Poverty Basics Overview

In 2005, 12.6% of the U.S. population – about 37 million people – were living below the poverty line. In the three West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington, a total of 5.9 million people were living in poverty, including 2.1 million children.

Poverty is a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that raises controversial questions – from what causes it, to how it should be defined and measured, to how it should be reduced. In this section of the website, we use recent data to provide an introductory look at the extent of poverty and its relationship to changing labor markets, demographic shifts, changing family structures, and social and economic inequality, both nationally and in the West Coast states. (For more in-depth research on these topics by WCPC faculty affiliates, see our Poverty Research section.)

• Data Sources and Limitations: Click here to learn more about the sources of data used to describe poverty in the U.S. and the West Coast states.
  
  
• Measuring Poverty: There are many ways to measure poverty. Much of the information about poverty in the ‘Poverty Basics’ section of the website uses the poverty thresholds as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. This section describes the methodology for determining how many people are poor in America and summarizes the debate surrounding use of those methods. Click here to learn more about measuring poverty.

Poverty in the U.S.:

This section presents basic data on the extent of poverty in the U.S., comparisons of poverty in the U.S. vs. other countries, interstate comparisons of poverty rates, and profiles of the poor population, both nationally and in the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington. Topics include:

• How many people are poor in the United States?
• How do U.S. poverty rates compare with other developed countries?
• How do the 50 states compare?
• Poverty among children and the elderly
• Minorities and poverty

West Coast Poverty

• Poverty in the West Coast states in 2005
• Poverty among children and the elderly
• Poverty among minorities in the West Coast states

Changing Labor Markets and Poverty:

In this section, we highlight some of the labor market conditions that potentially affect the poverty rate, display data on work experience in poor families, both nationally and in the West Coast states, and explore how federal and state minimum wage earnings relate to the poverty thresholds. Topics include:

• Change in manufacturing employment
• Change in hourly wages
• The working poor
• Poverty and the federal minimum wage

Labor Markets and Poverty in the West Coast states

• Work experience in poor families
• Poverty and the state minimum wage

Changing Demographics and Poverty:

In this section, we highlight one of the most significant recent demographic events affecting the West Coast states, and the nation as a whole – the increase in immigration since 1965. We focus on the size and place of birth of the foreign born population, both nationally and in the West Coast states, the education level of immigrants, the poverty rates of the foreign born and native born populations, and provide some indicators of the well being of the children of immigrants. Topics include:

• U.S. foreign-born population and place of birth
• Immigrant education levels
• Relative poverty rates for foreign- and native-born populations
• Wellbeing of children of immigrants and native parents

Demographics of the West Coast states

• Share of foreign-born population and place of birth

The American Family and Poverty:

In this section, we describe how the structure of American families has become more diverse over time, how income varies for different types of families, and how poverty rates of single parent families and married couple families compare nationally, and in the West Coast states. Topics include:

• The changing American family
• Median income for families of different types
• Poverty in single parent families

Families in the West Coast states:

• Poverty and single parent families

Social and Economic Inequality:

This section highlights the extent to which income inequality has increased in the U.S., and the myriad of ways in which the U.S. population is stratified – by education, by race and ethnicity, and by place of birth – both nationally and in the West Coast states. Topics include:

• Change in income inequality in the U.S.
• Education levels and poverty
• Income of racial and ethnic groups
• Racial and ethnic profile of the poor

Social and Economic Inequality in the West Coast states:

• Income of race and ethnic groups
• Poverty by race and ethnic group
• Poverty among foreign- and native-born populations

Poverty Policies and Practice: [under development]