Older Americans are sliding into poverty

The supplemental poverty rate for older Americans has increased.

Willowpix/Getty Images After a surge of pandemic-era aid, older Americans have faced rising poverty.

Healthcare costs drive older Americans into poverty, straining their savings and finances.

Social Security often isn't enough to cover costs, leading older Americans to take on low-paying jobs.

After a slew of pandemic-induced aid ran its course, older Americans are falling back into poverty — and even younger would-be retirees are struggling.

After the Great Recession, the trendline for older Americans had been improving, and 2020 pandemic relief measures helped buttress the aging population from falling into poverty in the wake of Covid.

New census data shows that now, the poverty rate has increased the most for Americans 65 and older, after adjusting for things like tax credits and government programs.

The share of all Americans living below that adjusted poverty measure grew from 9.1% in 2020 to 13.1% in 2025.

For Americans 65 and older, that rate grew from 9.4% to 15.4%.

Millions of older Americans live solely off Social Security benefits , which often don't cover all daily costs , let alone Medicare premiums or caregiving expenses.

Social Security kept 28.8 million Americans out of poverty in 2025, the new Census report found, including nearly 21 million Americans 65 and older.

As the boomer generation ages into retirement, those benefits look shaky, a worrying sign as lifespans stretch longer.

Historically, poverty among older Americans rises with age, although younger retirement-aged Americans started falling into harder times as of 2024.

Last year, Business Insider spoke with dozens of Americans 80 and older who were below or slightly above the poverty line, most of whom worked at least part time to make ends meet.