This report presents detailed social and economic statistics for the population of the United States below the poverty level in 1977 based on the March 1978 Current Population Survey (CPS). As in previous poverty reports, data are presented by selected characteristics such as race, family status, residence, education, work experience, and type and source of income. It should be noted that the term "householder" has been used in the text of this report in place of the term "head", which appears in the detailed tables. See the section "Head vs. Householder" for further details.

The poverty threshold for a nonfarm family of four persons was $6,191 in 1977, about 6.5 percent higher than the comparable 1976 figure of $5,815. The poverty thresholds are updated every year to reflect changes in the annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI). See page 203 for a detailed explanation of the poverty concept. In this text, the terms "poverty," "low-income," and "poor" are used interchangeably.