The Census of the Island of Maharashtra 1864 (pages xviii-xix), tells that 33% of the Brahmuns were beggars & paupers, while of the Hindoo Out-cast/Untej (Antyaja), nearly 4% were beggars.
Status in medieval times
Abhinavagupta tells something while commenting on Nāṭyaśāstra 1.12 :
“अद्यत्वे तु राजसत्वात् शूद्रप्रकाराः करणादिजातीयाः सर्वेऽखर्वगर्वाक्रान्ता वर्णत्रयानुवृत्तिं न विदधते।”
“These days the various kinds of Śūdras like Karaṇa etc., filled with pride, do not serve the first 3 varṇas.”
- Abhinavagupta
Add to this Ādi Śaṅkarācārya’s statement that during his times (8th century CE), the system of varṇas and āśramas (today popularly known as the ‘caste system’) had mostly vanished. Refer to his commentary on Brahmasūtra 1.3.33.
इदानीम् इव च नान्यदापि सार्वभौमः क्षत्रियो ऽस्तीति ब्रूयात् ।
ततश्च राजसूयादिचोदना उपरुन्ध्यात्।
इदानीम् इव च कालान्तरे ऽप्य् अव्यवस्थित-प्रायान् वर्णाश्रम-धर्मान् प्रतिजानीत, ततश्च व्यवस्थाविधायि शास्त्रमनर्थकं कुर्यात्।