Poverty in the United States is a policy choice. Between 2020 and 2021, the poverty rate fell dramatically— even in the midst of a pandemic wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy—because lawmakers chose to expand the Child Tax Credit, strengthen unemployment protections, and more. However, between 2021 and 2022, as pandemic-era assistance expired, poverty rates (as measured by the supplemental poverty measure) jumped by the largest recorded single-year increase in more than 50 years. In 2023, poverty rates remained elevated without additional policy action. Women face disproportionate poverty and hardship, with much higher rates for disabled women; Black, Latina, and Indigenous women; those born outside of the United States; and families with children headed by a single woman.
This fact sheet presents poverty estimates in 2023 using the Census Bureau’s official poverty measure (OPM) and the supplemental poverty measure (SPM). Findings reveal the continued harmful consequences of discontinuing temporary supports for women, children, and families and failing to address underlying systemic inequities. The findings also underscore the important role that long-term public investments in child care, nutrition assistance, accessible and affordable housing, refundable tax credits, and other critical supports that women and families rely on play in providing stability and opportunity for families – and the high stakes in upcoming debates on funding these programs.