This report presents social and economic characteristics of the population below the poverty level in 1986 based on the March 1987 Current Population Survey. Among the highlights are the following: (1) the number of persons below the poverty level was 32.4 million; (2) the poverty rate was 13.6 percent; (3) Whites represented 69 percent of the poor, Blacks represented 28 percent, and the remainder were persons of other ethnicity (primarily Asians and American Indians); (4) the poverty rate for Hispanics was 27 percent; (5) the number of poor, and the poverty rate in the Northeast and Midwest Regions declined between 1985 and 1986, but there were no significant changes in the South or West; (6) the number of poor families was about 7 million; (7) 44 percent of poor families were headed by married couples, and 51 percent were headed by a female with no husband present; (8) persons in families represented 76 percent of the poor, and persons living alone represented 21 percent (persons in unrelated subfamilies made up the balance); (9) the poverty rate was about 20 percent for related children under 18-years-old, and 12 percent for persons 65-years-old and over; (10) the poverty rate was higher in central cities of metropolitan areas and in nonmetropolitan areas than in suburban areas; and (11) one-half of poor family householders worked at some time, and 17 percent worked year-round, full-time. Data are presented on 34 tables. Appendices discuss definitions, explanations, limitations, and comparability of the data, the source and reliability of the estimates, and the underreporting of income. (BJV)