|
One-Fifth of Children Below Poverty
In 1998, about 13 percent of the U.S. population, or 34.5 million
people, were living in families below the poverty line. Of the total
number of persons in poverty, 13.5 million were children, 17.6 million
were working-age adults, and 3.4 million were 65 years old and over.
Almost one-fifth of our nation�s children were living below the
poverty threshold in 1998 compared with only one-tenth of persons 18
and over.
In 1970, nearly one-fourth of older Americans lived in poverty,
more than twice the current rate. The dramatic decline in the
percentage of the older population in poverty is associated with the
expansion of federal programs like Social Security and Medicare, as well as with private pension systems. Children, on the other hand, are
worse off today than they were 30 years ago, despite a decline in
child poverty over the past five years.
Federal entitlements have kept most older Americans above the
poverty line. But a relatively high percentage of older adults live in
families "near poverty," in the range of 100 to 124 percent
of the poverty threshold. Children, who do not receive nearly the same
level of federal support, are more likely than other age groups to
live in extreme poverty, with income less than 50 percent of the
poverty threshold. |
 |
|
