America’s child poverty rate plunged in 2021, hitting a record low and accelerating a decadelong decline. That’s the main message from Census Bureau data released Tuesday.
Why it matters: Millions of children aren’t growing up in poverty today, thanks in very large part to government poverty-reduction programs.
- The most recent decline can be linked directly to the increase in the child tax credit that was implemented in July 2021 but then expired at the end of that year — which means that next year’s number is likely to see a rare increase.
Between the lines: A reduction in child poverty goes hand in hand with a reduction in the number of poor parents — specifically mothers.
- By the numbers: The number of women heads of households in poverty✎ EditSign declined to 4.95 million in 2021 from 7.8 million in 2020, per the census supplemental poverty measure, on top of the 3.4 million children who were taken out of poverty.
What they’re saying: The report is a “kids story but it’s also a women’s story,” said Kate […]
By international qualitative measures of well being, the actual rate of US poverty is close to 50%.
International standards, such as UNICEF, looks at many factors including food, housing, water, education, health care and “a little left over.” The US clearly loses in universal health care, free education and is becoming precarious in the other categories. And the “little left over”? That is a pipe dream for most of us.
Oh yes. We still are the richest country in the world. But in the words of a song…That’s all in a bank in Beverly Hills in someone else’s name.
The trend has been positive for some time even if it is more of an indicator than an accurate measure of condition. The massive drop since 2021 was the result of the expanded Child Tax Credit that sunsets this year. Republicans and Joe Manchin prevented renewal. Expect a big upturn next year. Still a good long term trend but the whole story is often unreported.