Population in poverty
Washington Percent of Population in Poverty
| Age Group | Percent in Poverty |
|---|---|
| All Ages | 9.9% |
| Age 0-17 | 12.2% |
| Age 18-64 | 9.6% |
| Age 65+ | 8.2% |
By Age Group, 1969-2021
- The statewide poverty rate for the total population displayed almost no change over the 1990s, but spiked more recently because of the recession.
- Washington's elderly population is the only group to show a significant long-term decline in poverty. In 1969, 23.0% of the elderly, more than one in five, lived in poverty. By 2021, following national trends, this percentage was 8.2%. The long-term decrease in poverty among persons age 65 and over is due to the expansion of Social Security and Medicare benefits and indexing those benefits io inflation.
Data source:
E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov
Last updated
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
