The poverty rate, for the federal government, is a measure of households whose income is below the federal poverty threshold. The threshold is based on household size, e.g. a family of four is below the poverty threshold when earning less than $20,650 per year. (2007 Poverty Guidelines) Keeping track of the numbers living in poverty provides insight into the number of people going without basic needs being met, such as healthcare, stable housing or adequate food.

According to the American Community Survey (ACS), the current poverty rate in 2006 for Pierce County was 11.5%, or about 85,914 residents living below the federally defined poverty threshold. This is an increase in both number and percentage of residents living at or below the poverty federal poverty level. Pierce County has a comparable poverty rate to Washington State as a whole, which the 2006 ACS estimates is 11.8%.