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.