Population articles
What is the US poverty rate?
About 10.6% of the population as of 2024. The poverty rate is the percentage of people whose household income falls below the poverty threshold set by the government. It measures the percentage of people in households that don’t earn enough to pay for basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare. In 2024, 35.9 million people lived in poverty.
How many subsidized housing units are available in the United States?
There were about 5.1 million in 2023, of which around 13% were unoccupied and available to rent. Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
How many people speak Spanish at home?
About 44.9 million people, or 1 out of every 7 people age 5 and up. Spanish is the most-common non-English language used in the US by far, with more than 12 times the number of speakers than the next most common language, Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese).
What is the main reason people immigrate to the US via authorized channels?
45.3% immigrated for work in 2022. That’s around 1.7 times higher than the number that came for education, the next most common reason. Other reasons for immigration included family, safety, and various other factors.
Where are authorized immigrants to the US coming from?
In 2022, the largest number of immigrants came from Mexico. Immigrants from Mexico made up 20.8% of all people who immigrated to the US in 2022. Authorized immigrants are those who came to the US through channels such as a visa, green card, or as a refugee or asylee.
How many people immigrate to the US via authorized channels each year?
About 2.6 million in 2022. This is a 67.2% increase from the 1.5 million new immigrant arrivals in 2021.
What percent of jobs in the US are held by immigrants?
About 17.9% of jobs in 2023. Immigrants are defined as foreign-born residents, including those who became US citizens, are authorized to work in the US, or are undocumented residents.
How many people live in subsidized housing in the United States?
About 9.05 million people in 2023, or about 2.0 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, residents in 2023 had lived in their units for ten years and two months.
How many asylum applications does the US receive?
Around 945K applications in 2023. The US asylum system helps resettle people who fear persecution if they return to their home country. Unlike refugees who apply for protection before arriving in the US or at its borders, asylum seekers apply after they are already in the US.
What is the homeownership rate in the US?
About 65.6% in 2024. That means about 2 in 3 households owned their home while the remainder rented.
How long do people wait for subsidized housing in the United States?
Two years and three months, on average, in 2024. That’s an 8% increase since 2023, when recipients spent two years and one month on waiting lists before moving in to subsidized housing.
How many households in the United States spend too much on housing?
About 42.5 million in 2024. That's 33% of all households. These households spent at least 30% of their total income on rent or mortgage payments and utilities. The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing to be cost-burdened. Cost-burdened households may have less money for other necessities such as food, healthcare, or savings.
How much do households in the US spend on rent?
About 32.8% of their income in 2024. This is measured by comparing median, or average, rent and median monthly income for renting households. Median rent, including utilities, was about $1,487 per month. Median monthly income among renting households was about $4,537 per month.
How many refugees come to the US every month?
Around 12.5K people in December 2024. The US refugee system helps people fleeing persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group to resettle in the US. Unlike asylum seekers who apply for protection after arriving in the US or at its borders, refugees apply from outside the country. If approved, they undergo security screenings and health checks before being resettled by various agencies.
How many people are in prisons in the US?
About 1.25 million at the end of 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. This number is up 2% from 2022 and includes anyone under state or federal jurisdiction. Prisoners sentenced to one or more years — usually for a felony conviction — make up 96.5% of this group, and the remainder includes people who are serving shorter sentences or awaiting sentencing.
What is the income of a US household?
About $81,600 in median income in 2024. Household income is the total money received in a year — wages, pensions, investments, public assistance, and more — by everyone in a household over 15.
How many people receive SNAP benefits in the US every month?
About 41.7 million people during fiscal year (FY) 2024. That’s 12.3% of the US population. Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is determined based on household income levels. SNAP, once known as the Food Stamp program, is administered by the Department of Agriculture providing food assistance to low-income individuals.
How many people are on Medicaid in the US?
On average, 88.8 million or 26.2% of the US population during FY 2024. Enrolling about 1 in 4 people in the US, Medicaid is one of the largest single health insurers in the country. Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program that provides free or low-cost coverage to eligible low-income individuals and families, including children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.
What does the Social Security Administration (SSA) do?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent executive branch agency responsible for administering Social Security, a program that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible people. Its functions include managing the distribution of monthly payments to beneficiaries, enrolling Medicare recipients, and overseeing the issuance of Social Security numbers and cards. It was established in 1935 as part of the Social Security Act.
What does the Census Bureau (CENSUS) do?
The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is a subdivision of the US Department of Commerce responsible for collecting and analyzing data about the population and economy of the United States. The agency conducts the decennial census, which provides data for government representation, allocation of federal funds, and policy making. It also conducts numerous other surveys on topics such as housing, business, and demographics. It was established in 1902.