Montana’s Working Poor

The Montana Kids count Data center is currently compiling data on Montana's working poor. Kids count director Thale Dillon says that one third of all Montana families fall into the working poor category. For a family of four, the national poverty line is 22,300 dollars per year.

Dillon says the working poor aren't always who you'd expect, noting that along with the 42% single mothers that are working poor, 8% of single fathers and 34% of couples with children also fall into that category.

America's youth are quickly joining the ranks of the nations working poor. In fact, they are leading it. Of all age groups, 20 to 24-year-olds are the most likely to be working poor. Right behind that demographic are 16 to 19-year-olds

Nation wide, the likelihood of being working poor is the highest it has been in two decades. Together, those two groups make up 30% of all the nations working poor. In Montana, 16 to 24-year-olds are 21% of the population.