U.S. Poverty Rate Falls to Record Low of 10.2% in 2025, Census Bureau Data Shows

Income Up, Poverty Down

The U.S. poverty rate fell to a record low of 10.2% in 2025, while median household income rose to an all-time high of $87,460, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures cited by Mezha and CNN.

Mezha reported that 34.5 million people lived in poverty last year and that the official poverty rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 10.2%.

CNN said the poverty rate dipped by half a percentage point to 10.2% in 2025 and that the child poverty rate fell a percentage point to 13.4%, the lowest on record.

Both outlets also pointed to health coverage gaps, with Mezha saying 26.7 million people, or 7.9% of the population, had no health insurance coverage at any point during the year and CNN reporting the uninsured rate stayed essentially the same at 7.9%.

Mezha added that the supplemental poverty measure stood at 13.1% and that for a family of two adults and two children, the poverty threshold in 2025 was an annual income of less than $32,649.

Reporting for this sectionМежа. Новини України.CNN

Affordability Still Pinches

Even with the income gains, CNN said many Americans feel financially squeezed as prices for groceries, utilities, housing costs and other essentials remain stubbornly high after years of high inflation during the Biden administration. CNN linked the affordability pressure to the ongoing US-Iran war, saying the steep increase in gasoline and oil prices exacerbated the crisis this year. CNN reported that the latest Census report does not include the sweeping cuts to the nation’s safety net program that are part of the Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which Trump signed into law in July 2025.

Mezha similarly described debates in the United States over the potential impact of federal spending cuts on social assistance programs as Washington weighs changes to social support programs. In the same Census data, CNN said the uninsured rate stayed essentially the same at 7.9% while median household income rose 2.6% to $87,460, underscoring the gap between headline income and day-to-day costs.

Reporting for this sectionCNN

Safety Net Cuts Loom

CNN said the Census report does not include the sweeping cuts to the nation’s safety net program in the Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which Trump signed into law in July 2025. CNN added that the package is expected to result in millions of people losing food stamps and Medicaid in coming years, which will be reflected in future Census data. Mezha reported that the official poverty rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 10.2% and that the supplemental poverty measure stood at 13.1%, highlighting how different measures can show different levels of hardship.

CNN also noted that median earnings for full-time year-round workers did not change significantly in 2025, while women saw an increase in earnings of 3.2%. Mezha said most U.S. residents had health insurance for all or part of 2025, but 26.7 million people had no health coverage at any point during the year, leaving a clear group potentially exposed as safety net changes take effect.

Reporting for this sectionCNN