U.S. official child poverty rate falls to record low in 2025, Census Bureau reports
Caroline MolloyThe official U.S. poverty rate for children under age 18 fell to 13.4% in 2025, down one percentage point from 14.4% in 2024, according to Census Bureau figures released Sept. 15.
Zeale reported that the 13.4% child-poverty rate was the lowest recorded under the official measure. The overall official poverty rate also declined, falling 0.5 percentage points to 10.2%, with approximately 34.5 million people living below the official poverty threshold.
The Census Bureau described the overall rate as one of the lowest on record because the difference from the previous low of 10.5% in 2019 was not statistically significant.
Inflation-adjusted median household income rose 2.6% to $87,460 in 2025, according to the bureau. The Supplemental Poverty Measure, which incorporates taxes, noncash benefits and certain expenses, placed both the child rate and overall rate at 13.4% and 13.1%, respectively, with neither changing significantly from 2024.
The Census Bureau also estimated that refundable tax credits kept millions of people above the supplemental-poverty threshold, while out-of-pocket medical expenses moved millions below it.
