September 16, 2026 - WASHINGTON- AARP Foundation President Claire Casey issued the following statement in response to new U.S. Census Bureau data on poverty, income and health insurance coverage in 2025. The report found that more than 10 million adults age 65 and older fell below the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) threshold in 2025, which accounts for taxes and expenses such as housing and medical care.

Between 2020 and 2025, the percentage of Americans 65 and older living in poverty increased from 9.4% to 15.4%, according to the SPM, the largest increase for any age group measured.

“Each year since 2020, more and more older adults have fallen into abject poverty,” Casey said. “Today’s release confirms what we see every day in our work—that rising prices, an eroding social safety net, and diminishing access to quality jobs are creating extreme precarity for older adults in our communities.”

The Census data provides a critical annual snapshot of poverty in America. To better understand the experience of older adults living on the financial edge, AARP Foundation launched the Economic Security Monitor (Monitor) this year, providing near real-time, in-depth data on the experiences of people 50 and older living with low income. Updated quarterly, the Monitor tracks how changing economic conditions are affecting people’s ability to afford essential goods and services, manage expenses, and withstand an unexpected financial shock.

The Summer Monitor found:

• Affordability is the top financial concern: Nearly 9 in 10 (86%) adults age 50+ with low income say rising prices are one of their top financial worries.

• Many have little or no emergency cushion: One-third (33%) could not cover an emergency expense of more than $100 from savings.
• Food insecurity is widespread: Nearly one-third (32%) said their household ran out of food before they had money to buy more, a figure that has remained virtually unchanged across all waves throughout the year.

Full results from the Summer Economic Security Monitor will be released later this fall. Learn more about the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor.

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AARP Foundation is the nation’s leading organization serving the 39 million older adults living in poverty or one life event away from slipping into it. Our mission is to strengthen financial resilience for and with older adults by empowering individuals and improving systems. We do this by creating pathways to quality employment, removing barriers to benefits, and promoting equitable access to essential goods and services.  To learn more, visit aarpfoundation.org or follow @AARPFoundation on social media. 

Source: AARP