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The article discusses the economic impact of COVID-19 transmission particularly on the poor people in the U.S. as of July 2020. Topics covered include the state of poverty according to economists from the University of Chicago in Illinois and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana from April to May 2020, impact of the government-provided stimulus on the poor, and the state of unemployment.

The article explores the transfer of the concentration of poor people in the suburbs in the U.S. It attributes the changing geography of poverty to the declining median household income and the mismanagement of city finances. The effect of increasing housing costs and income inequality on the condition of poor people is discussed, as well as the rising number of poor children in cities across the country.

The article looks at the plight of poor Americans as of November 2012, in the aftermath of the 2012 U.S. presidential election. It notes the U.S. poverty rate has risen in recent years, and that poverty is not prominent on U.S. politicians' agenda as it was under U.S. President Lyndon Johnson. Factors including the changing nature of jobs, stagnant wages, and a high rate of incarceration are cited.

The article discusses the method employed by the U.S. federal government in measuring poverty. It identifies the problems present by the country's antiquated poverty line, including the calculation of income before taxes and transfers. The supplemental poverty measure (SPM) is criticized for taking benefits and cost of living into account.