U.S. Census Bureau

Alternative Measures of Income and Poverty Table of Contents

These data come from the CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement, formerly called the March Supplement. The R and D series 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 tables focus on alternative definitions of income.

Additional alternative poverty data series are available.  See Poverty Measurement Studies and Alternative Measures.  Tables in the series The Effects of Taxes and Transfers on Income and Poverty will no longer be released. Users can generate estimates using the public use file and variables [EXCEL] from that series or use CPS Table Creator II. For comments on this software, please email Charles T. Nelson. 

(2008 Income)

Alternative Measures of Income and Poverty (R&D)

Table Number Title
Table 1 Income Distribution Measures, by Definition of Income: 2008
Table 2 Percent of People in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008
Table 2 Percent of People in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008-RS
Table 3 Percent of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008
Table 3 Percent of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008-RS
Table 4 Percent of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008
Table 4 Percent of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008-RS
Table 5 Mean Income Deficit of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008
Table 5 Mean Income Deficit of Families in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008-RS
Table 6 Mean Income Deficit of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008
Table 6 Mean Income Deficit of Unrelated Individuals in Poverty, by Definition of Income and Selected Characteristics: 2008-RS
Table 7 Income of Households from Specified Sources, by Poverty Status: 2008

Race Footnotes

Income Definition Footnotes

Contact the Demographic Call Center Staff at 301-763-2422 or 1-866-758-1060 (toll free) or visit ask.census.gov for further information.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Household and Housing Economic Statistics Division