About 25.6 million persons were below the low-income level in 1971, according to the results of the Current Population Survey conducted in March, 1972, by the Bureau of the Census. The sex of the family head continues to be an important factor in the poverty status of families. Families with a female head in 1971 accounted for only 12 percent of all families, but 40 percent of the low-income families. White families headed by a female accounted for about one-third of all white families in the low-income category; the corresponding figure for Negroes was about three-fifths. Although the total number of low-income families did not change over the past year, the proportion headed by a woman increased from 37 percent in 1970 to 40 percent in 1971 with a corresponding decrease in the percent of low-income families which were headed by a man. In 1971, one-tenth of all white persons were in the low-income category as compared to about one-third for Negroes. There are significant differences in the age composition of the white and Negro low-income groups. In 1971, children under 18 years accounted for about 36 percent of all white persons below the low-income level as compared to 52 percent of all low-income Negroes. In contrast, aged family heads (65 years and over) and aged unrelated individuals comprised about 17 percent of all low-income whites, but only about seven percent of the low-income Negroes. (Author/JM)