Alternative Measures of Income and Poverty Table of Contents

These tables focus on alternative definitions of income.  In the poverty tables, the same poverty thresholds were used across income definitions. 

The tables labeled "RS" use a revised price index to adjust poverty thresholds for inflation.  More about the CPI-U-RS.  

§         The first series is based on the report, The Effects of Government Taxes and Transfers on Income and Poverty: 2004. 

§         The second series (at bottom) is based on research developed in the 1980s.  For details about that series, see Measuring the Effect of Benefits and Taxes on Income and Poverty: 1992. [PDF]  

§         These two data series are not the only alternatives available.  See Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures. 

These data come from the CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement, formerly called the March Supplement.

(2004 Income)

           Based on the June 2006 Weighting Correction User Note


The Effects of Government Taxes and Transfers on Income and Poverty (New Alternative Measures of Income and Poverty)

Table Number Title
Table RD-REV INC01 (Table 1.) Income Distribution Measures, by Definitions of Income
Table RD-REV POV01 Percent and Number of People in Poverty Under Alternative Income Definitions and Using Three-Parameter Thresholds
Table RD-REV POV01 RS Percent and Number of People in Poverty Under Alternative Income Definitions and Using Three-Parameter Thresholds Adjusted for Inflation using the CPI-U-RS
Table RD-REV POV02 People and Families With Alternative Definitions of Income Below the Three-Parameter Poverty Thresholds, by Selected Characteristics: 2003 to 2004
Table RD-REV POV02 RS People and Families With Alternative Definitions of Income Below the CPI-U-RS-adjusted Three-Parameter Poverty Thresholds, by Selected Characteristics: 2003 to 2004

Alternative Measures of Income and Poverty (R&D)

Table Number Title
Table 1 Income Distribution Measures, by Definition of Income: 2004
Table 2 Percent of People in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004
Table 2 Percent of People in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004-RS
Table 3 Percent of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004
Table 3 Percent of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004-RS
Table 4 Percent of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004
Table 4 Percent of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004-RS
Table 5 Mean Income Deficit of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004
Table 5 Mean Income Deficit of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004-RS
Table 6 Mean Income Deficit of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004
Table 6 Mean Income Deficit of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2004-RS
Table 7 Income of Households from Specified Sources, by Poverty Status: 2004
Poverty Footnotes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Contact: Census Bureau Question & Answer Center at ask.census.gov
Last revised: March 29, 2007
URL: http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032005/alttoc/toc.htm