This paper aims to measure the relative importance of chronic versus transitory poverty in Spain by identifying groups of individuals with different poverty patterns over time. Results indicate that poverty in Spain has two important characteristics: a small group of individuals is persistently poor while those in transitory poverty experience a high probability of recurrence. Thus, in the case of Spain, in contrast with other European Union countries, it is particularly relevant to make a further distinction within the transitory poor: those with recurrent poverty spells versus those that experience “once in a lifetime” poverty. Chronic poverty has a stronger effect on households whose head is over 65 or has a low level of education, and whose members are less likely to be wage earners. Transitory and recurrent poverty is linked to the self-employment of the head and to the presence of children in the household.

Key words: poverty duration, chronicity, recurrence.
JEL classification: D1, D31, I32.