Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America
United States of America: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 20.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America, 1963–2024
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
United States of America recorded 20.2% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2024.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America peaked at 20.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2021.
United States of America ranks 64th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 18.0% | — |
| 1964 | 17.9% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 18.0% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 18.6% | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 18.5% | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | -4.9% |
| 1969 | 17.7% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 18.0% | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 17.9% | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 18.6% | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 17.8% | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 18.0% | +4.0% |
| 1976 | 17.8% | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 17.3% | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 17.2% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 17.1% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 17.5% | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 18.1% | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 19.2% | +6.1% |
| 1983 | 20.1% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 19.8% | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 19.9% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 19.6% | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 19.6% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 19.5% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 19.5% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 19.6% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 20.2% | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 20.1% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.4% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 19.9% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 19.3% | -3.0% |
| 1996 | 19.6% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 19.2% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 19.4% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 19.2% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 18.8% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 19.5% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 19.4% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 19.0% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 19.2% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 19.4% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 19.7% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 19.0% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 19.5% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 19.7% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 18.7% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 19.8% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 19.8% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 18.2% | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 16.7% | -8.2% |
| 2022 | 19.5% | +16.8% |
| 2023 | 19.9% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 20.2% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.0% | 17.6% | 18.6% | 7 |
| 1970s | 17.7% | 17.1% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.3% | 17.5% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 19.2% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.3% | 18.8% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.4% | 18.7% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.9% | 16.7% | 20.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More poverty & inequality data for United States of America
- 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 poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in United States of America was 20.2% in 2024, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2021.
- How does United States of America rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- United States of America ranks 64th out of 123 countries with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.