic populations also tend to be poorer. Studies have also shown that members of the lower class tend to cycle in and out of poverty, illustrating the problem that many actively working people are still considered too poor to meet their basic needs under federal guidelines. People living in poverty face problems with completing their education, maintaining health, and accessing the food they need.
There are numerous causes of poverty and different ways to combat it. It’s important to remember that poverty levels are just one way of assessing poverty, and that there are numerous other ways to think about this extremely unfortunate social problem. By thinking about poverty from multiple angles, it is possible to understand the root causes and possible solutions more comprehensively.
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