Who are America’s Poor Children?
The Official Story

Nearly 13 million American children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level, which is $20,650 a year for a family of four. The number of children living in poverty increased by 11 percent between 2000 and 2006. There are 1.2 million more children living in poverty today than in 2000.

Not only are these numbers troubling, the official poverty measure tells only part of the story—it is widely viewed as a flawed metric of economic hardship (see box). Research consistently shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice the federal poverty level to make ends meet. Children living in families with incomes below this level—for 2006, about $41,000 for a family of four—are referred to as low income. Thirty-nine percent of the nation’s children—more than 28 million in 2006—live in low-income families.1

Nonetheless, official poverty statistics continue to be used by researchers, policymakers, and the media to define economic disadvantage. In addition, eligibility for many public benefits is based on the official poverty measure. This fact sheet details some of the characteristics of American children who are considered poor by these official standards.

How many children in America are officially poor?

Rates of official child poverty vary tremendously across the states.

Enlarge

Figure 1: Child poverty rates across the states, 2006

• Nationwide, 17% of children live in families that are officially considered poor (13 million children).
• Across the states, child poverty rates range from 6% in New Hampshire to 29% in Mississippi.

What are some of the characteristics of children who are officially poor in America?

Black, Latino, and American Indian children are disproportionately poor, yet white children comprise the largest group of poor children.

Enlarge

Figure 2: Child poverty rates by race/ethnicity, 2006

Enlarge

Figure 3: Poor children by race/ethnicity, 2006

• 33% of black children live in poor families. In the 10 most populated states, rates of child poverty among black children range from 29% in California and Florida to 47% in Ohio.
• 27% of Latino children live in poor families. In the 10 most populated states, rates of child poverty among Latino children range from 19% in Florida to 35% in Pennsylvania.
• 40% of American Indian and 12% of Asian children live in poor families (comparable state comparisons are not possible due to small sample sizes).
• 10% of white children live in poor families. In the 10 most populated states, rates of child poverty among white children range from 7% in Texas to 12% in Michigan.

Having immigrant parents increases a child’s chances of being poor.

Enlarge

Figure 4: Poor children by parents’ nativity, 2006

• 24% of children of immigrants are poor; 16% of children of native-born parents are poor. (Children living with one immigrant parent and one native-born parent are not included.)
• In the six states with the largest populations of immigrants—California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas—the poverty rate among children of immigrant parents ranges from 16% to 39%.

Official poverty rates are highest for young children.

• 20% of children under age 6 live in poor families; 16% of children age 6 or older live in poor families.
• In almost half the states, 20% or more of children under age 6 are poor, whereas 13 states have a poverty rate for all children (up to age 18) that is as high.
• Research suggests that parents of young children do not earn as much as parents of older children because they tend to be younger and have less work experience.

What are some of the hardships faced by children in America?

Food insecurity, lack of affordable housing, and other hardships affect millions of American children, not just those who are officially poor

• 16% of households with children experience food insecurity.3
• 41% of families who rent their homes spend more than a third of their income on rent.4
• Compared to white families with children, black and Latino families with children are more than twice as likely to experience economic hardships.5

Many poor children lack health insurance.

• 19% of poor children lack health insurance, whereas 11% of all children (poor and nonpoor) lack health insurance.
• In the 10 most populated states, the percent of poor children who lack health insurance ranges from 10% in Ohio to 30% in Florida.
• The percent of all children who lack health insurance increased for the second year in a row in 2006, from 10.8% in 2004 to 11.7% in 2006.6

What can be done about child poverty?

Child poverty is not intractable. Effective public policies can make a difference. NCCP recommends two major policy strategies to improve the well-being of children and families living in poverty:

• Make work pay

  Since research is clear that poverty is the greatest threat to children’s well being, strategies that help parents succeed in the labor force can help children. Low earning workers need higher wages but policies such as earned income tax credits and child care assistance are critical to supporting income growth for low-wage workers. These workers also need access to benefits that higher-wage earners take for granted, such as health insurance and paid sick leave.

• Support parents and their young children

  To thrive, children need nurturing families and quality early learning experiences. Programs that target families with infants and toddlers, such as Early Head Start, have been shown to improve children’s cognitive development and their behavior, as well as parenting skills. Investments in preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds are just as critical. High-quality early childhood experiences can go a long way toward closing the achievement gap between poor children and their more well-off peers.