Poverty and Inequality

Statement

Parrott: Today’s Census Data Show That Vigorous Policies Kept 53 Million People Above Poverty Line in 2020

September 14, 2021 | Sharon Parrott

Today the Census Bureau released data that highlight the successes of the government’s extraordinary if imperfect steps to bolster households’ incomes in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout.

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Economic Security Programs Reduce Overall Poverty, Racial and Ethnic Inequities

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Research Note

Economic Security Programs Significantly Reduce Poverty in Every State

August 10, 2021 | Matt Saenz

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Income Support Associated With Improved Health Outcomes for Children, Many Studies Show

May 27, 2021 | Samantha Waxman, Arloc Sherman and Kris Cox

New on this Topic

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Social Security Lifts More People Above the Poverty Line Than Any Other Program

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Data

Program Participation Data Dashboard

January 29, 2021

Policy Brief

Deep Poverty Among Children Rose in TANF’s First Decade, Then Fell as Other Programs Strengthened

February 27, 2020

Report

Deep Poverty Among Children Rose in TANF’s First Decade, Then Fell as Other Programs Strengthened

February 27, 2020

Statement

Greenstein: More Americans Uninsured, Though Progress on Poverty Continues

September 10, 2019

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Economic Security, Health Programs Reduce Poverty and Hardship, With Long-Term Benefits

February 9, 2018

Policy Basics

Safety net programs, which include SNAP, unemployment benefits, and the Earned Income Tax Credit, have a significant impact in reducing poverty and promoting opportunity for millions of low-income Americans.

We educate policymakers, media, and others about safety net successes. We also analyze tax and spending proposals for their impact on the safety net and on the tens of millions of low-income individuals and families that rely on it to make ends meet.

Parrott: Today’s Census Data Show That Vigorous Policies Kept 53 Million People Above Poverty Line in 2020

Economic Security Programs Significantly Reduce Poverty in Every State

To provide a fuller picture of the public income support system for low-income families, this analysis blends the SPM with corrections for underreporting of key government benefits in survey...

Income Support Associated With Improved Health Outcomes for Children, Many Studies Show

Income significantly contributes to opportunities for good health.[1] People with higher incomes can more easily afford to meet the full range of their children’s needs, from nutritious food...

Program Participation Data Dashboard

These links and interactive tables provide state-by-state data on participants in a variety of programs for families and individuals living with low...

Deep Poverty Among Children Rose in TANF’s First Decade, Then Fell as Other Programs Strengthened

Stronger income support policies are needed to make further...

Deep Poverty Among Children Rose in TANF’s First Decade, Then Fell as Other Programs Strengthened

Stronger income support policies are needed to make further...

Greenstein: More Americans Uninsured, Though Progress on Poverty Continues

The official poverty rate fell for the fourth consecutive year in 2018 and median income remained statistically unchanged. But the number and share of Americans without health insurance took a turn...

Economic Security, Health Programs Reduce Poverty and Hardship, With Long-Term Benefits

Update, March 22: We’ve replaced the final graphic in this post with an updated version from our chart book. In his 2018 budget, President Trump called for unprecedented cuts...

Child Poverty Falls to Record Low, Comprehensive Measure Shows Stronger Government Policies Account for Long-Term Improvement

The child poverty rate fell to a record low of 15.6 percent in...

Commission Urges Strengthening Evidence-Building Capacity, Yet House Considers Cutting Proven Low-Income Programs

A congressionally mandated commission has outlined ways that public agencies can help researchers access more government data and hence contribute to more effective public policy — just as Congress...

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