There are large racial disparities in poverty at older ages (65 and older)—likely reflecting differences in retirement preparedness and/or lifetime income disparities: Poverty rates for people ages 65 and older, by race and ethnicity, 1974–2020
| Year | All | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 14.6% | 12.5% | 34.3% | 28.9% | |
| 1975 | 15.3 | 13 | 36.3 | 32.6 | |
| 1976 | 15 | 12.8 | 34.8 | 27.7 | |
| 1977 | 14.1 | 11.7 | 36.3 | 21.9 | |
| 1978 | 14 | 11.8 | 33.9 | 23.2 | |
| 1979 | 15.2 | 12.9 | 36.2 | 26.8 | |
| 1980 | 15.7 | 13.2 | 38.1 | 30.8 | |
| 1981 | 15.3 | 12.7 | 39 | 25.7 | |
| 1982 | 14.6 | 12 | 38.2 | 26.6 | |
| 1983 | 13.8 | 11.4 | 36 | 22.1 | |
| 1984 | 12.4 | 10.3 | 31.7 | 21.5 | |
| 1985 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 31.5 | 23.9 | |
| 1986 | 12.4 | 10.3 | 31 | 22.5 | |
| 1987 | 12.5 | 10 | 32.4 | 27.5 | 15% |
| 1988 | 12 | 9.5 | 32.2 | 22.4 | 13.5 |
| 1989 | 11.4 | 9.2 | 30.7 | 20.6 | 7.4 |
| 1990 | 12.2 | 9.6 | 33.8 | 22.5 | 12.1 |
| 1991 | 12.4 | 9.8 | 33.8 | 20.8 | 12.7 |
| 1992 | 12.9 | 10.5 | 33.5 | 22.1 | 10.8 |
| 1993 | 12.2 | 10.1 | 28 | 21.4 | 15.6 |
| 1994 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 27.4 | 22.6 | 13 |
| 1995 | 10.5 | 8.3 | 25.4 | 23.5 | 14.3 |
| 1996 | 10.8 | 8.6 | 25.3 | 24.4 | 9.7 |
| 1997 | 10.5 | 8.1 | 26 | 23.8 | 12.3 |
| 1998 | 10.5 | 8.2 | 26.4 | 21 | 12.4 |
| 1999 | 9.7 | 7.6 | 22.8 | 20.5 | 11.1 |
| 2000 | 9.9 | 7.9 | 21.8 | 20.9 | 9.3 |
| 2001 | 10.1 | 8.1 | 21.9 | 21.8 | 10.2 |
| 2002 | 10.4 | 8.3 | 23.8 | 21.4 | 8.4 |
| 2003 | 10.2 | 8 | 23.7 | 19.5 | 14.3 |
| 2004 | 9.8 | 7.5 | 23.8 | 18.4 | 13.5 |
| 2005 | 10.1 | 7.9 | 23.3 | 19.9 | 12.8 |
| 2006 | 9.4 | 7 | 22.7 | 19.4 | 12 |
| 2007 | 9.7 | 7.4 | 23.2 | 17.1 | 11.3 |
| 2008 | 9.7 | 7.6 | 20 | 19.3 | 12.1 |
| 2009 | 8.9 | 6.6 | 19.5 | 18.3 | 15.8 |
| 2010 | 8.9 | 6.8 | 17.9 | 18 | 14.4 |
| 2011 | 8.7 | 6.7 | 17.3 | 18.7 | 11.7 |
| 2012 | 9.1 | 6.8 | 18.2 | 20.6 | 12.3 |
| 2013 | 9.85 | 7.6 | 18.2 | 20.1 | 15.2 |
| 2014 | 10 | 7.8 | 19.2 | 18.1 | 14.7 |
| 2015 | 8.8 | 6.6 | 18.4 | 17.5 | 11.8 |
| 2016 | 9.3 | 7.1 | 18.7 | 17.4 | 11.8 |
| 2017 | 9.4 | 7.3 | 19.2 | 16.9 | 11.3 |
| 2018 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 18.9 | 19.5 | 11.7 |
| 2019 | 8.9 | 6.8 | 18 | 17.1 | 9.3 |
| 2020 | 9 | 6.8 | 17.2 | 16.6 | 11.5 |
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.