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Hours Worked & Poverty

Mean hours worked and poverty rates have been steady for the past five years

Poverty rates and the average number of hours worked in 2023 have been steady, having returned in 2019 to pre-Great Recession levels (comparable to 2008). Average hours worked and poverty rate are negatively correlated, meaning that, typically, when mean hours worked is lower the poverty rate is higher.

In 2023:

• 12% of the population was in poverty in the last 12 months.
• The mean number of hours worked for workers was 37 hours a week.

notes

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-year estimates, Table S2303.

Poverty status in last 12 months.