Monthly poverty increased in June 2022 & remained elevated in July 2022
Monthly poverty rates increased from May to June 2022 and remained elevated in July 2022. The monthly poverty rate for the total population in June was 14.7%, the highest rate observed so far in 2022, and around half a percentage point higher than the rate of 14.1% in May. The rate then declined slightly to 14.5% in July. The monthly child poverty rate in June 2022 was 17.6%, up one percentage point from 16.6% in May, and 17.2% in July. June saw the highest poverty rates since December 2020, though these rates were still lower than pre-pandemic (January and February 2020) levels.
January 2022 marked the first month after the American Rescue Plan’s expanded Child Tax Credit monthly payments and poverty rates increased sharply in response. Monthly poverty rates saw a temporary dip in March 2022, when most refundable tax credits were delivered to families who filed a federal return, but rose again from April onwards. Earlier predictions indicated that after tax season concluded, it was likely that monthly child poverty rates could be persistently high through the rest of 2022 absent the continuation of an expanded Child Tax Credit, further policy interventions, or strong improvements in the labor market. The summer increase in child poverty reflects the absence of free school meals provided during the school year, though this was partially offset by summer Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT) food assistance approved for delivery in close to three-quarters of states.
Monthly Poverty Rates Across Age Groups, January 2021 - July 2022
Measuring Monthly Poverty
In 2020, we established a novel method to estimate monthly Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) poverty rates. Using a monthly framework, we are able to track poverty amidst changing economic circumstances, for example as the COVID-19 pandemic and federal policy responses to it evolved. Visit our data page to see monthly poverty information for the US population as a whole, as well as by race/ethnicity and age groups.
Suggested Citation:
Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University. 2022. Monthly poverty increased in June & remained elevated in July. Monthly Poverty Update. www.povertycenter.columbia.edu