WASHINGTON—The number of people living on or below the poverty line in the United States remained unchanged in 2012 at 46.5 million, according to official figures released Tuesday.
That equals a poverty rate of 15 percent for the second consecutive year, the US Census Bureau said.
The official poverty line for a family of four is based on an annual household income of $23,492.
Meanwhile, the percentage of people without health insurance coverage dropped to 15.4 percent in 2012 from 15.8 percent a year earlier.
The number with health insurance rose to 263.2 million in 2012, compared to 260.2 million the previous year.
The average income for family households remained unchanged at $64,053. Incomes have dipped 8.3 percent since 2007, the year before the recession.