Poverty - Percent of population (age 25 and over) under 100% poverty by educational attainment in Pennsylvania

The poverty level, also known as the poverty line, is the lowest level of income deemed necessary for basic living standards within a given society. This level is based on the cost of food, clothing, shelter, and utilities, which are considered to be the bare minimum resources essential for survival.[1] Poverty has been associated with several poor living conditions, including homelessness, food insecurity, inadequate childcare, lack of access to healthcare, unsafe neighborhoods, and underfunded schools.[2] Research strongly suggests that all families require a strong foundation with an adequate income in order to be healthy, succeed in school, contribute to the local community, and participate in the economy.[3] Measuring economic hardship and deprivation plays a critical role in creating a world where everyone has that basic foundation.

Educational attainment refers to the highest degree or level of education completed by an individual.[4] The educational attainment achieved by the general population has gradually increased over the past decade, improving the quality of the American workforce, and allowing the United States to remain competitive within the global market.[5] Despite these increases, however, many Americans remain unable to achieve a high education level because of their low-income status. This is largely due to educational attainment having a positive correlation with average earnings, suggesting that those with higher degree levels typically earn higher wages. Children born into low-attaining, low-earning families simply lack the economic and social resources that those born into high-attaining, high-earning families use to achieve postsecondary education, perpetuating their socioeconomic status.[6] Gaps in educational attainment by family income are believed to play a significant role in accounting for income inequality and socioeconomic mobility, characterized as one’s ability to move from one social or economic class to another.[7] This is particularly evident when measuring the percent of the population below poverty by educational attainment level. Unsurprisingly, the highest percentage of individuals living in poverty have less than a high school education.