Reuters Poverty in the US dropped in April and May, even as the economy cratered due to the pandemic, a new study from researchers at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago suggests. Researchers estimate the poverty rate fell 2.3 percentage points to 8.6% in April and May, from 10.9% in January and February. The remarkable findings highlight the broad reach of the federal intervention and its effectiveness in shoring up people's finances during a downturn, particularly low-income workers.