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Evidence page

What Worked

Child poverty fell 46% in 2021

Updated with U.S. Census evidence

Why this page matters

The evidence base already exists for interventions that keep families stable. When lawmakers expanded the Child Tax Credit and related supports, child poverty fell sharply.

Key takeaways

  • The U.S. Census Bureau reported that child poverty fell from 9.7% in 2020 to 5.2% in 2021 under the Supplemental Poverty Measure.
  • That drop was tied in large part to the expanded Child Tax Credit and other relief measures.
  • The takeaway is practical: direct cash and housing supports reduce family crisis faster than punishment-based systems.

Sources

These pages use the most recent national evidence currently wired into the site. As new data is added, the hub can be updated without changing the page structure.
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