Persistently elevated Black and Hispanic child poverty rates have thwarted progress reducing overall child poverty in the U.S.: Child poverty rates, by race and ethnicity, 1974–2020
| All | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 15.4% | 9.5% | 39.8% | ||
| 1975 | 17.1 | 10.8 | 41.7 | ||
| 1976 | 16 | 9.8 | 40.6 | 30.2% | |
| 1977 | 16.2 | 9.9 | 41.8 | 28.3 | |
| 1978 | 15.9 | 9.6 | 41.5 | 27.6 | |
| 1979 | 16.4 | 10.1 | 41.2 | 28 | |
| 1980 | 18.3 | 11.8 | 42.3 | 33.2 | |
| 1981 | 20 | 12.9 | 45.2 | 35.9 | |
| 1982 | 21.9 | 14.4 | 47.6 | 39.5 | |
| 1983 | 22.3 | 14.8 | 46.7 | 38.1 | |
| 1984 | 21.5 | 13.7 | 46.6 | 39.2 | |
| 1985 | 20.7 | 12.8 | 43.6 | 40.3 | |
| 1986 | 20.5 | 13 | 43.1 | 37.7 | |
| 1987 | 20.3 | 11.8 | 45.1 | 39.3 | 23.5% |
| 1988 | 19.5 | 11 | 43.5 | 37.6 | 24.1 |
| 1989 | 19.6 | 11.5 | 43.7 | 36.2 | 19.8 |
| 1990 | 20.6 | 12.3 | 44.8 | 38.4 | 17.6 |
| 1991 | 21.8 | 13.1 | 45.9 | 40.4 | 17.5 |
| 1992 | 22.3 | 13.2 | 46.6 | 40 | 16.4 |
| 1993 | 22.7 | 13.6 | 46.1 | 40.9 | 18.2 |
| 1994 | 21.8 | 12.5 | 43.8 | 41.5 | 18.3 |
| 1995 | 20.8 | 11.2 | 41.9 | 40 | 19.5 |
| 1996 | 20.5 | 11.1 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 19.5 |
| 1997 | 19.9 | 11.4 | 37.2 | 36.8 | 20.3 |
| 1998 | 18.9 | 10.6 | 36.7 | 34.4 | 18 |
| 1999 | 17.1 | 9.4 | 33.2 | 30.3 | 11.9 |
| 2000 | 16.2 | 9.1 | 31.2 | 28.4 | 12.7 |
| 2001 | 16.3 | 9.5 | 30.2 | 28 | 11.5 |
| 2002 | 16.7 | 9.4 | 32.3 | 28.6 | 11.7 |
| 2003 | 17.6 | 9.8 | 34.1 | 29.7 | 12.5 |
| 2004 | 17.8 | 10.5 | 33.7 | 28.9 | 9.9 |
| 2005 | 17.6 | 10 | 34.5 | 28.3 | 11.1 |
| 2006 | 17.4 | 10 | 33.4 | 26.9 | 12.2 |
| 2007 | 18 | 10.1 | 34.5 | 28.6 | 12.5 |
| 2008 | 19 | 10.6 | 34.7 | 30.6 | 14.6 |
| 2009 | 20.7 | 11.9 | 35.7 | 33.1 | 14 |
| 2010 | 22 | 12.3 | 39 | 34.9 | 14.4 |
| 2011 | 21.9 | 12.5 | 38.8 | 34.1 | 13.5 |
| 2012 | 21.8 | 12.3 | 37.9 | 33.8 | 13.8 |
| 2013 | 20.7 | 12.05 | 36 | 31.7 | 12.4 |
| 2014 | 21.1 | 12.3 | 37.1 | 31.9 | 14 |
| 2015 | 19.7 | 12.1 | 32.9 | 28.9 | 12.3 |
| 2016 | 18 | 10.8 | 30.8 | 26.6 | 11.1 |
| 2017 | 17.45 | 10.55 | 29.7 | 25 | 10.9 |
| 2018 | 16.2 | 8.9 | 29.5 | 23.7 | 11.3 |
| 2019 | 14.4 | 8.3 | 26.4 | 20.9 | 7.3 |
| 2020 | 16.1 | 9.9 | 27.7 | 23.1 | 8.4 |
Notes: All race categories are single race and do not distinguish Hispanic ethnicity from non-Hispanic ethnicity, except for white, which is exclusive of Hispanic ethnicity (i.e., non-Hispanic white alone, Black alone, and Asian alone). Hispanic can be of any race.
Source: Economic Policy Institute analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey Historical Poverty Tables, Table 3.
Source: Economic Policy Institute analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey–Annual Social and Economic Supplements 1960 to 2021. “Table 3. Poverty Status of People, by Age, Race, and Hispanic Origin” (Excel table) from Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families–1959 to 2020, last revised October 8, 2021.