| poverty level n. A minimum income level below which a person is officially considered to lack adequate subsistence and to be living in poverty. Also called poverty line. |
A level of income above which it is possible to achieve an adequate standard of living and below which it is not. It fluctuates with the cost of living.
Note: Because the poverty level is somewhat artificially established by the government, it can be manipulated for political ends. As with hidden unemployment, governments are often accused of establishing a poverty level that underestimates the number of poor people.
