DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF CENSUS FINDINGS OF MARCH 1964 WERE USED IN THIS STUDY. STUDIES SHOW THAT A FAMILY OF FOUR CAN ACHIEVE AN ADEQUATE DIET ON ABOUT 70 CENTS A DAY PER PERSON WITH AN ADDITIONAL $1.40 FOR OTHER ITEMS - TOTAL EARNINGS OF $60 A WEEK. IF ALL FAMILIES LIVING AT LESS THAN THIS LEVEL OR CLOSE TO IT ARE INCLUDED AMONG THE POOR, THERE ARE 50 MILLION SUCH PERSONS, 22 MILLION OF WHOM ARE YOUNG CHILDREN. WHERE THE POVERTY LINE IS DRAWN, OF COURSE, DEPENDS UPON THE CRITERIA USED. AMONG THOSE AVAILABLE ARE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S ESTIMATES OF FAMILY FOOD NEEDS, FAMILIES CHOSEN AS REPRESENTATIVE TYPES, THE INCOME-TO-FOOD-EXPENDITURE RATIO, AND THE FARM NONFARM ADJUSTMENTS, ALLOWING FOR THE LESSER NEED OF FARM FAMILIES FOR CASH INCOME. THE PRESENT ANALYSIS DRAWS THE LINE AT ABOUT $3,130 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR AND $1,540 FOR A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL. THIS ANALYSIS SETS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN POVERTY IN THE U.S. AT 34 MILLION. ONE-HALF OF THESE PERSONS IN FAMILY UNITS ARE LESS THAN 18 YEARS OF AGE. FAMILIES WITH A WOMAN AS THE HEAD ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE LIVING IN POVERTY THAN THOSE WITH A MAN. SIMILARLY, FARM FAMILIES AS OPPOSED TO CAUCASIANS, AND LARGE FAMILIES AS OPPOSED TO SMALL MORE OFTEN COULD BE CHARACTERIZED AS POOR. THE TYPE OF WORK PERFORMED BY THE INCOME-PRODUCING MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME EMPLOYED ALSO PLAY A PART IN DETERMINING POVERTY CONDITIONS. ABOUT 1 IN 7 OF THE TOTAL NUMBER LIVING IN POVERTY IS CLASSIFIED AS AGED - 5.2 MILLION OUT OF ABOUT 34.6 MILLION. TWENTY-SEVEN TABLES OF DATA ARE INCLUDED MANY OF WHICH ARE CONSTRUCTED FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION INDEX.