poverty line

/ˌpɑvərdi laɪn/

/ˈpɒvəti laɪn/

Other forms: poverty lines

The poverty line is the minimum amount of money a person needs to fulfill the basic necessities of life, like shelter and food. When families are below the poverty line, they qualify for help from the government.

Different countries have varying ways of calculating the poverty line, including how expensive it is to rent or buy a home and what the average cost of food and other necessities is. If a person is above the poverty line, the government believes their income is enough to pay for a home, clothes, medicine, food, and utilities. Being below the poverty line means officially living in poverty, or being poor.

Definitions of poverty line

1. noun

   a level of personal income defining the state of poverty
   synonyms: poverty level

   type of:

   personal income

   the income received by a single individual