The OPM from the US government is defined as a relative wealth function, so technically it has to exist. Also you can compare the standard of living of someone above the poverty line in 1910 vs someone below the poverty line 2010, and 99% of people wouldn't trade places. Access to running water, toilets, air conditioning TV, Internet, mobile phones, etc makes life a lot better than what we called middle class 100 years ago. [source https://www.heritage.org/poverty-and-inequality/report/air-c... ]

It's all relative and as long it's relative, mathematically speaking poverty has to exist.

Do we have a definition for "has stable access to basic necessities"? In 2025 I'd call this healthy varied food, private sheltered sleeping space that's protected from extreme temperature, clean water to drink and bathe, Internet, public outdoor recreation space, health care, at least a day off a week and let's say 5 days combined PTO or vacation, enough extra to cover emergencies, and enough left over to slowly save for retirement or education or retraining or other opportunities.

I don't know, I'm probably missing some things and possibly parts of my definition is excessive? But I'd be curious to see how that would change trends.