“Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among Low-Income Families”

Low-income status in the United States varies significantly by race and ethnicity. However, racial and ethnic differences among families with incomes below 200 percent of the poverty level are rarely discussed in U.S. Census reports. According to the Urban Institute, of the more than 13.4 million families with children living on incomes less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, 30 percent are Hispanic, 22 percent are black or African American, and 6 percent are other nonwhites. This fact sheet provides statistics on racial and ethnic differences in family structure, work effort, immigration status, earnings and education.

Read the report.