Social Issues in the United States Poverty

1,253 adults interviewed online May 14-26, 2015
Field work conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs

Some questions from this survey have been held for later release.

1. Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?

Right direction 38
Wrong track 62

3g. How much have you read or heard about each of these social issues in the United States today? Poverty 

Extensively / a lot 21
Quite a bit 28
A fair amount 22
Some 18
Not very much 8
Not at all 3

4g. How much do you feel you know about each of these social issues in the United States today? Poverty

Extensive / a lot 16
Quite a bit 22
A fair amount 25
Some 22
Not very much 10
Not at all 4

5g. Using the scale below, please indicate how important you think each of these social issues is in the United States today. Poverty

Extremely important 43
Very important 31
Somewhat important 18
Slightly important 6
Not very important 1
Not at all important 1

7g. How widespread and common do you think each of these social issues is in the United States today? Poverty

Extremely 34
Very 31
Somewhat 25
Slightly 8
Not very 1
Not at all 1

8g. Do you know anyone who has personally experienced …? Poverty

Yes 54
No 46

9g. How serious a problem do you think each of these social issues is for those experiencing it in the United States today? Poverty

Extremely serious 43
Very serious 30
Somewhat serious 17
Slightly serious 6
Not very serious 2
Not at all serious 1

10g. To what extent do you think each of these social issues is already being adequately addressed in the United States today? Poverty

Addressed completely 7
Addressed to a very great extent 14
Addressed somewhat 30
Addressed slightly 19
Not addressed very well 22
Not at all addressed 7

11g. For each of the following social issues in the United States today, please indicate if you have or have not spent time being personally involved in trying to help. Poverty

Yes, have 33
No, have not 67

12g.  How interested are you in getting personally involved in working towards a solution to each of these social issues in the United States? Poverty

Extremely interested 19
Very interested 21
Somewhat interested 23
Slightly interested 17
Not very interested 8
Not at all interested 11

24. Do you believe that Poverty is caused more (answers were rotated):

By a lack of individual effort 42
By society’s inequality 58

25. Do you consider yourself to be poor?

Yes 27
No 73

25a. Why do you feel that way? Please be as specific as possible.
(percentages add to more than 100% because multiple responses were accepted)

Consider self poor:

Because of today’s standards/definition of poverty 7
Don’t make enough money 30
Living paycheck to paycheck 15
Making minimum wage 5
Can’t meet basic needs 8
Lack of clothes/cars/heating/lighting 2
Can’t pay bills/owe money 8
Don’t own/Can’t afford a house 5
Lack of health insurance/health care 10
Not enough food 7
No savings/investments 4
No money for extras 2
High cost of living 6
Not working 20
No job opportunities/bad economy 9
Don’t know 5

Do not consider self poor:

Because of today’s standards/definition of poverty 6
Working/Have good job 20
Lot of opportunities for work 5
Earning enough 14
Have savings/investments 9
Have disposable income 8
Have enough/everything I need 28
Have home/property 22
Have enough food 20
Have clothes/cars/heating/lighting 8
Can pay bills/Don’t owe money 13
Trust in God 4
Good health 5
Family support 6
Good education 3
Feel secure 8
Don’t know 5

26. Into which of these categories do you feel you and your household fall?

Wealthy 3
Upper Middle Class 9
Middle Class 37
Lower Middle/Working Class 30
Lower Income 14
In poverty 7