U.S. Poverty Rate 1974-2023

Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.
  • U.S. poverty rate for 2020 was 1.20%, a 0.5% decline from 2019.
  • U.S. poverty rate for 2019 was 1.70%, a 0% increase from 2018.
  • U.S. poverty rate for 2018 was 1.70%, a 0.3% decline from 2017.
  • U.S. poverty rate for 2017 was 2.00%, a 0% increase from 2016.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name % Under US $5.50 Per Day
Argentina 14.10%
Chile 8.00%
Uruguay 7.20%
Greece 3.90%
Spain 3.10%
Portugal 2.60%
Latvia 2.50%
Hungary 2.50%
Italy 2.20%
Croatia 2.10%
Lithuania 1.60%
Estonia 1.30%
United States 1.20%
Austria 1.00%
Sweden 0.90%
Malta 0.80%
United Kingdom 0.70%
France 0.40%
Denmark 0.40%
Czech Republic 0.40%
Belgium 0.30%
Ireland 0.20%
Netherlands 0.20%
Cyprus 0.20%
Finland 0.10%
Luxembourg 0.00%
Slovenia 0.00%
U.S. Poverty Rate - Historical Data
Year % Under US $5.50 Per Day Change
2020 1.20% -0.50%
2019 1.70% 0.00%
2018 1.70% -0.30%
2017 2.00% 0.00%
2016 2.00% -0.20%
2015 2.20% 0.20%
2014 2.00% 0.00%
2013 2.00% 0.00%
2012 2.00% 0.00%
2011 2.00% 0.00%
2010 2.00% 0.30%
2009 1.70% -0.30%
2008 2.00% 0.30%
2007 1.70% -0.30%
2006 2.00% 0.30%
2005 1.70% -0.30%
2004 2.00% 0.00%
2003 2.00% 0.30%
2002 1.70% 0.00%
2001 1.70% 0.20%
2000 1.50% 0.00%
1999 1.50% 0.00%
1998 1.50% 0.00%
1997 1.50% 0.00%
1996 1.50% 0.00%
1995 1.50% -0.20%
1994 1.70% 0.00%
1993 1.70% 0.00%
1992 1.70% 0.20%
1991 1.50% 0.00%
1990 1.50% 0.30%
1989 1.20% -0.30%
1988 1.50% 0.00%
1987 1.50% -0.50%
1986 2.00% 0.00%
1985 2.00% 0.00%
1984 2.00% -0.50%
1983 2.50% 0.30%
1982 2.20% 0.20%
1981 2.00% 0.30%
1980 1.70% 0.00%
1979 1.70% -0.50%
1974 2.20% -0.50%