It is welcome news that the poverty rate in the U.S. declined from 14.8 percent in 2014 to 13.5 percent in 2015. Sustained economic gains, strengthened by federal policies that increase income or reduce expenses, have finally begun to reach low-income people. This is good news, and with job growth continuing, we ought to be able to take steps to accelerate the pace of poverty reduction. But the precarious situation for the poor and near poor stands in the way of substantial progress. The fact is, it is expensive to be poor in the United States.

New data released last week by the Census Bureau show that 43.1 million adults and children remain in poverty – and they need to pay every dime they have for necessities like rent, child care and groceries . They pay a premium for rent and food because of bad credit and inability to get to cheaper markets. Getting less value for their limited dollars, poor families are exposed to threats to health, child development, and employment.

When expenses outstrip income, late fees and fines make things worse. For too many low-income people, predatory loans are a desperate attempt to stave off eviction or loss of a vehicle, leading instead to a trap of debt and poverty. The new Census Bureau data also show that effective anti-poverty programs, like housing assistance, child care subsidies, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) lift millions out of poverty and reduce the cost of poverty for millions more. But more needs to be done to reduce the burden of poverty even further, and for more people living in and near poverty every day.