"In 2010, 46.2 million people lived in Poverty USA, up from 43.6 million in 2009. That’s means the poverty rate for 2010 was 15.1%, up from 14.3% in 2009.2010 marked the fourth consecutive annual increase in the number of people living in poverty. The poverty rate, or percentage of the overall population living in poverty, has steadily increased as well, up to 15.1% in 2010 from 12.5% in 2007.The number of people living in poverty in 2010 (46.2 million) is the largest number seen in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published." (Quoted from the article)