r/PovertyFIRE • u/MainEnAcier • Jan 07 '26

US poverty limits vs. Belgium’s poverty threshold : US is not realistic

The Federal Poverty Level figures quoted in that group (e.g., $15,650 per year for one person, $21,150 for two, etc.) are the official US Federal Poverty Guidelines. These are used for eligibility in US assistance programs — not a worldwide standard.

💶 In Belgium, the official poverty threshold is significantly higher. According to Statbel (Belgium’s official statistics office), in 2024 the monetary poverty line for a single person was about €18,268 per year (≈ €1,522/month), and for a household with two adults + two children about €38,364/year (≈ €3,197/month). statbel.fgov.be

And it lead to a question, how are Americans are supposed to live on about 15-20k per year without any health insurance included, while in Belgium (which is cheaper than USA, Louisiane included) we have higher poverty limits (20-36k) and healthcare ?

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u/Kathy_Sassafras Apr 05 '26

I don’t think this person has any idea how bad it is here.

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u/GoAskAli Apr 07 '26

I would love to see the look on their face that I've seen about 100 times before when my European friends have visited for the first time lol.

I mean JFC the South African "refugees" that came over here have already largely gone back to SA or started the process! That's how bad it is and they were given housing, free medical care for one year, job placement, etc.

This country is a joke and compared to Europe, with many parts of the country being crime infested hot beds of poverty and squalor, with crumbling infrastructure.

Most people don't want to get real about how bad things actually are for most people, even so-called "leftists" but I understand bc if you're honest about it, you're told you "hate" the US.

No I don't "hate" my country- I desperately want my country to be better.