Annual Statistical Supplement, 2010

Social Welfare and the Economy

Poverty

Table 3.E1 Weighted average poverty thresholds for nonfarm families, by size, 1959–2009 (in dollars)
Year Unrelated individuals Families Annual
average
CPI a
2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons 6 persons 7 persons
or more
All ages Under
age 65		 Aged 65
or older		 All ages Householder
under age 65		 Householder
aged 65
or older
1959 1,467 1,503 1,397 1,894 1,952 1,761 2,324 2,973 3,506 3,944 4,849 29.2
1960 1,490 1,526 1,418 1,924 1,982 1,788 2,359 3,022 3,560 4,002 4,921 29.6
1961 1,506 1,545 1,433 1,942 2,005 1,808 2,383 3,054 3,597 4,041 4,967 29.9
1962 1,519 1,562 1,451 1,962 2,027 1,828 2,412 3,089 3,639 4,088 5,032 30.3
1963 1,539 1,581 1,470 1,988 2,052 1,850 2,442 3,128 3,685 4,135 5,092 30.6
1964 1,558 1,601 1,488 2,015 2,079 1,875 2,473 3,169 3,732 4,193 5,156 31.0
1965 1,582 1,626 1,512 2,048 2,114 1,906 2,514 3,223 3,797 4,264 5,248 31.5
1966 1,628 1,674 1,556 2,107 2,175 1,961 2,588 3,317 3,908 4,388 5,395 32.5
1967 1,675 1,722 1,600 2,168 2,238 2,017 2,661 3,410 4,019 4,516 5,550 33.4
1968 1,748 1,797 1,667 2,262 2,333 2,102 2,774 3,553 4,188 4,706 5,789 34.8
1969 1,840 1,893 1,757 2,383 2,458 2,215 2,924 3,743 4,415 4,958 6,101 36.7
1970 1,954 2,010 1,861 2,525 2,604 2,348 3,099 3,968 4,680 5,260 6,468 38.8
1971 2,040 2,098 1,940 2,633 2,716 2,448 3,229 4,137 4,880 5,489 6,751 40.5
1972 2,109 2,168 2,005 2,724 2,808 2,530 3,339 4,275 5,044 5,673 6,983 41.8
1973 2,247 2,307 2,130 2,895 2,984 2,688 3,548 4,540 5,358 6,028 7,435 44.4
1974 2,495 2,562 2,364 3,211 3,312 2,982 3,936 5,038 5,950 6,699 8,253 49.3
1975 2,724 2,797 2,581 3,506 3,617 3,257 4,293 5,500 6,499 7,316 9,022 53.8
1976 2,884 2,959 2,730 3,711 3,826 3,445 4,540 5,815 6,876 7,760 9,588 56.9
1977 3,075 3,152 2,906 3,951 4,072 3,666 4,833 6,191 7,320 8,261 10,216 60.6
1978 3,311 3,392 3,127 4,249 4,383 3,944 5,201 6,662 7,880 8,891 11,002 65.2
1979 3,689 3,778 3,479 4,725 4,878 4,390 5,784 7,412 8,775 9,914 12,280 72.6
1980 4,190 4,290 3,949 5,363 5,537 4,983 6,565 8,414 9,966 11,269 13,955 82.4
1981 4,620 4,729 4,359 5,917 6,111 5,498 7,250 9,287 11,007 12,449 . . . 90.9
1982 4,901 5,019 4,626 6,281 6,487 5,836 7,693 9,862 11,684 13,207 . . . 96.5
1983 5,061 5,180 4,775 6,483 6,697 6,023 7,938 10,178 12,049 13,630 . . . 99.6
1984 5,278 5,400 4,979 6,762 6,983 6,282 8,277 10,609 12,566 14,207 . . . 103.9
1985 5,469 5,593 5,156 6,998 7,231 6,503 8,573 10,989 13,007 14,696 . . . 107.6
1986 5,572 5,701 5,255 7,138 7,372 6,630 8,737 11,203 13,259 14,986 . . . 109.6
1987 5,778 5,909 5,447 7,397 7,641 6,872 9,056 11,611 13,737 15,509 . . . 113.6
1988 6,022 6,155 5,674 7,704 7,958 7,157 9,435 12,092 14,304 16,146 . . . 118.3
1989 6,310 6,451 5,947 8,076 8,343 7,501 9,885 12,674 14,990 16,921 . . . 124.0
1990 6,652 6,800 6,268 8,509 8,794 7,905 10,419 13,359 15,792 17,839 . . . 130.7
1991 6,932 7,086 6,532 8,865 9,165 8,241 10,860 13,924 16,456 18,587 . . . 136.2
1992 7,143 7,299 6,729 9,137 9,443 8,487 11,186 14,335 16,952 19,137 . . . 140.3
1993 7,363 7,518 6,930 9,414 9,728 8,740 11,522 14,763 17,449 19,718 . . . 144.5
1994 7,547 7,710 7,108 9,661 9,976 8,967 11,821 15,141 17,900 20,235 . . . 148.2
1995 7,763 7,929 7,309 9,933 10,259 9,219 12,158 15,569 18,408 20,804 . . . 152.4
1996 7,995 8,163 7,525 10,233 10,564 9,491 12,516 16,036 18,952 21,389 . . . 156.9
1997 8,183 8,350 7,698 10,473 10,805 9,712 12,802 16,400 19,380 21,886 . . . 160.5
1998 8,316 8,480 7,818 10,634 10,972 9,862 13,003 16,660 19,680 22,228 . . . 163.0
1999 8,501 8,667 7,990 10,869 11,214 10,075 13,290 17,029 20,127 22,727 . . . 166.6
2000 8,794 8,959 8,259 11,239 11,590 10,419 13,738 17,603 20,819 23,528 . . . 172.2
2001 9,039 9,214 8,494 11,569 11,920 10,715 14,128 18,104 21,405 24,195 . . . 177.1
2002 9,183 9,359 8,628 11,756 12,110 10,885 14,348 18,392 21,744 24,576 . . . 179.9
2003 9,393 9,573 8,825 12,015 12,384 11,133 14,680 18,810 22,245 25,122 . . . 184.0
2004 9,645 9,827 9,060 12,334 12,714 11,430 15,067 19,307 22,831 25,788 . . . 188.9
2005 9,973 10,160 9,367 12,755 13,145 11,815 15,577 19,971 23,613 26,683 . . . 195.3
2006 10,294 10,488 9,669 13,167 13,569 12,201 16,079 20,614 24,382 27,560 . . . 201.6
2007 10,590 10,787 9,944 13,540 13,954 12,550 16,530 21,203 25,080 28,323 . . . 207.3
2008 10,991 11,201 10,326 14,051 14,489 13,030 17,163 22,025 26,049 29,456 . . . 215.3
2009 b 10,952 11,161 10,289 14,001 14,437 12,984 17,102 21,947 25,956 29,351 . . . 214.5
SOURCE: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey.
NOTES: CPI = Consumer Price Index; . . . = not applicable.
Three technical changes in the definition of poverty are described in "Characteristics of the Population Below the Poverty Level, 1980," Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 133: (1) Distinctions based on the sex of the family householder will no longer be made; (2) income thresholds for farm families will be the same as for nonfarm families of the same size and composition, and (3) the increased sample size will now permit separate poverty income criteria for families of 7, 8, and 9 or more persons. Separate criteria for these family sizes by number of children have been developed by the Social Security Administration for the base year 1978 on the same basis as the original poverty matrix for smaller family sizes, and then updated by means of the all-items CPI. The dollar thresholds for larger families beginning in 1980 are:
Year 7 persons 8 persons 9 persons
or more
1980 12,761 14,199 16,896
1981 14,110 15,655 18,572
1982 15,036 16,719 19,698
1983 15,500 17,170 20,310
1984 16,096 17,961 21,247
1985 16,656 18,512 22,083
1986 17,049 18,791 22,497
1987 17,649 19,515 23,105
1988 18,232 20,253 24,129
1989 19,162 21,328 25,480
1990 20,241 22,582 26,848
1991 21,058 23,605 27,942
1992 21,594 24,053 28,745
1993 22,383 24,838 29,529
1994 22,923 25,427 30,300
1995 23,552 26,237 31,280
1996 24,268 27,091 31,971
1997 24,802 27,593 32,566
1998 25,257 28,166 33,339
1999 25,912 28,967 34,417
2000 26,754 29,701 35,060
2001 27,517 30,627 36,286
2002 28,001 30,907 37,062
2003 28,544 31,589 37,656
2004 29,236 32,641 39,048
2005 30,249 33,610 40,288
2006 31,205 34,774 41,499
2007 32,233 35,816 42,739
2008 33,529 37,220 44,346
2009 b 33,410 37,088 44,188
 
a. Beginning in January 1978, the Bureau of Labor Statistics introduced a new price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) for all items (1982–1984 = 100) that forms a continuous series with the earlier index for urban wage earners and for clerical workers as of December 1977.
b. Preliminary estimates.
CONTACT: Bernadette D. Proctor (301) 763-3213 or supplement@ssa.gov.
Table 3.E2 Number and percentage of poor persons, by age, at end of selected years 1959–2008
Age and family status a 1959 1970 1980 1985 1990 b 1995 2000 2005 2008
Total population c (millions)
All ages 176.5 202.5 225.0 236.6 248.6 263.7 275.9 293.1 301.1
Children under 18 in families— 64.0 69.9 62.2 62.0 64.9 70.3 70.6 72.0 72.8
With male householder d 58.3 60.8 50.6 49.5 49.5 52.1 54.5 54.4 54.2
With female householder 5.7 9.0 11.5 12.5 15.4 18.2 16.1 17.6 18.5
18–54 e 81.0 94.9 116.3 125.2 132.3 140.7 147.4 153.6 155.0
55–64 15.5 18.4 21.7 22.1 21.3 21.1 23.8 31.0 34.3
65 or older 15.6 19.3 24.7 27.3 30.1 31.7 33.0 35.5 37.8
In families 11.9 13.4 16.7 18.4 20.1 21.1 22.3 23.8 25.4
Unrelated individuals 3.7 5.8 8.0 8.9 10.0 10.6 10.7 11.7 12.4
Men 1.2 1.4 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.7 2.9 3.4 3.6
Women 2.5 4.4 6.3 7.0 7.7 7.9 7.8 8.3 8.8
Number poor c (millions)
All ages 39.5 25.3 29.3 33.1 33.6 36.4 31.1 36.9 39.9
Children under 18 in families— 17.2 10.5 11.1 12.5 13.3 14.4 11.1 12.3 13.4
With male householder d 13.1 5.7 5.2 5.8 5.3 5.6 4.9 5.0 5.7
With female householder 4.1 4.8 5.9 6.7 8.0 8.9 6.2 7.3 7.7
18–54 e 13.4 8.2 12.2 14.8 14.6 16.5 14.1 18.0 19.1
55–64 3.3 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.7 3.1
65 or older 5.5 4.7 3.9 3.5 3.7 3.3 3.4 3.6 3.7
In families 3.2 2.0 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.3 1.5
Unrelated individuals 2.3 2.7 2.4 2.3 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.1
Men 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4
Women 1.6 2.2 2.0 1.9 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.7
Percentage poor c
All ages 22.4 12.6 13.0 14.0 13.5 13.8 11.3 12.6 13.3
Children under 18 in families— 26.9 15.0 17.9 20.1 20.5 20.5 15.7 17.1 18.4
With male householder d 22.4 9.3 10.4 11.7 10.7 10.7 8.9 9.2 10.5
With female householder 72.2 53.4 50.8 53.6 52.1 48.6 38.4 41.6 41.6
18–54 e 16.5 8.7 10.5 11.8 11.0 11.7 9.6 11.7 12.3
55–64 21.5 11.4 9.5 10.5 9.7 10.2 9.4 8.7 9.0
65 or older 35.2 24.6 15.7 12.6 12.2 10.5 10.2 10.1 9.8
In families 26.9 14.7 8.5 6.4 5.9 5.0 5.1 5.6 5.9
Unrelated individuals 61.9 47.1 30.6 25.6 24.8 21.4 20.8 19.5 16.9
Men 59.0 38.9 24.4 20.5 17.3 14.3 18.3 15.6 11.1
Women 63.3 49.7 32.3 27.0 26.9 23.8 21.8 21.1 19.3
SOURCES: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, public-use file of the March 2009 Income Supplement. Data for 1970 are based on the 1970 Census of Population controls.
NOTES: Table includes civilian noninstitutionalized population residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For a discussion of standard errors of estimated numbers and percentages, see Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P-60.
a. Income and poverty status refer to the calendar year shown; family status is as of March of the succeeding year.
b. Based on revised methodology.
c. Includes armed forces in the United States living off post or with families on post. Excludes unrelated individuals under age 16.
d. Includes children in families with both spouses present and in families with male householder with no spouse present.
e. Includes persons under age 18 listed as unrelated individual, family householder, spouse of householder, or other family member.
CONTACT: Diane Wallace (410) 965-0165 or supplement@ssa.gov.
Table 3.E3 Shares of money income from earnings and other sources for aged and nonaged families, 2008
Type of money income received during year Aged family units Nonaged family units
Individuals aged 65 or older living alone or with nonrelatives only Multiperson families with householder aged 65 or older Individuals under age 65 living alone or with nonrelatives only Multiperson families with householder under age 65
Total Nonpoor Poor a Total Nonpoor Poor a Total Nonpoor Poor a Total Nonpoor Poor a
Number of families and unrelated individuals (millions) 12.4 10.2 2.1 13.0 12.2 0.8 39.0 30.3 8.7 65.9 58.6 7.3
Percentage receiving income of specified type b
Earnings 17 20 3 47 49 19 81 92 40 93 97 65
Public program payments
Social Security c 89 91 79 89 91 64 7 6 10 11 11 12
Supplemental Security Income 4 2 15 4 4 12 4 1 12 4 3 10
Other public assistance 2 2 2 3 3 3 8 7 12 11 10 20
Other programs d 4 4 1 9 9 3 6 7 4 11 11 7
Other sources
Dividends, interest, rent 52 58 22 62 65 25 38 45 13 53 58 14
Employment-related pensions, alimony, annuities 39 46 8 49 52 10 6 7 3 15 15 14
Percentage distribution of income, by type
Total percent 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Earnings 19 20 1 38 38 15 89 90 50 90 90 67
Public program payments
Social Security c 44 42 83 31 31 67 2 2 17 2 2 10
Supplemental Security Income 1 e 8 1 e 8 1 e 17 e e 7
Other public assistance e e e e e 2 2 2 8 1 1 7
Other programs d 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 3
Other sources
Dividends, interest, rent 14 14 2 11 12 2 3 3 2 3 3 1
Employment-related pensions, alimony, annuities 21 22 4 17 17 5 3 3 2 3 3 5
Median income (dollars) 18,157 20,862 8,357 44,510 47,114 10,740 30,000 35,000 7,200 66,000 72,923 11,529
SOURCE: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, public-use file of the March 2009 Income Supplement.
NOTES: Table includes civilian noninstitutionalized population residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For a discussion of standard errors of estimated numbers and percentages, see Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P-60.
a. Poverty status based on money income of all family members after receipt of Social Security and any other cash transfer payments.
b. Received by individuals or any family member at any time during 2008. Most individuals or families received more than one type of income during the year.
c. Social Security may include more than one type of income during the year.
d. Unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, or veterans' payments.
e. Less than 0.5 percent.
CONTACT: Diane Wallace (410) 965-0165 or supplement@ssa.gov.
Table 3.E4 Current living arrangements of persons aged 65 or older, by sex and poverty status, March 2009
Living arrangement Population (thousands) Percentage distribution Percentage officially poor
Total Poor Nonpoor Total Poor Nonpoor
All persons aged 65 or older
Total 37,788 3,656 34,132 100.0 100.0 100.0 9.7
Unrelated individuals 12,382 2,127 10,255 32.8 58.2 30.0 17.2
Family members 25,405 1,529 23,877 67.2 41.8 70.0 6.0
Householder or spouse 23,111 1,337 21,774 61.2 36.6 63.8 5.8
Other relative a 2,295 192 2,103 6.1 5.3 6.2 8.4
Poor by own income 972 152 820 2.6 4.2 2.4 15.6
Not poor by own income 1,323 40 1,283 3.5 1.1 3.8 3.0
Men
Subtotal 16,308 1,092 15,216 43.2 29.9 44.6 6.7
Unrelated individuals 3,565 443 3,122 9.4 12.1 9.1 12.4
Family members 12,743 649 12,094 33.7 17.8 35.4 5.1
Householder 7,941 381 7,559 21.0 10.4 22.1 4.8
Spouse of householder 4,253 217 4,037 11.3 5.9 11.8 5.1
Other relative a 549 51 498 1.5 1.4 1.5 9.3
Poor by own income 205 40 164 0.5 1.1 0.5 19.5
Not poor by own income 345 11 334 0.9 0.3 1.0 3.2
Women
Subtotal 21,480 2,564 18,916 56.8 70.1 55.4 11.9
Unrelated individuals 8,817 1,684 7,133 23.3 46.1 20.9 19.1
Family members 12,662 880 11,782 33.5 24.1 34.5 6.9
Householder, no husband present 1,948 293 1,654 5.2 8.0 4.8 15.0
Householder with husband present 3,302 154 3,148 8.7 4.2 9.2 4.7
Wife of householder 5,667 291 5,375 15.0 8.0 15.7 5.1
Other relative a 1,746 141 1,605 4.6 3.9 4.7 8.1
Poor by own income 767 112 656 2.0 3.1 1.9 14.6
Not poor by own income 978 29 949 2.6 0.8 2.8 3.0
SOURCE: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, public-use file of the March 2009 Income Supplement.
NOTES: Living arrangements as of March 2009.
Poverty status in 2008 as reflected by income of unrelated individual or family money income for year compared with official poverty income criterion for families of appropriate size and composition.
Table includes civilian noninstitutionalized population residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
For a discussion of standard errors of estimated numbers and percentages, see Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P-60.
a. Aged family members who are neither the family householder nor the spouse of the householder. Official poverty classification is based on combined income of all related persons living together. Persons in this group are classified here on the basis of official poverty criteria for family income and on a comparison of their own income with official poverty criteria for elderly persons maintaining their own households. The hidden poor are other relatives in nonpoor households whose own income is below the official poverty line for unrelated individuals or married couples.
CONTACT: Diane Wallace (410) 965-0165 or supplement@ssa.gov.
Table 3.E6 Percentage distribution of aged families receiving Social Security benefits, by share of income from benefits and race, 2008
Social Security share of money income for year a Individuals aged 65 or older living alone or with nonrelatives only Multiperson families with householder aged 65 or older
Total Nonpoor Poor Percent poor Total Nonpoor Poor Percent poor
All races b
Number (thousands) 12,367 10,247 2,119 . . . 12,980 12,164 816 . . .
Percent 100 100 100 17 100 100 100 6
No Social Security benefits 11 9 21 33 11 9 36 21
Some Social Security benefits 89 91 79 15 89 91 64 4
Less than one-fourth of income 9 11 1 2 21 23 2 0
One-fourth to one-half of income 17 20 3 3 25 27 3 1
One-half to three-fourths of income 17 19 6 6 18 19 8 3
Three-fourths or more of income 46 42 69 26 25 23 51 13
White only
Number (thousands) 10,701 9,061 1,640 . . . 11,322 10,749 572 . . .
Percent 100 100 100 15 100 100 100 5
No Social Security benefits 8 21 10 33 10 8 35 18
Some Social Security benefits 84 85 80 28 90 92 65 4
Less than one-fourth of income 9 11 1 2 21 22 1 0
One-fourth to one-half of income 18 20 3 3 26 27 3 0
One-half to three-fourths of income 17 19 6 6 18 19 7 2
Three-fourths or more of income 46 42 69 23 25 23 54 11
Black only
Number (thousands) 1,296 917 379 . . . 1,068 890 178 . . .
Percent 100 100 100 29 100 100 100 17
No Social Security benefits 16 15 20 36 16 13 32 33
Some Social Security benefits 84 85 80 28 84 87 68 13
Less than one-fourth of income 7 9 0 0 19 22 3 3
One-fourth to one-half of income 13 18 3 7 25 29 4 3
One-half to three-fourths of income 14 18 4 9 14 14 12 14
Three-fourths or more of income 50 40 73 43 26 21 49 31
SOURCE: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, public-use file of the March 2009 Income Supplement.
NOTES: Civilian noninstitutionalized population residing in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
For a discussion of standard errors of estimated numbers and percentages, see Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P-60.
. . . = not applicable.
a. Payments