Table 1.7  U.S. Population Below Poverty Level by Race, Residence, and Region, 1969-1998

      Race Residence Region
        African His- MA            
  Total   Amer- panic central MA   North- Mid-    
Year Number Rate White ican origin city suburb Rural east west South West
                         
  millions % millions
                         
1969 24.15 12.1 16.66 7.10 na 7.99 5.09 11.06 4.11 5.42 11.09 3.53
1970 25.42 12.6 17.48 7.55 na 8.12 5.20 12.10 na na 11.48 na
1971 25.56 12.5 17.78 7.40 na 8.91 5.65 11.00 4.51 5.76 11.18 4.10
1972 24.46 11.9 16.20 7.71 na 9.18 5.33 9.95 4.27 5.26 10.93 4.01
1973 22.97 11.1 15.14 7.39 2.37 8.59 5.17 9.21 4.21 4.86 10.06 3.84
1974 23.37 11.2 15.74 7.18 2.58 8.37 5.48 9.52 4.47 4.99 10.76 4.04
1975 35.88 12.3 17.77 7.55 2.99 9.09 6.26 10.53 4.90 5.46 11.06 4.45
1976 24.98 11.8 16.71 7.60 2.78 9.48 5.75 9.75 4.95 5.66 10.35 4.02
1977 24.72 11.6 16.42 7.73 2.70 9.20 5.66 9.86 4.96 5.59 10.25 3.93
1978 24.50 11.4 16.26 7.63 2.61 9.29 5.81 9.41 5.05 5.19 10.26 4.00
1979 26.07 11.7 17.21 8.05 2.92 9.72 6.42 9.94 5.03 5.59 10.63 4.10
1980 29.27 13.0 19.70 8.58 3.49 10.64 7.38 11.25 5.37 6.59 12.36 4.96
1981 31.82 14.0 21.55 9.17 3.71 11.23 8.12 12.48 5.82 7.14 13.26 5.61
1982 34.40 15.0 23.52 9.70 4.30 12.70 8.55 13.15 6.36 7.77 13.97 6.30
1983 35.30 15.2 23.98 9.88 4.63 12.87 8.88 13.52 6.56 8.54 13.48 6.68
1984 33.70 14.4 22.96 9.49 4.81 na na na 6.53 8.30 12.79 6.07
1985 33.06 14.0 22.86 8.93 5.24 14.18 9.10 9.79 5.75 8.19 12.92 6.20
1986 32.37 13.6 22.18 8.98 5.12 13.30 9.36 9.71 5.21 7.64 13.11 6.41
1987 32.22 13.4 21.20 9.52 5.42 13.70 9.36 9.17 5.48 7.50 13.29 6.29
1988 31.75 13.0 20.72 9.36 5.36 13.62 9.44 8.69 5.09 6.80 13.53 6.32
1989 31.53 12.8 20.79 9.30 5.43 13.59 9.33 8.61 5.06 7.04 12.94 6.48
1990 33.59 13.5 22.33 9.84 6.01 14.25 10.26 9.08 5.79 7.46 13.46 6.88
1991 35.71 14.2 23.75 10.24 6.34 15.31 11.51 8.88 6.18 7.99 13.78 7.76
1992 38.01 14.8 25.26 10.83 7.59 16.35 12.03 9.63 6.41 8.06 15.20 8.34
1993 39.27 15.1 26.23 10.88 8.13 16.81 12.81 9.65 6.84 8.17 15.38 8.88
1994 38.06 14.5 25.38 10.20 8.42 16.10 13.51 8.45 6.60 7.97 14.73 8.77
1995 36.43 13.8 24.42 9.87 8.57 16.27 12.07 8.08 6.45 6.79 14.46 8.74
1996 36.53 13.7 24.65 9.69 8.70 15.65 12.57 8.32 6.56 6.65 14.10 9.22
1997
35.57 13.3 24.40 9.12 8.31 15.02 12.26 8.30 6.47 6.49 13.75 8.86
1998
34.48 12.7 23.45 9.09 8.07 14.92 12.08 7.48 6.36 6.50 12.99 8.63

Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, March Current Population Survey (DOC, Census, Washington, DC, 1999).

Notes:  na = not available. Poverty rate = percent of persons below poverty level. MA = Metropolitan Area. Total includes other races not shown separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Poverty rate for all races for years not shown are: 1959, 22.4; 1960, 22.2; 1961, 21.9; 1962, 21.0; 1963, 19.5; 1964, 19.0; 1965, 17.3; 1966, 14.7; 1967, 14.2; and 1968, 12.8. Poverty thresholds are updated annually to reflect changes in the consumer price index.

Last Updated on Thursday, April 20, 2000