Figure 6: More families in poverty receive Social Security benefits than TANF
Safety net usage for families below the poverty line
Source: 2000 Census and 2006-2023 American Community Surveys.
Note: The federal poverty guideline, which is $14,580 in 2023 for a single-person household, is adjusted for inflation and household size. Social Security is defined as Social Security income from retirement or disability benefits. TANF receipt also includes General Assistance income, but we refer to it here as TANF for simplicity. SSI is the receipt of Supplemental Security Income. The sample is children under 18 living in a household. Years 2001-2005 omitted due to data limitations.