U.S. Poverty Holds at 13.1% in 2025 as Safety-Net Cuts Loom
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 15
U.S. Poverty Holds at 13.1% in 2025 as Safety-Net Cuts Loom
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 15
Summary
Census Bureau data showed the U.S. poverty rate stayed at 13.1% in 2025, unchanged from 2024, with child and senior poverty also flat.
Median household income rose to a record inflation-adjusted $87,460, but higher living costs still squeezed budgets and poverty increased among Americans without a high school diploma.
The 2025 figures largely precede the full impact of the July 2025 Republican domestic policy law, which cut Medicaid, SNAP and other aid programs.
Refundable tax credits kept 6.1 million people out of poverty last year and SNAP lifted 3.1 million more, while medical expenses pushed 7.7 million into poverty.
Analysts expect the effects of the safety-net reductions to show up more clearly in 2026 and 2027 data as more Americans lose health coverage and other support.