Frustrating but not surprising: Census poverty data show more advocacy is needed

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual poverty and income data, also known as the “Census poverty data”. This data provides lawmakers and advocates like you with an important measure of the economic hardships across the country.  

The Census Bureau uses several measures to calculate poverty rates. But the Supplemental Poverty Measure (or the “SPM”) gives a more comprehensive and accurate picture of poverty in America. This is because the SPM accounts for cash assistance, tax credits, and other non-monetary benefits. The SPM increased from 12.4 percent in 2022 to 12.9 percent in 2023. Child poverty rate rose by 1.3 percentage points to 13.7 percent in 2023. Poverty went up. 

We’re in an election year. The state of the economy is front-and-center in politics right now. We must not let candidates lose sight of addressing poverty in America. Here are some takeaways from the poverty data, and some actions you can ask your candidates and lawmakers to take: 

1. Demand more housing affordability. One of the reasons that the 2023 SPM rate increased is because housing was more expensive. Families spent more this year on basic needs like food and housing. Household incomes have not kept up with inflation in rent costs and rising prices for basic goods. The rent remains too dang high. This is why we continue to advocate for policies like a renter tax credit that would help make housing more affordable for folks with lower incomes. A renter tax credit is key as lawmakers also find ways to increase the affordable housing supply.  

2. Reinstate the enhanced Child Tax Credit (CTC) and pass related cash assistance programs. One big lesson from the census poverty data is that expanding the CTC effectively drove down poverty rates. Back in 2021, child poverty rates reached a record-low of 5.2 percent when families could receive an expanded CTC on a monthly basis. This reduction in child poverty was remarkable. It’s horrific that child poverty is back up to 13.7 percent rate in 2023. We know that similar cash assistance programs are just as effective (for example, a renter tax credit). We must continue to advocate for cash assistance tools as part of the broader effort to end poverty. 

3. Oppose any cuts to anti-poverty programs like SNAP and WIC. Right now, Congress is working on its annual budget. This budget funds many anti-poverty programs including the nutrition program, Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Congress must also work on the Farm Bill that could make improvements to another vital nutrition program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as “food stamps”). This year’s census poverty data affirm what we know from advocates with lived experience: when these anti-poverty programs have adequate funding, poverty goes down. The poverty data showed that SNAP provided tools for 3.4 million people to keep themselves above the poverty line. We continue to oppose harmful cuts and changes to SNAP. We need Congress to act so families don’t plunge deeper into poverty just to keep food on the table. 

We’re approaching the end of the year, but our advocacy is just heating up. Now is the time to take action. Write media. Speak to your lawmakers and candidates. Let’s act now on policies that can help people pull themselves out of poverty.