Media Contact:
Jordan Baker
jbaker@frac.org
202-640-1118
Statement attributable to Crystal FitzSimons, president, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
WASHINGTON, September 9, 2025 — A staggering number of people in America continued to live in poverty in 2024, according to the latest Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the SPM data, in 2024:
- 43.7 million (12.9 percent) people lived in poverty, slightly higher than the previous year (42.8 million or 12.9 percent);
- 1 in 7 children (9.7 million) lived in poverty, not significantly different than 2023; and
- poverty for Black individuals increased significantly by 2.2 percent from 2023 (20.7 percent), while rates remained consistent for Latinx individuals (20.3 percent), Native American and Alaska Native individuals (19.8 percent), and White, non-Hispanic individuals (8.7 percent).
Without action, poverty in America will deepen as the impact of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) hits millions of families and individuals. SNAP is one of the nation’s most effective anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs. In 2024, the program lifted 3.6 million people out of poverty and helped nearly 42 million people put food on the table.
Yet, the historic cuts to SNAP in the budget reconciliation law put this progress at risk. Families will face increased hardship as they are forced to choose between paying for food or other basic needs, such as housing and medicine.
In addition to repealing SNAP cuts, Congress must also protect and invest in the other federal nutrition programs — school and afterschool meals, summer meals, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) — and fully fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) through the appropriations process. These programs are critical to the health and financial security of children and families.
There is no excuse for poverty and hunger in America when solutions exist.
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The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.