What fraction of the US population lives in poverty? How does that compare with other countries? What is the high school drop out rate? How many people currently work at or below the federal or state minimum wage? Are those young people or old? White or minority? Concentrated among those with low education or not? Are there factors which may put low earners in particular risk—like high costs of housing, health care, food, etc? How have these changed over time? Do the changes suggest more or less reason to be concerned about the minimum wage?
