A Profile of the Working Poor, 2001

Abstract

[Excerpt] This report presents data on the relationships between labor force activity and poverty in 2001 for workers and their families. As defined for this report, the working poor are individuals who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force (working or looking for work), but whose incomes fell below the official poverty level. The specific income thresholds that are used to determine persons' poverty status depend on whether the individuals are family members or live alone or with non-relatives. For family members, the poverty threshold is deter- mined by their families' total income; for persons not living in families, their personal income is used as the determinant.