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A new poverty record high has been set for the poorest Americans.

An estimated 49.1 million people (or 16 percent) are now living in poverty due to rising medical costs and other expenses that make it harder for people to stay afloat, according to new census estimates.

STORY: BROKE IN AMERICA: 1 In 15 People Are The Poorest Of The Poor

Last week, the U.S. Census revealed that a record 1 in 15 Americans are the poorest of the poor, the highest it’s been in 35 years since the census bureau has been keeping records.

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About 20.5 million Americans, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population, are living way below the poverty line. Those living in deep poverty represent nearly half of the 46.2 million people scraping by below the poverty line.

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The new data, broken down by groups, showed that Americans 65 or older sustained the largest increases in poverty under the revised poverty formula – nearly doubling to 15.9 percent, or 1 in 6.

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What accounts for these new figures include rising Medicare premiums, deductibles and expenses for prescription drugs.

Working-age adults ages 18-64 also saw increases in poverty from 13.7 percent to 15.2 percent, due mostly to commuting and child care costs.

These latest figures are staggering and it’s hard to believe that 49.1 million people are poverty stricken.