Poverty and the Federal Minimum Wage Poverty thresholds, by household type Two adults two children $23 -624
The chart compares the federal minimum to the poverty thresholds for five different household types. (We used the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, Research Series, to adjust the wage levels.) For example, in 1968, when the minimum wage was at its peak value, one minimum-wage job could keep three people out of poverty. Today’s minimum, which works out to $15,080 a year (assuming a full 40-hour work week), will lift a single person out of poverty. However, it’s nearly $1,000 below the poverty threshold for a one-adult, one-child household.
Poverty and the Federal Minimum Wage  | Poverty thresholds, by household type  | Two adults two children  | $23 -624  | $18,769  | One adult, two children  | $18, .751  | Two adults, one child  | One adult,  | $16,057  | one child  | $15, LE80  | Annual minimum-wage  | $14,551  | earnings  | Single, less than 65  | $12, 119  | 0  | 1960  | 70  | '80  | '90  | 00  | '10 '13  | Note: Annual minimum-wage earnings in constant 2013 dollars assuming a fullttime work schedule  | of 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year Poverty thresholds are adjusted for inflation feach year.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 