Poverty rates by age, 1959–2010: Notice that since the 1970s, children under 6 years of age have been more likely to live under the poverty line than other age groups in the United States. (FYI—Although the “poverty line” designation theoretically describes the minimum income needed to survive, experts feel that families need twice that amount of money to really make ends meet.)

Data from: Economic Policy Institute (2012). The State of Working America: Poor children. Retrieved January 12, 2014, http://stateofworkingamerica.org/