There are two slightly different versions of the federal poverty measure:
The poverty thresholds are the original version of the federal poverty measure. They are updated each year by the Census Bureau and are used mainly for statistical purposes--for instance, preparing estimates of the number of Americans in poverty each year.
The poverty guidelines are issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The guidelines are a simplification of the poverty thresholds and are used for administrative purposes--for instance, determining eligibility for certain federal programs.
Programs using the guidelines (or percentage multiples of the guidelines--for instance, 130 percent of the guidelines) in determining eligibility include: Head Start, the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch Program, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. In general, public assistance programs (Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Supplemental Security Income) DO NOTuse the poverty guidelines in determining eligibility.
The poverty guidelines (unlike the poverty thresholds) are designated by the year in which they are issued. The guidelines issued in February 1995 are designated as the 1995 poverty guidelines. However, the 1995 HHS poverty guidelines only reflect price changes through calendar year 1994; accordingly, they are approximately equal to the Census Bureau poverty thresholds for calendar year 1994 (which will be issued in final form in September or October 1995).
1995 Poverty Guidelines for All States and
the District of Columbia, Alaska, and Hawaii
Size of 48 Contiguous
Family Unit States and D.C. Alaska Hawaii
1 $ 7,470 $ 9,340 $ 8,610
2 10,030 12,540 11,550
3 12,590 15,740 14,490
4 15,150 18,940 17,430
5 17,710 22,140 20,370
6 20,270 25,340 23,310
7 22,830 28,540 26,250
8 25,390 31,740 29,190
For each additi-
onal person, add 2,560 3,200 2,940
SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 27, February 9, 1995,
pp. 7772-7774.
The guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii reflect Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the 1966-1970 period. The poverty thresholds have never had separate figures for Alaska or Hawaii.
Poverty guidelines for recent years for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia can be calculated by addition using the figures shown below:
Each
First Additional (Four-Person
Year Person Person Family)
1990 $6,280 $2,140 ($12,700)
1991 6,620 2,260 ( 13,400)
1992 6,810 2,380 ( 13,950)
1993 6,970 2,460 ( 14,350)
1994 7,360 2,480 ( 14,800)
1995 7,470 2,560 ( 15,150)
Note: this simple calculation procedure does NOT reflect the procedure by which the poverty thresholds were originally developed or the procedure by which the poverty guidelines are calculated from the poverty thresholds each year.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: