The U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 report on poverty, income, and health insurance reveals troubling trends for families across the country. Child poverty rates have climbed, and for the first time in two decades, the gender wage gap has widened. These statistics point to a need for immediate policy action to reverse these setbacks.
Key Findings:
Child Poverty Rate:Â Using the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), the child poverty rate increased from 12.4% in 2022 to 13.7% in 2023. The expiration of pandemic-era relief programs, such as the expanded Child Tax Credit, has played a significant role in this rise.
Overall Poverty Rate: The overall SPM poverty rate also grew by 0.5% in 2023. Contributing factors include rising housing costs and the expiration of crucial financial supports like the American Rescue Plan Act’s child care funding.
Wage Gap:Â The gender wage gap between men and women working full-time widened for the first time since 2003. Women earned 83 cents for every dollar men made in 2023, a decline from 84 cents in 2022. This gap is even starker for Black women, who were paid just 66 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
Health Insurance:Â A concerning increase in uninsured children occurred, rising from 5.4% in 2022 to 5.8% in 2023. While overall health insurance rates remained stable, the looming expiration of expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies could lead to further coverage losses in the coming year.
Emily Martin, Chief Program Officer at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), stressed the significance of these numbers in her statement:
Poverty is a policy choice. A widening gender wage gap is a policy choice. Lawmakers know what it takes to reduce child poverty and support women’s economic opportunities, yet they continue to choose inaction. The data shows us moving backward, particularly for women and families, during a year when the federal right to abortion was repealed for the first time in nearly 50 years. It’s time for lawmakers to invest in family priorities—expand the Child Tax Credit, strengthen equal pay laws, restore abortion access, and make child care more affordable.
These trends highlight the urgent need for proactive measures to support women, families, and children. Action is needed now to prevent further backsliding and help all families thrive.
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