I have been assured this is impossible: US poverty rate has first increase in 13 years

The poverty rate in the United States increased last year, the first increase in 13 years, according to the Census Bureau.

In 2022, the poverty rate was 12.4%, up 4.6% from 2021, according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which looks at government programs and tax credits designed to help low-income families, according to the census.

The expiration of pandemic programs, including refundable tax credits and stimulus payments, at the start of 2022, led to an increase in the SPM over the official poverty rate, the census reported.

The poverty rate among children saw a sizeable increase, more than doubling from 5.2% in 2021 to 12.4% last year, census data shows.

[And, of course, the reason is? COVID NOT JOE-VID! ~ Beege]