Child poverty soars in 2022 after pandemic aid programs expire

The child poverty rate more than doubled from 2021 to 2022, reaching 12.4% according to the Census Bureau.
The increase in child poverty is attributed to the expiration of expanded pandemic aid programs like stimulus checks and enhanced child tax credits.
Median household income fell 2.3% in 2022, marking the third straight year of decline, as inflation outpaced wage growth.
The overall poverty rate jumped nearly 5 percentage points in 2022, reaching 12.4% based on the supplemental poverty measure.
The uninsured rate decreased slightly to 7.9% in 2022 due to Medicaid enrollment holding steady.