Figure G

Poverty rate for elderly and non-elderly adults, 1966–2012

Year Non-elderly (age 18–64) Elderly (age 65+)
1966 10.5% 28.5%
1967 10.0% 29.5%
1968 9.0% 25.0%
1969 8.7% 25.3%
1970 9.0% 24.6%
1971 9.3% 21.6%
1972 8.8% 18.6%
1973 8.3% 16.3%
1974 8.3% 14.6%
1975 9.2% 15.3%
1976 9.0% 15.0%
1977 8.8% 14.1%
1978 8.7% 14.0%
1979 8.9% 15.2%
1980 10.1% 15.7%
1981 11.1% 15.3%
1982 12.0% 14.6%
1983 12.4% 13.8%
1984 11.7% 12.4%
1985 11.3% 12.6%
1986 10.8% 12.4%
1987 10.6% 12.5%
1988 10.5% 12.0%
1989 10.2% 11.4%
1990 10.7% 12.2%
1991 11.4% 12.4%
1992 11.9% 12.9%
1993 12.4% 12.2%
1994 11.9% 11.7%
1995 11.4% 10.5%
1996 11.4% 10.8%
1997 10.9% 10.5%
1998 10.5% 10.5%
1999 10.1% 9.7%
2000 9.6% 9.9%
2001 10.1% 10.1%
2002 10.6% 10.4%
2003 10.8% 10.2%
2004 11.3% 9.8%
2005 11.1% 10.1%
2006 10.8% 9.4%
2007 10.9% 9.7%
2008 11.7% 9.7%
2009 12.9% 8.9%
2010 13.8% 8.9%
2011 13.7% 8.7%
2012  13.7%  9.1%

Source: Authors’ analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement Historical Poverty Tables (Table 3)

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Figure F

Poverty rate for total population and children, 1979–2012

Year Total population Children
1979 11.7% 16.4%
1980 13.0% 18.3%
1981 14.0% 20.0%
1982 15.0% 21.9%
1983 15.2% 22.3%
1984 14.4% 21.5%
1985 14.0% 20.7%
1986 13.6% 20.5%
1987 13.4% 20.3%
1988 13.0% 19.5%
1989 12.8% 19.6%
1990 13.5% 20.6%
1991 14.2% 21.8%
1992 14.8% 22.3%
1993 15.1% 22.7%
1994 14.5% 21.8%
1995 13.8% 20.8%
1996 13.7% 20.5%
1997 13.3% 19.9%
1998 12.7% 18.9%
1999 11.9% 17.1%
2000 11.3% 16.2%
2001 11.7% 16.3%
2002 12.1% 16.7%
2003 12.5% 17.6%
2004 12.7% 17.8%
2005 12.6% 17.6%
2006 12.3% 17.4%
2007 12.5% 18.0%
2008 13.2% 19.0%
2009 14.3% 20.7%
2010 15.1% 22.0%
2011 15.0% 21.9%
2012  15.0% 21.8%
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Source: Authors’ analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC) Historical Poverty Tables (Table 3) and CPS-ASEC microdata

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