Measuring Poverty on a Spectrum Instead of an Arbitrary Line Conveys a More Accurate Picture of Inequality

Measuring Poverty on a Spectrum Instead of an Arbitrary Line Conveys a More Accurate Picture of Inequality

By Olivier Sterck, University of Oxford Michael W. Green, a Wall Street investor, created a buzz in late 2025 by arguing that the U.S. poverty line should be jacked up to US$140,000 for a family of four. Currently, a family of that size has to be eking by on $33,000 a year to qualify as poor in the federal government’s eyes. His critique builds on a broader debate about how to measure poverty in the United States. The U.S. government has made f…