The poverty rate and number of

families in poverty increased to

9.6 percent, or 7.2 million, in

2002, up from 9.2 percent or

6.8 million in 2001. Both marriedcouple

families and families with a

female householder and no husband

present experienced an

increase in the number in poverty

between 2001 and 2002, but

married-couple families also had

an increase in the poverty rate

whereas female householder

families did not.

Specifically, the poverty rate and

number in poverty married-couple

families increased from 4.9 percent

and 2.8 million in 2001 to 5.3 percent

and 3.1 million in 2002.

The number of families in poverty

with a female householder and no

husband present increased from

3.5 million in 2001 to 3.6 million

in 2002, but their poverty rate for

2002 (26.5 percent) did not

change. Families with a female

householder and no husband present

made up half of all families in

poverty. In 2002, families with a

male householder, no spouse present

showed no increase in their

number in poverty or their poverty

rate (564,000 and 12.1 percent

in 2002).

For unrelated individuals (people

not living with any relatives), the

number in poverty increased to

9.6 million in 2002, up from

9.2 million in 2001, whereas their

poverty rate was unchanged from

2001 (20.4 percent). Among unrelated

individuals, both men (4.0 million

in 2002, up from 3.8 million in

2001) and women (5.6 million in

2002, up from 5.4 million in 2001)

showed increases in their number

in poverty in 2002. The poverty

rates for men (17.7 percent) and

women (22.9 percent) were

unchanged in 2001. Women

accounted for 58.2 percent of unrelated

individuals in poverty in 2002.