I found lots of folks on the AT who weren't Silicon Valley wealthy (although I'd say more of them were than I expected).

But almost no one was actually poor, as in, had ever lived hand to mouth, or couldn't call in family support at a moment's notice.

So I'd say everyone I met was much more wealthy than anyone who's really poor in the US.

Certainly there are exceptions, but the general assessment that thru-hikes aren't for the poor seems sound to me.