Portland's poverty rate is dropping
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The share of Portland-area residents living in poverty in 2023 was the lowest it's been in over a decade, recent census data shows.
Why it matters: The poverty rate has been declining locally and statewide over the years as wages have increased, particularly for low-income workers.
- It's trending down again since a small rise during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the numbers: The poverty rate in the Portland metro area — which includes Hillsboro and Vancouver, Washington — dropped slightly to 9.2% in 2023, compared to 9.5% in 2022, according to new data released by the American Community Survey (ACS) this month.
- The poverty rate was 14% a decade earlier.
Context: Portland ranks high among the top U.S. metros for upward mobility, meaning those born to low-income families tend to be a bit better off than their parents by the time they reach adulthood, per a recent analysis.
How it works: The ACS uses an income threshold to determine whether a household is below poverty level.
- The threshold is adjusted for inflation and changes depending on household size and number of children.
- The Census Bureau considered someone below the poverty line in December 2023 if they made less than about $15,800 as an individual, or under about $31,000 as a family with two adults and two children.
The big picture: The poverty rate in 22 of the 25 most populous metropolitan areas did not change significantly from 2022 to 2023, according to the ACS.
- Washington, D.C. and Minneapolis metros had among the lowest poverty rates at about 8%. Houston, Detroit and San Antonio were among the highest at about 14%.
Zoom out: Most states did not see a significant change in poverty rates last year, including Oregon which stands at 12.2% — but it was down from 17.2% in 2012.
- New Hampshire had the lowest poverty rate at 7.2%, while Louisiana had the highest at 18.9%.
- Nationally in 2023, the official poverty rate was 11.1%.