Library Guides: Poverty: Children

Facts on Child Poverty

The federal poverty level is $22,350 a year for a family of four.
Research shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to cover basic expenses.
21% of all children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level.
44% of children live in low-income families based on the income being twice the federal poverty level.
Child poverty rates are highest among black, Latino, and American Indian children.

Children's Defense Fund
Children are the poorest age group in the country and getting poorer according to the latest poverty data. Overwhelmingly, children have suffered more than any other age group during this recession and slow recovery.
National Center on Children in Poverty
Find basics facts, publications and answers to frequently asked questions about childhood poverty.
Children in Poverty: Trends, Consequences, and Policy Options
A research brief on child poverty in the United States with statistics, findings on the effects of poverty on children and policy ideas.
Childhood Poverty Persistence: Facts and Consequences
The U.S. child poverty rate has fluctuated between 15 and 23 percent for the past four decades, but far more children—37 percent—live in poverty at some point during their childhoods. Being poor at birth strongly predicts future poverty status.
The Myth of the Culture of Poverty
This article combats the myths about the culture of poverty by providing the facts about the reality of poverty.