Topics: Economics and Personal Finances, Socioeconomic Class. 1  Richard Fry is a senior researcher focusing on economics and education at Pew Research Center. 2  Rakesh Kochhar is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center.
In the United States, the Census Bureau determines who is poor using an economic poverty measure, by calculating official poverty estimates using a set of dollar-value thresholds, or minimum amount of income needed to meet basic needs, that vary by family size and composition.
1 adj Someone who is poor has very little money and few possessions. , (Antonym: rich) The reason our schools cannot afford better teachers is because people here are poor..., He was one of thirteen children from a poor family. The poor are people who are poor., n-plural the N. Even the poor have their pride. 2 adj The people in a poor country or area have very little money and few possessions. , (Antonym: rich) Many countries in the Third World are as poor as they have ever been., ...a settlement house for children in a poor neighborhood. 3 adj You use poor to express your sympathy for someone.