Number of people living in extreme poverty in United States
United States: Number of people living in extreme poverty was 336.37 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
336.37 million people
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
3rd
of 120 countries
All-time high
336.37 million people
in 2024
All-time low
186.21 million people
in 1963
Years of data
62
1963–2024
Number of people living in extreme poverty in United States, 1963–2024
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, number of people living in extreme poverty in United States stood at 336.37 million people. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty in United States peaked at 336.37 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 186.21 million people, in 1963.
That places United States 3rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Number of people living in extreme poverty in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 186.21 million people | — |
| 1964 | 189.01 million people | +1.5% |
| 1965 | 191.78 million people | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 194.20 million people | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 196.53 million people | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 198.90 million people | +1.2% |
| 1969 | 201.26 million people | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 202.80 million people | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 205.79 million people | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 208.22 million people | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 210.21 million people | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 211.93 million people | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 214.46 million people | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 216.51 million people | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 218.92 million people | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 221.25 million people | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 223.48 million people | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 225.86 million people | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 228.09 million people | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 229.81 million people | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 232.16 million people | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 234.41 million people | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 236.50 million people | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 238.69 million people | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 240.84 million people | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 243.28 million people | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 245.59 million people | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 248.38 million people | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 251.46 million people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 254.97 million people | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 258.36 million people | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 261.28 million people | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 264.41 million people | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 267.51 million people | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 270.48 million people | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 273.37 million people | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 277.09 million people | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 279.90 million people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 282.40 million people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 285.04 million people | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 287.21 million people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 289.58 million people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 292.56 million people | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 295.10 million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 298.22 million people | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 300.75 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 303.70 million people | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 305.98 million people | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 308.41 million people | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 310.88 million people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 313.24 million people | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 315.11 million people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 317.95 million people | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 320.46 million people | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 322.36 million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 324.92 million people | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 326.92 million people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 330.25 million people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 331.10 million people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 329.34 million people | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 332.76 million people | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 336.37 million people | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 193.98 million people | 186.21 million people | 201.26 million people | 7 |
| 1970s | 213.36 million people | 202.80 million people | 223.48 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 235.52 million people | 225.86 million people | 245.59 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 262.73 million people | 248.38 million people | 277.09 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 291.45 million people | 279.90 million people | 303.70 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 316.62 million people | 305.98 million people | 326.92 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 331.97 million people | 329.34 million people | 336.37 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More poverty & inequality data for United States
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 9 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.62 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 8,414 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 24.85 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 24.8% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in extreme poverty in United States?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty in United States was 336.37 million people in 2024, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 336.37 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 186.21 million people in 1963.
- How does United States rank for number of people living in extreme poverty?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $3 per day.