GROWING UP POOR IN AMERICA DOCUMENTARY UPDATE
And although there is no consensus about what constitutes a minimum but decent standard of living in the U.S., research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to meet their most basic needs.įailure to update the federal poverty level for changes in the cost of living means that people who are considered poor today by the official standard are worse off relative to everyone else than people considered poor when the poverty measure was established. Most analysts agree that today’s poverty thresholds are too low. Yet food now comprises only one-seventh of an average family’s expenses, while the costs of housing, child care, health care, and transportation have grown disproportionately. Since then, the same figures have been updated annually for inflation but have otherwise remained unchanged. It was based on research indicating that families spent about one-third of their incomes on food - the official poverty level was set by multiplying food costs by three. The current poverty measure was established in the 1960s and is now widely acknowledged to be outdated. A similar but more complicated measure is used for calculating poverty rates.) (The poverty guidelines are used to determine eligibility for public programs. Department of Health and Human ServicesĪccording to the federal poverty guidelines, the poverty level is $22,050 for a family of four and $18,310 for a family of three (see table). Developed more than 40 years ago, the official poverty measure is a specific dollar amount that varies by family size but is the same across the continental U.S.įigure 1: 2009 Poverty Guidelines, U.S. government measures poverty by a narrow income standard - this measure does not include material hardship (such as living in substandard housing) or debt, nor does it consider financial assets (such as savings or property). How is poverty measured in the United States? These differences in the severity and depth of poverty matter, especially when it comes to the effects on children. For others, economic hardship is compounded by social isolation. For some, the greatest challenge is inadequate financial resources, whether insufficient income to meet daily expenses or the necessary assets (savings, a home) to get ahead. Some families experience hard times for brief spells while a small minority experience chronic poverty.
The experiences of children and families who face economic hardship are far from uniform. Human and social capital help families improve their earnings potential and accumulate assets, gain access to safe neighborhoods and high-quality services (such as medical care, schooling), and expand their networks and social connections. These non-material resources provide families with the means to get by, and ultimately, to get ahead. To achieve a minimum but decent standard of living, families need more than material resources they also need “human and social capital.” Human and social capital include education, basic life skills, and employment experience, as well as less tangible resources such as social networks and access to civic institutions. In the United States, we all agree that having access to running water, electricity, indoor plumbing, and telephone service are essential to 21st century living even though that would not have been true 50 or 100 years ago. Although we are all taught that the essentials are food, clothing, and shelter, the reality is that the definition of basic material necessities varies by time and place. One component of poverty is material hardship. What does it mean to experience poverty?įamilies and their children experience poverty when they are unable to achieve a minimum, decent standard of living that allows them to participate fully in mainstream society. What is the Nature of Poverty and Economic Hardship in the United States? 1.
What can be done to increase economic security for America’s children and families?.Why should Americans care about family economic hardship?.Why is there so much economic hardship in a country as wealthy as the U.S.?.Is it Possible to Reduce Economic Hardship among American Families? What are the effects of economic hardship on children?.Are some children and families at greater risk for economic hardship than others?.How Serious is the Problem of Economic Hardship for American Families? How accurate are commonly held stereotypes about poverty and economic hardship?.Are Americans who experience poverty now better off than a generation ago?.How is poverty measured in the United States?.What does it mean to experience poverty?.
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