According to the most recent report issued in January 2023, the poverty threshold for a family of four is $29,960, and for an individual, it is $14,891. The Census Bureau estimated that in 2021, 11.6% of Americans, roughly 38 million people, lived at or below the poverty level. This is a decrease from the previous year, where the poverty rate was 11.4% . However, some experts argue that the official poverty measure falls short of giving an accurate count of poverty in the United States. People who live near the poverty line spend a larger share of their income on housing, with families and individuals earning under $30,000 paying 41.2% of their income on housing.