U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Skip Header
Partners Researchers Educators Survey Respondents
News NAICS Codes Jobs About Us Contact Us Help
Topics
Data & Maps
Surveys & Programs
Resource Library
Search data, events, resources, and more
Topics
Browse our topics and subtopics to find information and data.
View All Topics and Subtopics Index A to Z
Age and Sex Business and Economy Education Emergency Management Employment Families and Living Arrangements Geography Health Hispanic Origin Housing
Income and Poverty International Trade Migration/Geographic Mobility Population Population Estimates Public Sector Race Redistricting Research Voting and Registration
Data & Maps
Access demographic, economic and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Explore census data with visualizations and view tutorials.
Explore data on data.census.gov View all data resources
Census Academy Combining Data Data Equity Tools Data Tools and Apps Developers Experimental Data Products
Interactive Maps Mapping Files Related Sites Software Tables Training and Workshops Visualizations
Surveys & Programs
Our surveys provide periodic and comprehensive statistics about the nation. This data is critical for government programs, policies, and decision-making.
View all Surveys & Programs
2020 Census 2030 Census American Community Survey (ACS) American Housing Survey (AHS) Annual Business Survey (ABS) Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) Census of Governments County Business Patterns (CBP) Current Population Survey (CPS)
Economic Census International Programs Metro and Micro Areas Population Estimates Population Projections Small Area Income and Poverty Statistics of U.S. Businesses Survey of Business Owners Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
Resource Library
Browse our collection of stories and more.
View all library resources Glossary
America Counts: Stories Audio Blogs By the Numbers Fact Sheets Infographics and Visualizations
Photos Publications Spotlights Training (Census Academy) Videos Working Papers
Partners Researchers Educators Survey Respondents
News NAICS Codes Jobs About Us Contact Us Help
View All Topics and Subtopics Index A to Z
Age and Sex Business and Economy Education Emergency Management Employment Families and Living Arrangements Geography Health Hispanic Origin Housing Income and Poverty International Trade Migration/Geographic Mobility Population Population Estimates Public Sector Race Redistricting Research Voting and Registration
Explore data on data.census.gov View all data resources
Census Academy Combining Data Data Equity Tools Data Tools and Apps Developers Experimental Data Products Interactive Maps Mapping Files Related Sites Software Tables Training and Workshops Visualizations
View all Surveys & Programs
2020 Census 2030 Census American Community Survey (ACS) American Housing Survey (AHS) Annual Business Survey (ABS) Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM) Census of Governments County Business Patterns (CBP) Current Population Survey (CPS) Economic Census International Programs Metro and Micro Areas Population Estimates Population Projections Small Area Income and Poverty Statistics of U.S. Businesses Survey of Business Owners Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
View all library resources Glossary
America Counts: Stories Audio Blogs By the Numbers Fact Sheets Infographics and Visualizations Photos Publications Spotlights Training (Census Academy) Videos Working Papers

Program Income and Public Assistance

Skip Navigation
Within Income and Poverty

Program Income and Public Assistance

Program income includes income from a variety of sources such as Social Security payments, Unemployment Compensation, and VA Benefits. Public assistance includes cash and non-cash benefits (e.g. TANF, SNAP)  to low-income families or individuals.

Featured

Program Income and Public Assistance Publications
Official publications released by the U.S. Census Bureau have a report number and often list the lead author(s).
Program Income and Public Assistance Working Papers
Census Bureau research made available to others to encourage discussion on a range of topics. They have not undergone official review or the editorial process.
Program Income and Public Assistance Data Tables
Stats displayed in columns and rows with title, ID, notes, sources and release date. Many tables are in downloadable XLS, CVS and PDF file formats.

Publications

View More
Publication
Income Sources of Older Households: 2017
February 2022
This report examines older households’ sources of income, the amounts of this income, and how much each source of income contributes to total income.
Publication
An Analysis of the 2018 Congressional Election
December 2021
This report summarizes the characteristics of those who voted and registered in the November 2018 election and in congressional elections since 1978.
Publication
Benefits Received by Veterans and Their Survivors: 2017
November 10, 2021
In 2017, almost one-half of veterans (46.7 percent) received at least one cash or noncash benefit from the VA or the military.

Working Papers

View More
Working Paper
The Retirement Income of the Prime Working Aged
September 2022
This conference paper examines early pension and retirement account withdrawals using SIPP linked to administrative records.
Working Paper
2022 ACS Content Test: Round 3 Cognitive Testing Results
May 13, 2022
This report summarizes results from Round 3 of cognitive testing, which gathered feedback from individuals in groups quarters facilities and Puerto Rico.
Working Paper
2022 ACS Content Test: Round 1 and Round 2 Cognitive Testing Results
April 15, 2022
This report summarizes results from two rounds of cognitive testing for the 2022 ACS Content Test.

Tables

View More
Table
SIPP Detailed Program Receipt 508 Compliant Tables: 2020
2020
These SIPP tables provide national data about a variety of social welfare and social insurance programs.
Table
SIPP Detailed Program Receipt Tables: 2020
2020
These SIPP tables provide national data about a variety of social welfare and social insurance programs.
Table
SIPP Detailed Program Receipt Tables: 2019
2019
These SIPP tables provide national data about a variety of social welfare and social insurance programs.

Visualizations

View More
Visualization
Who Is Receiving Social Safety Net Benefits?
September 01, 2022
View the percentage of individuals receiving select social safety net benefits.
Visualization
WIC Program Eligibility and Participation
August 17, 2021
View WIC program eligibility and participation estimates by state from linked American Community Survey and Administrative Records.
Visualization
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Eligibility & Access
August 17, 2021
State- and county-level estimates on SNAP eligibility and participation.

Other Subtopics Within 'Income and Poverty'

Income

Census money income is defined as income received on a regular basis before payments for taxes, social security, etc. and does not reflect noncash benefits.

Income Inequality

Income inequality is the extent to which income is distributed unevenly among a population.

Poverty

If a family's total income is less than the official poverty threshold for a family of that size and composition, then they are considered to be in poverty.

Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)

The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) program provides more current estimates for the administration and allocation of federal programs and funds.

Supplemental Poverty Measure

In 2009, the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) created a Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) to replace previous experimental poverty measures.

Wealth and Asset Ownership

Household net worth or wealth is an important defining factor of economic well-being - it can become an additional source of income in hard times or retirement.

Well-Being

Factors that contribute to well-being include income, possession of consumer durables, housing and neighborhood conditions, and the meeting of basic needs.

Top

Back to Header