The share of people living in the United States in families with income below the official federal poverty threshold has fluctuated between about 11 percent and about 15 percent over the past several decades. CBO analyzes a wide variety of federal programs that aim to reduce poverty, alleviate some of poverty's adverse consequences, and enhance income security.
Food Insufficiency and Income Volatility in U.S. Households: The Effects of Imputed Earnings in the Survey of Income and Program Participation: Working Paper 2012-07