Within the borders of the remarkably wealthy United States, the specter of poverty looms large, manifesting as an inability to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter for many individuals and families. While the U.S. government sets annual poverty thresholds, these overlook regional differences in the cost of living, creating a significant gap in understanding the lived experience of poverty, varying widely from state to state. Based on the current guidelines, an individual earning $13,590 a year or less or a family of four earning $27,750 or less is considered to be living in poverty, putting even some full-time minimum-wage workers below the poverty line.