DRAWING UPON RECENT STUDIES OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE BASIC CLASS-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POOR. THE POOR ARE DESCRIBED SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS, HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS, DELINQUENCY, AND SEX AND FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS. OTHER CORRELATES OF SOCIAL CLASS POSITION WHICH ARE DISCUSSED INCLUDE THE PERSONALITY AND PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE POOR, THEIR NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT, THEIR INTELLECTUAL PERFORMANCE AND LINGUISTIC BEHAVIOR, AND THEIR VALUES AND IDEOLOGY. IT IS FELT THAT THESE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POOR DIFFER ONLY QUANTITATIVELY FROM THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OTHER LOWER-CLASS PERSONS. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY FOLLOWS THE DISUSSION. (LB)