Annual Statistical Supplement, 2021

Social Welfare and the Economy

Poverty

We are suspending publication of Tables 3.E2, 3.E3, 3.E4, and 3.E6 for the 2021 edition of the Annual Statistical Supplement as we continue to evaluate the adequacy of their data source, the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (also known as the March Supplement) of the Current Population Survey (CPS). Findings from our initial evaluation are available in Dushi, Irena, and Brad Trenkamp. 2021. “Improving the Measurement of Retirement Income of the Aged Population.” ORES Working Paper No. 116. Washington, DC: SSA, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Office of Research, Evaluation, and Statistics.

Table 3.E1 Weighted average poverty thresholds for nonfarm families, by size, 1959–2020 (in dollars)
Year Unrelated individuals Families Annual average CPI a
2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons 6 persons 7 persons 8 persons 9 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 . . . . . . . . . 29.2
1960 1,490 1,526 1,418 1,924 1,982 1,788 2,359 3,022 3,560 4,002 . . . . . . . . . 29.6
1961 1,506 1,545 1,433 1,942 2,005 1,808 2,383 3,054 3,597 4,041 . . . . . . . . . 29.9
1962 1,519 1,562 1,451 1,962 2,027 1,828 2,412 3,089 3,639 4,088 . . . . . . . . . 30.3
1963 1,539 1,581 1,470 1,988 2,052 1,850 2,442 3,128 3,685 4,135 . . . . . . . . . 30.6
1964 1,558 1,601 1,488 2,015 2,079 1,875 2,473 3,169 3,732 4,193 . . . . . . . . . 31.0
1965 1,582 1,626 1,512 2,048 2,114 1,906 2,514 3,223 3,797 4,264 . . . . . . . . . 31.5
1966 1,628 1,674 1,556 2,107 2,175 1,961 2,588 3,317 3,908 4,388 . . . . . . . . . 32.5
1967 1,675 1,722 1,600 2,168 2,238 2,017 2,661 3,410 4,019 4,516 . . . . . . . . . 33.4
1968 1,748 1,797 1,667 2,262 2,333 2,102 2,774 3,553 4,188 4,706 . . . . . . . . . 34.8
1969 1,840 1,893 1,757 2,383 2,458 2,215 2,924 3,743 4,415 4,958 . . . . . . . . . 36.7
1970 1,954 2,010 1,861 2,525 2,604 2,348 3,099 3,968 4,680 5,260 . . . . . . . . . 38.8
1971 2,040 2,098 1,940 2,633 2,716 2,448 3,229 4,137 4,880 5,489 . . . . . . . . . 40.5
1972 2,109 2,168 2,005 2,724 2,808 2,530 3,339 4,275 5,044 5,673 . . . . . . . . . 41.8
1973 2,247 2,307 2,130 2,895 2,984 2,688 3,548 4,540 5,358 6,028 . . . . . . . . . 44.4
1974 2,495 2,562 2,364 3,211 3,312 2,982 3,936 5,038 5,950 6,699 . . . . . . . . . 49.3
1975 2,724 2,797 2,581 3,506 3,617 3,257 4,293 5,500 6,499 7,316 . . . . . . . . . 53.8
1976 2,884 2,959 2,730 3,711 3,826 3,445 4,540 5,815 6,876 7,760 . . . . . . . . . 56.9
1977 3,075 3,152 2,906 3,951 4,072 3,666 4,833 6,191 7,320 8,261 . . . . . . . . . 60.6
1978 3,311 3,392 3,127 4,249 4,383 3,944 5,201 6,662 7,880 8,891 . . . . . . . . . 65.2
1979 3,689 3,778 3,479 4,725 4,878 4,390 5,784 7,412 8,775 9,914 . . . . . . . . . 72.6
1980 4,190 4,290 3,949 5,363 5,537 4,983 6,565 8,414 9,966 11,269 12,761 14,199 16,896 82.4
1981 4,620 4,729 4,359 5,917 6,111 5,498 7,250 9,287 11,007 12,449 14,110 15,655 18,572 90.9
1982 4,901 5,019 4,626 6,281 6,487 5,836 7,693 9,862 11,684 13,207 15,036 16,719 19,698 96.5
1983 5,061 5,180 4,775 6,483 6,697 6,023 7,938 10,178 12,049 13,630 15,500 17,170 20,310 99.6
1984 5,278 5,400 4,979 6,762 6,983 6,282 8,277 10,609 12,566 14,207 16,096 17,961 21,247 103.9
1985 5,469 5,593 5,156 6,998 7,231 6,503 8,573 10,989 13,007 14,696 16,656 18,512 22,083 107.6
1986 5,572 5,701 5,255 7,138 7,372 6,630 8,737 11,203 13,259 14,986 17,049 18,791 22,497 109.6
1987 5,778 5,909 5,447 7,397 7,641 6,872 9,056 11,611 13,737 15,509 17,649 19,515 23,105 113.6
1988 6,022 6,155 5,674 7,704 7,958 7,157 9,435 12,092 14,304 16,146 18,232 20,253 24,129 118.3
1989 6,310 6,451 5,947 8,076 8,343 7,501 9,885 12,674 14,990 16,921 19,162 21,328 25,480 124.0
1990 6,652 6,800 6,268 8,509 8,794 7,905 10,419 13,359 15,792 17,839 20,241 22,582 26,848 130.7
1991 6,932 7,086 6,532 8,865 9,165 8,241 10,860 13,924 16,456 18,587 21,058 23,582 27,942 136.2
1992 7,143 7,299 6,729 9,137 9,443 8,487 11,186 14,335 16,952 19,137 21,594 24,053 28,745 140.3
1993 7,363 7,518 6,930 9,414 9,728 8,740 11,522 14,763 17,449 19,718 22,383 24,838 29,529 144.5
1994 7,547 7,710 7,108 9,661 9,976 8,967 11,821 15,141 17,900 20,235 22,923 25,427 30,300 148.2
1995 7,763 7,929 7,309 9,933 10,259 9,219 12,158 15,569 18,408 20,804 23,552 26,237 31,280 152.4
1996 7,995 8,163 7,525 10,233 10,564 9,491 12,516 16,036 18,952 21,389 24,268 27,091 31,971 156.9
1997 8,183 8,350 7,698 10,473 10,805 9,712 12,802 16,400 19,380 21,886 24,802 27,593 32,566 160.5
1998 8,316 8,480 7,818 10,634 10,972 9,862 13,003 16,660 19,680 22,228 25,257 28,166 33,339 163.0
1999 8,499 8,667 7,990 10,864 11,213 10,075 13,289 17,030 20,128 22,730 25,918 28,970 34,436 166.6
2000 8,791 8,959 8,259 11,235 11,589 10,418 13,740 17,604 20,815 23,533 26,750 29,701 35,150 172.2
2001 9,039 9,214 8,494 11,569 11,920 10,715 14,128 18,104 21,405 24,195 27,517 30,627 36,286 177.1
2002 9,183 9,359 8,628 11,756 12,110 10,885 14,348 18,392 21,744 24,576 28,001 30,907 37,062 179.9
2003 9,393 9,573 8,825 12,015 12,384 11,133 14,680 18,810 22,245 25,122 28,544 31,589 37,656 184.0
2004 9,646 9,827 9,060 12,335 12,714 11,430 15,066 19,307 22,830 25,787 29,233 32,641 39,062 188.9
2005 9,973 10,160 9,367 12,755 13,145 11,815 15,577 19,971 23,613 26,683 30,249 33,610 40,288 195.3
2006 10,294 10,488 9,669 13,167 13,569 12,201 16,079 20,614 24,382 27,560 31,205 34,774 41,499 201.6
2007 10,590 10,787 9,944 13,540 13,954 12,550 16,530 21,203 25,080 28,323 32,233 35,816 42,739 207.3
2008 10,991 11,201 10,326 14,051 14,489 13,030 17,163 22,025 26,049 29,456 33,529 37,220 44,346 215.3
2009 10,956 11,161 10,289 13,991 14,439 12,982 17,098 21,954 25,991 29,405 33,372 37,252 44,366 214.5
2010 11,137 11,344 10,458 14,216 14,676 13,194 17,373 22,315 26,442 29,904 34,019 37,953 45,224 218.1
2011 11,484 11,702 10,788 14,657 15,139 13,609 17,916 23,021 27,251 30,847 35,085 39,064 46,572 224.9
2012 11,720 11,945 11,011 14,937 15,450 13,892 18,284 23,492 27,827 31,471 35,743 39,688 47,297 229.6
2013 11,880 12,119 11,173 15,139 15,678 14,097 18,554 23,844 28,234 31,887 36,239 39,930 48,343 233.0
2014 12,071 12,316 11,354 15,379 15,934 14,326 18,850 24,230 28,695 32,473 36,927 40,968 49,021 236.7
2015 12,082 12,331 11,367 15,391 15,952 14,342 18,871 24,257 28,741 32,542 36,998 41,029 49,177 237.0
2016 12,228 12,486 11,511 15,569 16,151 14,522 19,105 24,563 29,111 32,928 37,458 41,781 49,721 240.0
2017 12,485 12,752 11,756 15,880 16,491 14,829 19,515 25,093 29,716 33,610 38,170 42,642 50,723 245.1
2018 12,784 13,064 12,043 16,247 16,889 15,193 19,985 25,701 30,454 34,533 39,194 43,602 51,393 251.1
2019 13,011 13,300 12,261 16,521 17,196 15,468 20,335 26,172 31,021 35,129 40,016 44,461 52,875 255.7
2020 13,171 13,465 12,413 16,733 17,413 15,659 20,591 26,496 31,417 35,499 40,406 44,755 53,905 258.8
SOURCE: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey.
NOTES: CPI = Consumer Price Index; . . . = not applicable.
Poverty thresholds in dollars for larger families before 1981 are:
Year 7 persons
or more
1959 4,849
1960 4,921
1961 4,967
1962 5,032
1963 5,092
1964 5,156
1965 5,248
1966 5,395
1967 5,550
1968 5,789
1969 6,101
1970 6,468
1971 6,751
1972 6,983
1973 7,435
1974 8,253
1975 9,022
1976 9,588
1977 10,216
1978 11,002
1979 12,280
1980 13,955
 
Beginning with poverty reports for 1981, the Census Bureau discontinued making distinctions based on householder's sex or between farm and nonfarm families of the same size and composition. Additionally, larger Current Population Survey samples permitted separate poverty income criteria for families of 7, 8, and 9 or more persons. The Social Security Administration developed separate criteria for these larger families by number of children for the base year 1978 on the same basis as the original poverty matrix for smaller families, and has since updated the criteria by means of the all-items CPI. For additional details, see Census Bureau's Current Population Reports Series P-60, No. 133, "Characteristics of the Population Below the Poverty Level, 1980."
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.
CONTACT: Bernadette D. Proctor (301) 763-3213 or statistics@ssa.gov.
Table 3.E8 Poverty guidelines for families of specified size, 1965–2021 (in dollars)
Date of issuance a 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons 6 persons 7 persons 8 persons Increment b
December 1965 1,540 1,990 2,440 3,130 3,685 4,135 4,635 5,135 500
August 1967 1,600 2,000 2,500 3,200 3,800 4,200 4,700 5,300 500
September 1968 1,600 2,100 2,600 3,300 3,900 4,400 4,900 5,400 500
September 1969 1,800 2,400 3,000 3,600 4,200 4,800 5,400 6,000 600
December 1970 1,900 2,500 3,100 3,800 4,400 5,000 5,600 6,200 600
November 1971 2,000 2,600 3,300 4,000 4,700 5,300 5,900 6,500 600
October 1972 2,100 2,725 3,450 4,200 4,925 5,550 6,200 6,850 650
March 1973 2,200 2,900 3,600 4,300 5,000 5,700 6,400 7,100 700
May 1974 2,330 3,070 3,810 4,550 5,290 6,030 6,770 7,510 740
March 1975 2,590 3,410 4,230 5,050 5,870 6,690 7,510 8,330 820
April 1976 2,800 3,700 4,600 5,500 6,400 7,300 8,200 9,100 900
April 1977 2,970 3,930 4,890 5,850 6,810 7,770 8,730 9,690 960
April 1978 3,140 4,160 5,180 6,200 7,220 8,240 9,260 10,280 1,020
May 1979 3,400 4,500 5,600 6,700 7,800 8,900 10,000 11,100 1,100
April 1980 3,790 5,010 6,230 7,450 8,670 9,890 11,110 12,330 1,220
March 1981 4,310 5,690 7,070 8,450 9,830 11,210 12,590 13,970 1,380
April 1982 4,680 6,220 7,760 9,300 10,840 12,380 13,920 15,460 1,540
February 1983 4,860 6,540 8,220 9,900 11,580 13,260 14,940 16,620 1,680
February 1984 4,980 6,720 8,460 10,200 11,940 13,680 15,420 17,160 1,740
March 1985 5,250 7,050 8,850 10,650 12,450 14,250 16,050 17,850 1,800
February 1986 5,360 7,240 9,120 11,000 12,880 14,760 16,640 18,520 1,880
February 1987 5,500 7,400 9,300 11,200 13,100 15,000 16,900 18,800 1,900
February 1988 5,770 7,730 9,690 11,650 13,610 15,570 17,530 19,490 1,960
February 1989 5,980 8,020 10,060 12,100 14,140 16,180 18,220 20,260 2,040
February 1990 6,280 8,420 10,560 12,700 14,840 16,980 18,120 21,260 2,140
February 1991 6,620 8,880 11,140 13,400 15,660 17,920 20,180 22,440 2,260
February 1992 6,810 9,190 11,570 13,950 16,330 18,710 21,090 23,470 2,380
February 1993 6,970 9,430 11,890 14,350 16,810 19,270 21,730 24,190 2,460
February 1994 7,360 9,840 12,320 14,800 17,280 19,760 22,240 24,720 2,480
February 1995 7,470 10,030 12,590 15,150 17,710 20,270 22,830 25,390 2,560
March 1996 7,740 10,360 12,980 15,600 18,220 20,840 23,460 26,080 2,620
March 1997 7,890 10,610 13,330 16,050 18,770 21,490 24,210 26,960 2,720
February 1998 8,050 10,850 13,650 16,450 19,250 22,050 24,850 27,650 2,800
March 1999 8,240 11,060 13,880 16,700 19,520 22,340 25,160 27,980 2,820
February 2000 8,350 11,250 14,150 17,050 19,950 22,850 25,750 28,650 2,900
February 2001 8,590 11,610 14,630 17,650 20,670 23,690 26,710 29,730 3,020
February 2002 8,860 11,940 15,020 18,100 21,180 24,260 27,340 30,420 3,080
February 2003 8,980 12,120 15,260 18,400 21,540 24,680 27,820 30,960 3,140
February 2004 9,310 12,490 15,670 18,850 22,030 25,210 28,390 31,570 3,180
February 2005 9,570 12,830 16,090 19,350 22,610 25,870 29,130 32,390 3,260
January 2006 9,800 13,200 16,600 20,000 23,400 26,800 30,200 33,600 3,400
January 2007 10,210 13,690 17,170 20,650 24,130 27,610 31,090 34,570 3,480
January 2008 10,400 14,000 17,600 21,200 24,800 28,400 32,000 35,600 3,600
January 2009 10,830 14,570 18,310 22,050 25,790 29,530 33,270 37,010 3,740
January 2010 10,830 14,570 18,310 22,050 25,790 29,530 33,270 37,010 3,740
January 2011 10,890 14,710 18,530 22,350 26,170 29,990 33,810 37,630 3,820
January 2012 11,170 15,130 19,090 23,050 27,010 30,970 34,930 38,890 3,960
January 2013 11,490 15,510 19,530 23,550 27,570 31,590 35,610 39,630 4,020
January 2014 11,670 15,730 19,790 23,850 27,910 31,970 36,030 40,090 4,060
January 2015 11,770 15,930 20,090 24,250 28,410 32,570 36,730 40,890 4,160
January 2016 11,880 16,020 20,160 24,300 28,440 32,580 36,730 40,890 4,160
January 2017 12,060 16,240 20,420 24,600 28,780 32,960 37,140 41,320 4,180
January 2018 12,140 16,460 20,780 25,100 29,420 33,740 38,060 42,380 4,320
January 2019 12,490 16,910 21,330 25,750 30,170 34,590 39,010 43,430 4,420
January 2020 12,760 17,240 21,720 26,200 30,680 35,160 39,640 44,120 4,480
January 2021 12,880 17,420 21,960 26,500 31,040 35,580 40,120 44,660 4,540
SOURCES: Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Register, vol. 86, no. 19 (February 1, 2021), pp. 7732–7734; earlier Federal Register notices (1968–2020); and Israel Putnam, "Poverty Thresholds: Their History and Future Development" [November 1970], p. 281 in Mollie Orshansky [editor], Documentation of Background Information and Rationale for Current Poverty Matrix (Technical Paper I of The Measure of Poverty), Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1977.
NOTES: Except for Alaska and Hawaii. Guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii since 1980 are:
Year Alaska Hawaii
1 person Increment 1 person Increment
1980 4,760 1,520 4,370 1,400
1981 5,410 1,720 4,980 1,580
1982 5,870 1,920 5,390 1,770
1983 6,080 2,100 5,600 1,930
1984 6,240 2,170 5,730 2,000
1985 6,560 2,250 6,040 2,070
1986 6,700 2,350 6,170 2,160
1987 6,860 2,380 6,310 2,190
1988 7,210 2,450 6,650 2,250
1989 7,480 2,550 6,870 2,350
1990 7,840 2,680 7,230 2,460
1991 8,290 2,820 7,610 2,600
1992 8,500 2,980 7,830 2,740
1993 8,700 3,080 8,040 2,820
1994 9,200 3,100 8,470 2,850
1995 9,340 3,200 8,610 2,940
1996 9,660 3,280 8,910 3,010
1997 9,870 3,400 9,070 3,130
1998 10,070 3,500 9,260 3,220
1999 10,320 3,520 9,490 3,240
2000 10,430 3,630 9,590 3,340
2001 10,730 3,780 9,890 3,470
2002 11,080 3,850 10,200 3,540
2003 11,210 3,930 10,330 3,610
2004 11,630 3,980 10,700 3,660
2005 11,950 4,080 11,010 3,750
2006 12,250 4,250 11,270 3,910
2007 12,770 4,350 11,750 4,000
2008 13,000 4,500 11,960 4,140
2009 13,530 4,680 12,460 4,300
2010 13,530 4,680 12,460 4,300
2011 13,600 4,780 12,540 4,390
2012 13,970 4,950 12,860 4,550
2013 14,350 5,030 13,230 4,620
2014 14,580 5,080 13,420 4,670
2015 14,720 5,200 13,550 4,780
2016 14,840 5,200 13,670 4,780
2017 15,060 5,230 13,860 4,810
2018 15,180 5,400 13,960 4,970
2019 15,600 5,530 14,380 5,080
2020 15,950 5,600 14,680 5,150
2021 16,090 5,680 14,820 5,220
 
Separate figures for Alaska and Hawaii reflect Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the 1966–1970 period. The Census Bureau, producer of the primary version of the poverty measure (the poverty thresholds), does not produce separate figures for Alaska and Hawaii.
Before 1983, the guidelines shown are for nonfarm families only.
a. The guidelines are effective from the date of issuance (unless otherwise specified by a particular program using them).
b. Add this amount for each additional family member. Before 1973, increments between some of the smaller family sizes differed from the increment shown in the table. Beginning in 1973, the increment is the same for all family sizes in each year's set of guidelines, with rare exceptions (such as in 2016) caused by rounding and standardizing adjustments.
CONTACT: Kendall Swenson (202) 690-7507 or statistics@ssa.gov.