U.S. Department of Commerce

Poverty

Skip top of page navigation
Census.gov › People and Households › Poverty Main › Poverty Data › Income, Poverty and Health Insurance in the United States › Poverty in the United States: 2002 › The Cumulative Effect of Taxes and Transfers on Poverty Estimates: 2001 and 2002 (Revised)

The Cumulative Effect of Taxes and Transfers on Poverty Estimates: 2001 and 2002 (Revised)

(Numbers in thousands)

Selected income definitions 2001 2002 Change (2002 less 2001)
Number below poverty Poverty Rate Number below poverty Poverty Rate Number below poverty Poverty Rate
Definition 1 (current measure) 32,907 11.7 34,570 12.1 *1,663 *0.4
Definition 2 (definition 1 less government cash transfers1) 54,102 19.2 57,206 20.0 *3,104 *0.8
Definition 4 (definition 2 plus capital gains and employee health benefits) 52,042 18.5 55,051 19.3 *3,009 *0.8
Definition 6 (definition 4 less social security payroll and federal income taxes2) 54,799 19.5 58,045 20.3 *3,246 *0.8
Definition 7 (definition 6 plus the earned income credit (EIC)) 51,214 18.2 53,997 18.9 *2,783 *0.7
Definition 8 (definition 7 less state income taxes) 51,651 18.4 54,361 19.1 *2,710 *0.7
Definition 9 (definition 8 plus nonmeans-tested government cash transfers) 32,653 11.6 33,968 11.9 *1,315 *0.3
Definition 11 (definition 9 plus the value of Medicare and regular-price school lunch) 31,757 11.3 33,078 11.6 *1,321 *0.3
Definition 14 (definition 12 plus the value of Medicaid and other means-tested government noncash transfers) 25,451 9.0 26,750 9.4 *1,299 *0.4

Footnotes:

  • *Statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.
    1. See Appendix B of the P60-201, Poverty in the United States: 1997.
    2. This definition refers to social security and federal income tax liabilities before taking into account refundable credits i.e. EIC.
  • For further explanation of the tax model revisions issued in April 2004 see, "Alternative Measures of Poverty for 2001 and 2002 (Revised)" at Alternative Measures Revision

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2002 and 2003 Annual and Social Economic Supplements.


Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division: Poverty |  Last Revised: June 22, 2010