The welfare reforms of the 1990s and the stratification of material well-being among low-income households with children

► We examined material hardship among low-income households with children, 1992-2005. ► We divided the sample into deeply poor, other poor, and near poor households. ► Material hardship of the deeply poor may have increase, 1992-2005. ► Material hardship among the other sub-groups may have decreased, 1992-2005.