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

Without an extension, those expanded subsidies — which currently help Americans earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level afford marketplace coverage — would lapse.

Read more on MarketWatch

Whereas ObamaCare limited subsidy eligibility to households with incomes below four times the poverty level, the enhanced subsidies eliminated that cap.

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

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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.

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

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