IN 1964 THERE WERE 6.8 MILLION FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY. THE INCIDENCE OF POVERTY AMONG FAMILIES WOULD BE GREATER, HOWEVER, IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY WORKING WIVES TO FAMILY INCOME. NEARLY 5 MILLION OF THE FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY WERE HUSBAND-WIFE FAMILIES. OF ALL HUSBAND-WIFE FAMILIES, ONLY 6 PERCENT WERE POOR IF THE WIFE WORKED. ALMOST 2 MILLION OF THE 5 MILLION FAMILIES HEADED BY A WOMAN WERE POOR. DEGREE OF POVERTY WAS RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE WOMAN WAS EMPLOYED. AMONG ALL WIVES NOT LIVING ON FARMS, 59 PERCENT OF NONWHITE AND 43 PERCENT WHITE WORKED SOMETIME IN 1964. THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PROPORTION OF WHITE AND NONWHITE WIVES WHO WORKED GENERALLY DIMINISHED AS THE FAMILY INCOME LEVEL ROSE, EXCEPT AT $10,000 AND OVER. IN MARCH 1965, 57 PERCENT OF EMPLOYED WOMEN HEADS OF POOR FAMILIES WORKED IN SERVICE OCCUPATIONS, BUT AMONG ALL EMPLOYED FEMALE HEADS OF FAMILIES, ONLY 30 PERCENT WERE IN SERVICE WORK, AND 43 PERCENT WERE IN PROFESSIONAL, CLERICAL, OR SALES OCCUPATIONS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AMONG WOMEN HEADS OF FAMILIES WERE 12.9 PERCENT IN POOR FAMILIES AND 2.6 PERCENT IN NON-POOR FAMILIES. INFORMATION IS BASED ON DATA FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. (FP)