Different types of family living in poverty The table below demonstrates the proportion of different types of families living in poverty in Australia in 1999. 11%, namely 1,837,000 people live in poverty in Australia in 1999. Most people living in poverty came from single families, single people with no children accounted for 19% (359,000) while the proportion of sole parents living in poverty was 21%, the largest proportion among all types of family. Families of married people came the second with families of couple with no children taking up 7% and those with children 12%. The aged people constituted the least proportion, there were more single aged people living in poverty than aged couples with the former at 6%(54,000) and the later 4%(48,000). It can be inferred that the single people and sole parents are the families taking up the largest proportion while couples are a little more well off. Aged people accounted for the least in all family types.