The Census just released its annual report on poverty in the United States. The 2025 data shows the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) poverty rate at 15.4% among older adults. This rate isn’t a statistically significant change from last year, but the number of older adults in poverty is now over 10 million people, up from 9.5 million in 2024. Older adults of color had even higher rates: 27.6% of Latino older adults, 25.9% of Black older adults, 23.9% of American Indian and Alaska Native older adults, and 19.2% of Asian older adults were living in poverty under the SPM.
These numbers are more than just statistics. They give us a real picture of the lives of millions of older adults who, despite our best efforts, are still living in poverty.
This data should be a call to action for policymakers to strengthen and improve critical programs such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs provide support that is the foundation of economic security for older adults and millions of other Americans. At a time when affordability of food, health care, housing, and fuel is a growing concern, seniors depend on these programs for their very survival. And they are quickly losing ground to inflation. And for older adults whose Social Security benefits are not enough to keep them out of poverty, SSI provides an essential means-tested benefit that ensures they receive a basic income.
The importance of programs like Social Security cannot be overstated. Without Social Security, over 23 million additional adults and children would fall below the poverty line, with women and people of color being disproportionately affected. The American people understand this reality and overwhelmingly support protecting and strengthening Social Security on a bipartisan basis.
And yet, the Census poverty report shows that we still have more to do. Even with programs like Social Security and SSI, 10 million older adults are living in poverty, and millions more have incomes above the official poverty line but still well short of economic security. Seniors facing rising housing costs, health care expenses, and everyday living costs may be just one emergency, rent increase, or health crisis away from serious financial hardship. And with cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP enacted through H.R. 1, the number of people in need of assistance will likely continue to grow.
In the face of the growing affordability crisis, and the success of programs like Social Security in providing critical support to tens of millions of seniors, we must protect and strengthen all of the federal programs that provide economic security and affordable health care. With Social Security facing an approaching financing shortfall, Congress must act to raise the revenue needed to secure the program for the future, and reject cuts that would harm older adults who rely on Social Security. The Census report shows us both how much these programs accomplish, and how important it is to do more.
