EXPERTS ADVISORY

University of Michigan faculty are available to discuss the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 report on poverty and income statistics, to be released Sept. 10.

The official poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5%, with 37.9 million people in poverty. The average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2022 was $29,678.

Kristin Seefeldt is an associate professor of social work and public policy and acting faculty director of Poverty Solutions, a universitywide initiative that aims to prevent and alleviate poverty through action-based research. Her research explores how economic and policy changes affect the everyday lives of economically vulnerable families, and she’s currently leading a guaranteed income pilot and research study in Ann Arbor.

“There’s extra attention on economic policy as we go into the presidential election, and we know the cost of living is top of mind for voters,” she said. “The trend in the poverty rate will show how recent policy choices continue to shape our country’s recovery from the economic downturn of the pandemic.”

Contact: [email protected]

Amanda Nothaft, director of data and analysis at Poverty Solutions, can discuss the official and supplemental poverty measures and alternative metrics for measuring hardship.

Contact: [email protected]

Trina Shanks is the Harold R. Johnson Collegiate Professor of Social Work and faculty associate at the Institute for Social Research. She conducts research on the impact of poverty and wealth on child well-being; asset-building policy and practice across the life cycle; and community and economic development.

Contact: [email protected]