Hourly wages at the 10th percentile and poverty rate, 1979–2013
| Year | Poverty rate (left axis) | 10th percentile wages (right axis) |
|---|---|---|
| 1979-01-01 | 11.7% | $8.84 |
| 1980-01-01 | 13.0% | $8.35 |
| 1981-01-01 | 14.0% | $8.48 |
| 1982-01-01 | 15.0% | $8.16 |
| 1983-01-01 | 15.2% | $7.91 |
| 1984-01-01 | 14.4% | $7.72 |
| 1985-01-01 | 14.0% | $7.59 |
| 1986-01-01 | 13.6% | $7.58 |
| 1987-01-01 | 13.4% | $7.56 |
| 1988-01-01 | 13.0% | $7.56 |
| 1989-01-01 | 12.8% | $7.55 |
| 1990-01-01 | 13.5% | $7.67 |
| 1991-01-01 | 14.2% | $7.82 |
| 1992-01-01 | 14.8% | $7.80 |
| 1993-01-01 | 15.1% | $7.78 |
| 1994-01-01 | 14.5% | $7.69 |
| 1995-01-01 | 13.8% | $7.68 |
| 1996-01-01 | 13.7% | $7.65 |
| 1997-01-01 | 13.3% | $7.90 |
| 1998-01-01 | 12.7% | $8.33 |
| 1999-01-01 | 11.9% | $8.45 |
| 2000-01-01 | 11.3% | $8.53 |
| 2001-01-01 | 11.7% | $8.80 |
| 2002-01-01 | 12.1% | $8.90 |
| 2003-01-01 | 12.5% | $8.86 |
| 2004-01-01 | 12.7% | $8.74 |
| 2005-01-01 | 12.6% | $8.59 |
| 2006-01-01 | 12.3% | $8.64 |
| 2007-01-01 | 12.5% | $8.75 |
| 2008-01-01 | 13.2% | $8.67 |
| 2009-01-01 | 14.3% | $8.74 |
| 2010-01-01 | 15.1% | $8.67 |
| 2011-01-01 | 15.0% | $8.45 |
| 2012-01-01 | 15.0% | $8.31 |
| 2013-01-01 | 14.5% | $8.37 |
Note: Shaded areas denote recessions.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement Historical Poverty Tables (Table 2) and CPS Outgoing Rotation Group microdata