Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds1 for Families, 1960–2012

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

The following table lists the income thresholds for individuals and families that determine who is living in poverty. Thresholds vary by size of family. Region of the United States is not considered; the thresholds each cover the entire U.S.

Calendar
year		 Individual2 Families of 2 persons or more
2 persons2 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons 6 persons 7 persons 8 persons 9 persons or more
1960 $1,490 $1,924 $2,359 $3,022 $3,560 $4,002 $4,9213
1965 1,582 2,048 2,514 3,223 3,797 4,264 5,2483
1970 1,954 2,525 3,099 3,968 4,680 5,260 6,4683
1975 2,724 3,506 4,293 5,500 6,499 7,316 9,0223
1980 4,190 5,363 6,565 8,414 9,966 11,269 12,761
1985 5,469 6,998 8,573 10,989 13,007 14,696 16,656
1990 6,652 8,509 10,419 13,359 15,792 17,839 20,241
1995 7,763 9,933 12,158 15,569 18,408 20,804 23,552
1996 7,995 10,223 12,516 16,036 18,952 21,389 24,268
1997 8,183 10,473 12,802 16,400 19,380 21,886 24,802
1998 8,316 10,634 13,003 16,660 19,680 22,228 25,257
1999 8,501 10,869 13,290 17,029 20,127 22,727 25,912
2000 8,959 11,531 13,470 17,761 21,419 24,636 28,347
2001 9,214 11,859 13,853 18,267 22,029 25,337 29,154
2002 9,359 12,047 14,480 18,244 21,469 24,038 26,924
2003 9,573 12,321 14,810 18,660 21,959 24,586 27,538
2004 9,827 12,649 14,776 19,484 23,497 27,025 31,096
2005 10,160 13,078 15,277 20,144 24,293 27,941 32,150
2006 10,294 13,167 16,079 20,614 24,382 27,560 31,205 34,774 41,499
2007 10,590 13,540 16,530 21,203 25,080 28,323 32,233 35,816 42,739
2008 11,201 14,417 16,841 22,207 26,781 30,803 35,442 39,640 47,684
2010 11,139 14,218 17,374 22,314 26,439 29,897 34,009 37,934 45,220
2011 11,484 14,657 17,916 23,021 27,251 30,847 35,085 39,064 46,572
2012 11,945 14,937 18,284 23,492 27,827 31,471 35,743 39,688 47,297
1. Annual income.
2. Householder under 65 years.
3. For years before 1980, data are for families with seven persons or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008; 2010; 2012. Web: www.census.gov.

People and Families in Poverty by Selected Characteristics, 2005 and 2004 Poverty and Income Percent of People in Poverty, by State, 2002–2004
Poverty and Income
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