5 Million More Children Experienced Poverty in 2022 Than in 2021, Following Expiration of COVID-era Economic Relief

According to 2022 Census data, the rate of child poverty in the United States has more than doubled, from 5.2 percent in 2021 to 12.4 percent in 2022. The increase follows the expiration of many of the COVID-era programs that resulted in unprecedented reductions in child poverty. Despite high rates of unemployment during the pandemic, child poverty declined by 25 percent in 2020 and by nearly 50 percent in 2021, due to stimulus payments and temporary expansions to government programs. The expiration of these programs reverses the progress of the last two years. This Child Trends blogpost discusses how to prevent further loss of the progress made in reducing child poverty.