U.S. poverty rate drops for third consecutive year

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the supplemental poverty measure rate decreased to 7.8% in 2021 -- and the child poverty rate fell to an all-time low. Mark Rank, a professor of social welfare at Washington University in St. Louis, joins John Dickerson on "Prime Time" to discuss what's behind the trend.

#news #census #poverty

[frankparrish]

And if you believe the "poverty rate" has dropped, so has your IQ. Look out the window.

[dougcollins]

I see far more homeless people now than I ever did.

[qqqalo]

I'd like to see if these politicians could live on even double the poverty line.

[illuvatar]

Maybe it works like the "unemployment rate", where once you're poor for 6 months or longer they stop counting you.

[droolalot]

If this wasn't inflation adjusted, nor geographically adjusted for cost of living, this is malpractice. Say poverty level is $30k. So someone went from $29k to $31k, they are no longer below the poverty line. Guess what, with inflation their buying power is the equivalent of $26k.

Also $26k goes alot further in north Dakota than San Francisco. So essentially no one with a job in a city is counted in poverty. $20 an hour in SF is homeless wages.

[dannyarcher]

LMAO. There's no way this is true. I'm guessing they're using a dollar threshold which hasn't accounted for the rampant inflation.

0:56 - Yep. There it is lol.

[leesmith]

The poverty line hasn't budged just like wages haven't gone up. The cost of living has gone up though.

[shellysmith]

hilarious that they claim this. There are so many people out panhandling on the streets that I have never seen before in my life. And Dollar General is the main shopping store now that everything else is out of business. Too

[cerveza]

This is hilarious. I am full-time, employed by the state. I went to the local food pantry today. I help others to get to people who make more than me and aren't doing their job.

[patriayvida]

I had to laugh at this report. There are more homeless every year, more people who can't afford food, meds or medical care, more people working more gigs for less money, yet, they have the gall to announce that poverty has dropped. Among the rich maybe but most certainly not among the poor.

[Tonyrg]

Defining poverty by a single line without taking into account any other factors is as lazy as it gets.

[pauladasilvarn]

Let’s adjust poverty line and inflation!!! Than you have real numbers!!!

[RandyR]

I was thrown into Poverty in 2014. Ended up on disability and having to fight every day to survive. The yuppies' upped the rent by $450 more a month. Having to spend hours every day trying to sale my belongings. Walking on very thin ice. Having to put off two urgent surgeries. Choose between health or survival. Sucks . Try losing 2/3rds of your income.

[helenthomas]

Because everybody is living at the poverty level

[richardcartwright]

What drugs are they smoking 🚬 and snorting.

[Rodrigo-tkfm]

These analysis are so out of touch with reality

[daprophetglory]

Because all the people want is fair wages to cover the high rent and food cost

[daveicc]

Try living on 35 to 40 thousand with a disability and NOT receiving a receiving a disability paycheck (SSI or SSDI) but especially Medicaid. It’s impossible to cover the cost of living and medical expenses ( I.e. prescriptions, surgical procedures, physicians fees, lab work). I’m not disabled but have a disability and must do this.

[leesmith]

Illinois is raising minimum wage so working people can't qualify for aid.

[jbccbj]

Haha the poverty rate dropped cuz all those people died!