Nation’s Poverty Rate Sees Decline from 1999 to 2000

October 15, 2001

Nation's Poverty Rate Sees Decline from 1999 to 2000

According to a government poverty report, the poverty rate in 2000 was 11.3 percent, down from 11.8 percent in 1999. About 1.1 million fewer people were poor in 2000 than in 1999 -- 31.1 million versus 32.3 million. The poverty rate in 2000 was the lowest in 21 years -- not statistically different from the rate in 1979 or the record low of 11.1 percent set in 1973. The report is called Poverty in the United States, and was released . . .