poverty level

noun

1. poverty line.

poverty level

1. A level of income above which it is possible to achieve an adequate standard of living and below which it is not. It fluctuates with the cost of living.

Because the poverty level is somewhat artificially established by the government, it can be manipulated for political ends. As with hidden unemployment, governments are often accused of establishing a poverty level that underestimates the number of poor people.

Other Word Forms

• poverty-level adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of poverty level¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Tuesday’s report also showed poverty levels in the U.S. were little changed.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Those making above 400% of the federal poverty level–or $62,600 for an individual in 2025–would lose their subsidies altogether, while those making under that threshold would get less.

Read more on Barron's

Especially troubling was the sharp cutoff of any subsidies for families earning even a dime more than 400% of the poverty level.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Schools have also been making lists of families who are most at risk of chronic absence, based on factors such as poverty level and English status.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The Affordable Care Act used Medicaid to cover the poorest uninsured Americans, those with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $21,597 this year.

Read more on Los Angeles Times