Who is Poor in America Today? | True/ False Quiz

The number of Americans who are food insecure exceeds the population of California, our most populated state.

True

The government says that a family of four is poor if it earns at least $28,000 annually.

False

During the summer, when children aren't in school, 6 out of 7 food insecure kids don't get healthy meals they need to grow strong.

True

Over 11 million children under 18 are food insecure in the United States.

True

The federal minimum wage is now $7.25 per hour.

True

The minimum necessary to achieve good nutrition and normal life expectancy in the US is $15 a day (based on the US poverty line).

True

The number of people living in poverty in the United States fell to an all-time low in 2019 at 10.5% of the population.

True

Around 100 million people in the United States live on less than $50,000 a year.

True

Adults who have regular work but remain poor - the "working poor," are finding it more difficult to lift themselves out of poverty.

True

Why is the statement: "More than 100 million people in the United States live on less than $50,000 a year," true?

124 million people lived on under $50,000 a year. That is 37.8% of the population overall.

Most Americans could get out of poverty if they only had a job.

False

Why is the statement: "During the summer, when children aren't in school, 6 out of 7 food insecure kids don't get healthy meals they need to grow strong," true?

Currently, summer meals programs reach only 16% of the children who need it.

Why is the statement: "The number of people living in poverty in the United States fell to an all-time low in 2019 at 10.5% of the population," true?

In the late 1950s, the poverty rate was approximately 22%, with just shy of 40 million Americans living in poverty. The rate declined steadily, reaching a low of 11.1% in 1973 and rising to a high of nearly 15% three times - in 1983, 1993 and 2011 - before hitting the all-time low of 10.5% in 2019. However, the 46.7 million Americans in poverty in 2014 is the most ever recorded.

Why is the statement: "Most Americans could get out of poverty if they only had a job," false?

Most poor Americans are too young, too old, or physically incapable of working due to illness or disability. In fact, over two-thirds of all Americans living in poverty must depend on someone else in the household to bring in money to live. And children are more likely than anyone to experience poverty.

Why is the statement: "Over 13 million children under 18 are food insecure in the United States," true?

Overall, children remain the poorest age group in the nation. In total, 42 million people in America were food insecure and about a third of them were children. One in six, or 16.6 percent, were poor in 2020, compared with 11.2% of people aged 18-64 and 9.2% of people age 65 and older.

Why is the statement: "The government says that a family of four is poor if it earns at least $28,000 annually," false?

The federal government puts the 2021 poverty line at $25,536 for a family of four with two children. However, researchers estimate that meeting basic needs for an average family of four would require about $58,000 annually. That is more than double what they actually make.

Why is the statement: "The federal minimum wage is now $7.25 per hour," true?

The federal minimum wage hasn't changed since 2009. But for a mother who works full- time at minimum wage to support one small child, that translates to earnings of only $15,080 or $290 a week.

Why is the statement: "The minimum necessary to achieve good nutrition and normal life expectancy in the US is $15 a day," true?

The measure for extreme poverty in the world is $1.90 a day, in the US, it is adjusted for cost of living. Although your family could exist with only $15 a day per person for all of your expenses?

Why is the statement: "The number of Americans who are food insecure exceeds the population of California, our most populated state," true?

The state with the highest population is California, at 39.5 million. The number of people living in poverty in the United States is over 42 million as of 2021. While the average rate of poverty in the U.S. is 11.4%, the people in some states see much more poverty than those who live in other parts of the country.

Why is the statement: "Adults who have regular work but remain poor - the "working poor," are finding it more difficult to lift themselves out of poverty," true?

The working poor in America must tap government programs in order to make ends meet. Over 44 million workers participate in food stamps, housing subsidies and cash assistance.In 2015, the top 1% of families in the US made more than 25 times what families in the bottom 99% did.