Americans make more than 20% of the world’s income, despite accounting for less than 5% of the world’s population. Yet, poverty — not having enough money to meet basic needs — remains a chronic issue in the United States.
Poverty also impacts millions of children in America. The national child poverty rate was 16.9% in 2021, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). In contrast, the national poverty rate that year was 12.8%.
