Poverty in the USA (first in a series)

Here are the numbers (from povertyusa.org):

Since 2000, the number of poor Americans has grown by more than 6 million. Total Americans below the official poverty thresholds numbered 37 million. (U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004)

On average, more than one out of every three Americans - 37 percent of all people in the United States - are officially classified as living in poverty at least 2 months out of the year. (U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004)

The number of Americans living in severe poverty - with incomes below half of the poverty line - remained the same at 15.6 million. (U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004)

In case you were wondering how poverty is defined, here are the federal poverty levels for families in 2005:

One person: $9,645
Two persons: $12,334
Three persons: $15,067
Four persons:$19,307
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004