Individuals in poverty are classified using income thresholds that vary based on family size and composition. If the total income for the family is below the threshold, every individual in the family is considered poor. The definition of poverty is set at the federal level and does not vary based on geographic location, which can lead to undercounting in high cost-of-living areas.
There were 11.6% of people in poverty in the US in 2021, an increase of 0.1% from 2020.
