The U.S. poverty rate fell to 10.6% in 2024, according to Census Bureau data released September 9, 2025. Median household income rose to $83,730 in the same year. The Supplemental Poverty Measure was 12.9%.
The official poverty rate and median household income are key indicators of the economic well-being of the U.S. population, reflecting the effectiveness of economic policies and social safety nets.
The U.S. poverty rate fell to 10.6% in 2024, while median household income reached $83,730, according to data released by the Census Bureau on September 9, 2025. The official poverty measure, which compares pretax money income to a national poverty threshold, saw a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year, affecting 35.9 million people.
The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which accounts for government programs, taxes, and work and medical expenses, stood at 12.9% in 2024, statistically unchanged from 2023. Social Security was identified as the largest antipoverty program, lifting 28.7 million individuals out of SPM poverty.
The data, collected from the 2025 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), also indicated that 92.0% of the U.S. population had health insurance coverage for all or part of 2024. The Census Bureau noted that while response rates for the survey remain lower than pre-pandemic levels, adjustments are made to mitigate potential bias.