How Official Poverty Is Measured

The poverty rate is the share of people with pre-tax money income below certain thresholds. It is calculated by the Census Bureau using information on incomes from a household survey called the Current Population Survey.

The threshold for a family of four with two children is $21,756 in 2009. The thresholds vary by family size, number of children, and whether the householder is over 65:

• Poverty Thresholds, 1959-2009
• Census Bureau’s description of how the official measure is determined
• The 2008 official poverty report