Poverty and Inequality

Poor persons in the United States have far higher living standards than the public imagines. Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists, and politicians.

The major causes of child poverty in the United States in any year will be the absence of married fathers in the home and low levels of parental work.

HIGHLIGHTS

What is Poverty in America?
For decades, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that over 30 million Americans were living in “poverty,” but the bureau’s definition of poverty differs widely from that held by most Americans. Read More.
2010 Index of Dependence on Government
The number of Americans who pay taxes continues to shrink—and the United States is close to the point at which half of the population will not pay taxes for government benefits they receive. Read More.

Our Research & Offerings on Poverty and Inequality

Play Movie Video Recorded on September 26, 2011 Robert Rector on Suburban Poverty on FBN
Robert Rector discusses poverty in America. … Read more
Audio Recorded on September 16, 2011 Rachel Sheffield on Poverty in America: Heritage in Focus Podcast
In this week's Heritage in Focus pocast, Rachel Sheffield discusses poverty in America. David Weinberger hosts. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes. To listen to more Heritage in Focus podcasts, return to the Podcast… Read more
Audio Recorded on September 14, 2011 Istook856 What is Poverty?
From The Heritage Foundation, I'm Ernest Istook. The Census Bureau says that poverty is up in America. That's bad. … Read more
Play Movie Video Recorded on September 14, 2011 Robert Rector on Poverty on FBN
Robert Rector discusses poverty in America. … Read more
Backgrounder posted September 13, 2011 by Robert Rector, Rachel Sheffield Understanding Poverty in the United States: Surprising Facts About America's Poor
Executive Summary Today, the Census Bureau released its annual poverty report, which declared that a record 46.2 million persons, or roughly one in seven Americans, were poor in 2010. The numbers were up sharply from the previous year’s total of… Read more
Play Movie Video Recorded on September 7, 2011 Brian Darling on Food Stamps on FBN
Brian Darling discusses food stamps. … Read more
Play Movie Video Recorded on August 20, 2011 Robert Rector on Poverty in American on Washington Journal
Robert Rector discusses poverty. … Read more
Commentary posted July 25, 2011 by Robert Rector A Poor Definition of Poverty
For two decades, the Census Bureau has reported almost yearly that more than 35 million Americans live in "poverty." Last fall, census officials grabbed headlines by saying 43.5 million persons were poor. That's one in seven Americans. But what does it mean to be "poor" in America? What… Read more
Play Movie Video Recorded on July 21, 2011 The Fox News Team Discusses Heritage Research on Poverty
The Fox News Team discusses Heritage's recent research on how the government defines poverty. … Read more
Commentary posted July 21, 2011 by Robert Rector Cable TV, AC and an Xbox: What is Poverty Today?
For two decades, the Census Bureau has reported almost yearly that more than 35 million Americans live in “poverty.” Last year, census officials grabbed headlines by saying 43.5 million persons were poor. That’s one in seven Americans. But what does it mean to be “poor” in America?… Read more

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Backgrounder posted September 13, 2011 by Robert Rector, Rachel Sheffield Understanding Poverty in the United States: Surprising Facts About America's Poor
Executive Summary Today, the Census Bureau released its annual poverty report, which declared that a record 46.2 million persons, or roughly one in seven Americans, were poor in 2010. The numbers were up sharply from the previous year’s total of… Read more
Backgrounder posted August 27, 2007 by Robert Rector How Poor Are America's Poor? Examining the "Plague" of Poverty in America
Poverty is an important and emotional issue. Last year, the Census Bureau released its annual report on poverty in the United States declaring that there were 37 million poor persons living in this country in 2005, roughly the same number as in the preceding years.[4] According to… Read more
Center for Data Analysis Report posted October 14, 2010 by William Beach, Patrick Tyrrell The 2010 Index of Dependence on Government
Abstract: The number of Americans who pay taxes continues to shrink—and the United States is close to the point at which half of the population will not pay taxes for government benefits… Read more
Lecture posted March 4, 1993 by Russell Kirk The Meaning of Justice
The word "justice" is on everyone's lips nowadays, and may signify almost anything. We hear the cry "Peace and Justice!" from folk who would destroy existing societies with fire and sword. Other folk fancy that perfect justice might readily be obtained by certain financial rearrangements -- as if anything in this world ever could be… Read more
Report on August 17, 2010 Solutions for America: The Unsustainable Growth of Welfare
THE ISSUE: Despite spending almost $16 trillion since the War on Poverty began in 1964, welfare programs have failed to reduce the causes of poverty, and instead have hurt many of the people they were intended to help. Poverty in… Read more
Special Report posted October 25, 2006 by Robert Rector Importing Poverty: Immigration and Poverty in the United States: A Book of Charts
Introduction In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson launched the War on poverty with the goal of eliminating poverty in the United States. Since that time, the U.S. has spent over $11 trillion on anti-poverty programs, providing cash, food, housing, medical… Read more
Factsheet on March 17, 2011 Welfare Reform The Next Steps
Welfare Reform’s Recent History Franklin Delano Roosevelt: In 1935, President Roosevelt (D) said: “Continued… Read more
Lecture posted July 29, 1992 by The Honorable William Barr Crime, Poverty and the Familiy
I don't have to tell you that things are at a critical juncture in our country when it comes to violent crime. We find violence now running at intolerably high levels. The heyday of violent crime was actually in the 1960s and 1970s, and I will describe it in more detail later. It peaked… Read more
Center for Data Analysis Report posted May 23, 2001 by Robert Rector, Kirk Johnson, Ph.D., Patrick Fagan, Ph.D. Understanding Differences in Black and White Child Poverty Rates
INTRODUCTION High rates of child poverty… Read more
Testimony posted September 25, 2008 by Robert Rector Understanding and Reducing Poverty in America
Testimony before Joint Economic Committee United States Senate Delivered on September 25, 2008 My name is Robert Rector. I am a Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. I am honored to have the opportunity to discuss poverty and poverty reduction at this hearing. The views… Read more

Find more work on Poverty and Inequality

Backgrounder posted September 13, 2011 by Robert Rector, Rachel Sheffield Understanding Poverty in the United States: Surprising Facts About America's Poor
Executive Summary Today, the Census Bureau released its annual poverty report, which declared that a record 46.2 million persons, or roughly one in seven Americans, were poor in 2010. The numbers were up sharply from the previous year’s total of… Read more
Executive Summary posted July 19, 2011 by Robert Rector, Rachel Sheffield Executive Summary: Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What Is Poverty in the United States Today?
Read the full text here Each year for the past two decades, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that over 30 million Americans were living in “poverty.” In recent years, the Census has reported that one in seven Americans are poor. But what does it… Read more
Backgrounder posted July 19, 2011 by Robert Rector, Rachel Sheffield Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?
Read the Executive Summary Abstract: For decades, the U.S.… Read more
Center for Policy Innovation Lecture posted March 8, 2011 by Stuart Butler, Ph.D. Should the Disadvantaged Be Spared from the Budget Axe?
Abstract: If America fails to deal with its long-term fiscal problem in sensible ways that spur economic growth and strengthen the economy, the poor will ultimately take the biggest hit. Thus, any conversation about spending, program reform, and tax policy has to be seen in this context: not as an… Read more
Center for Data Analysis Report posted October 14, 2010 by William Beach, Patrick Tyrrell The 2010 Index of Dependence on Government
Abstract: The number of Americans who pay taxes continues to shrink—and the United States is close to the point at which half of the population will not pay taxes for government benefits… Read more
Backgrounder posted September 16, 2010 by Robert Rector Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Child Poverty
Abstract: Child poverty is an ongoing national concern, but few are aware that its principal cause is the absence of married fathers in the home. Marriage remains America’s strongest anti-poverty weapon, yet it continues to decline. As husbands disappear from the home, poverty and… Read more
Report on August 17, 2010 Solutions for America: The Unsustainable Growth of Welfare
THE ISSUE: Despite spending almost $16 trillion since the War on Poverty began in 1964, welfare programs have failed to reduce the causes of poverty, and instead have hurt many of the people they were intended to help. Poverty in… Read more
Backgrounder on June 24, 2010 Confronting the Unsustainable Growth of Welfare Entitlements: Principles of Reform and the Next Steps
Abstract: The growth of welfare spending is unsustainable and will drive the United States into bankruptcy if allowed to continue. President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget request would increase total welfare spending to $953 billion—a 42 percent… Read more
WebMemo posted June 16, 2010 by Robert Rector Married Fathers: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Child Poverty
The mainstream media, liberal politicians, activists, and academia bewail child poverty in the U.S. But in these ritual lamentations, one key fact remains hidden: The principal cause of child poverty in the U.S. is the absence of married fathers in the home. According to the U.S… Read more
Backgrounder posted March 16, 2010 by The Honorable Tom Feeney Interstate Competition and Choice in Health Insurance: The American Way
Abstract: Americans want health care reform--but they do not want compulsive mandates imposed by Congress and the Administration. Private citizens and state legislators across the country, from both sides of the aisle, are… Read more

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Blog Post on 1/13/2012 8:00:14 AM Americans Remain Unconcerned by Income Inequality
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Blog Post on 12/21/2011 7:30:26 AM Census Bureau Says Half of Americans Are Poor? Think Again.
Last week, the Associated Press reported that, based on the Census Bureau's new poverty measure, half of America is now...… Read more
Blog Post on 12/16/2011 11:07:25 AM Poll: Americans Reject Class Warfare Talk by Obama, Occupy Wall Street
A new poll from Gallup suggests that President Obama’s class warfare argument and the Occupy Wall Street movement are...… Read more
Blog Post on 11/21/2011 6:30:28 AM What's Going on Inside the CBO's Recent Income Distribution Analysis?
On October 25, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published an analysis of changes in the distribution of household...… Read more
Blog Post on 11/15/2011 10:00:03 AM Income Inequality and the Founding Fathers
What did America’s founders say about economic inequality? Rather than unload statistics about the reality of inequality...… Read more
Blog Post on 11/11/2011 7:00:37 AM Marriage: Indiana's No. 1 Weapon Against Childhood Poverty
Children in Indiana born to single parents are more than six times more likely to live in poverty than children born to...… Read more