Topics: Economics and Personal Finances, Socioeconomic Class. 1  Richard Fry is a senior researcher focusing on economics and education at Pew Research Center. 2  Rakesh Kochhar is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center.
In the United States, the Census Bureau determines who is poor using an economic poverty measure, by calculating official poverty estimates using a set of dollar-value thresholds, or minimum amount of income needed to meet basic needs, that vary by family size and composition.
2. The working poor lack full-year employment. The working poor are less likely to work full-time and year-round compared to other workers. As Figure 5 illustrates, 26% of the working poor work full-time year-round, compared'to 67% of all workers.. The working poor lack full-year employment. The working poor are less likely to work full-time and year-round compared to other workers. As Figure 5 illustrates, 26% of the working poor work full-time year-round, compared'to 67% of all workers.