Keeping up with basic needs: spending patterns over the past 30 years.

The article discusses an analysis of 30 years data which focused on 3 groups that included low-income households, middle-income households and high-income households. It cites housing and health care as the dominant drivers of rising costs where the share of spending on these components increased for low- and middle-income households. It suggests the role of social safety net programs in decreasing the effect of rising basic need costs on low-income households.