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ECON1.B Income distribution: Percentage of related children ages 0–17 by family income relative to the poverty line, 1980–2006

excel icon ECON1B Excel Table

Poverty level 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Extreme poverty 6.6 7.4 8.6 9.2 8.7 8.1 8.4 8.5 8.5 7.7 8.3 9.3 9.9 9.6 9.4 7.9 8.4 8.5 7.6 6.5 6.3 6.6 6.6 7.3 7.2 7.2 7.1
Below poverty, but above extreme poverty 11.3 12.2 12.8 12.7 12.3 12.0 11.4 11.2 10.4 11.3 11.6 11.8 11.7 12.4 11.9 12.2 11.4 10.8 10.7 10.1 9.4 9.1 9.7 9.9 10.1 9.9 9.9
Low income 24.0 25.2 24.6 24.4 23.1 22.8 21.7 20.8 21.5 21.2 21.8 22.2 22.0 22.2 22.0 22.5 22.7 21.4 21.2 21.9 21.3 21.9 21.5 21.5 21.4 21.3 21.5
Medium income 41.4 39.6 38.2 37.1 37.8 37.7 37.3 37.4 36.8 36.8 37.0 35.7 34.9 33.4 33.7 34.5 34.0 34.4 33.5 32.8 34.0 33.2 32.7 32.0 32.3 32.1 31.6
High income 16.8 15.7 15.8 16.7 18.1 19.4 21.2 22.2 22.7 23.0 21.3 21.0 21.6 22.4 23.1 22.9 23.4 25.0 27.0 28.7 29.0 29.2 29.6 29.4 28.9 29.5 29.9
Very high income 4.3 3.9 4.6 4.8 5.4 6.1 6.9 7.5 7.8 8.1 7.4 7.0 7.3 8.4 9.1 8.9 9.2 10.1 11.2 12.3 12.6 12.9 12.9 13.1 12.9 13.5 13.8
NOTE: The 2004 data have been revised to reflect a correction to the weights in the 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC). Data for 1999, 2000, and 2001 use Census 2000 population controls. Data for 2000 onward are from the expanded Current Population Survey sample. Estimates refer to children who are related to the householder and who are ages 0–17. The income classes are derived from the ratio of the family's income to the family's poverty threshold. Extreme poverty is less than 50 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., $10,221 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). Below poverty, but above extreme poverty is between 50 and 99 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $10,222 and $20,443 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). Low income is between 100 and 199 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $20,444 and $40,887 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). Medium income is between 200 and 399 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $40,888 and $81,775 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). High income is 400 percent of the poverty threshold or more (i.e., $81,776 or more for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). Very high income is 600 percent of the poverty threshold and over (i.e., $122,664 or more for a family of four with 2 related children in 2006). [These income categories are similar to those used in the Economic report for the President (1998). A similar approach is found in Hernandez, Donald J. (1993). America's children: Resources from family, government, and the economy. New York: Russell Sage Foundation for the National Committee for Research on the 1980 census, except that Hernandez uses the relationship to median income to define his categories. The medium- and high-income categories are similar for either method.]
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 1981 to 2007 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.