| Poverty level | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme poverty | 6.6 | 7.4 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 7.9 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 7.6 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.1 |
| Below poverty but above extreme poverty |
11.3 | 12.2 | 12.8 | 12.7 | 12.3 | 12.0 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 10.4 | 11.3 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 11.9 | 12.2 | 11.4 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 10.1 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 10.2 | 10.4 |
| Low income | 24.0 | 25.2 | 24.6 | 24.4 | 23.1 | 22.8 | 21.7 | 20.8 | 21.5 | 21.2 | 21.8 | 22.2 | 22.0 | 22.2 | 22.0 | 22.5 | 22.7 | 21.4 | 21.2 | 21.9 | 21.3 | 21.9 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 21.4 | 21.3 | 21.5 | 21.1 | 21.5 |
| Medium income | 41.4 | 39.6 | 38.2 | 37.1 | 37.8 | 37.7 | 37.3 | 37.4 | 36.8 | 36.8 | 37.0 | 35.7 | 34.9 | 33.4 | 33.7 | 34.5 | 34.0 | 34.4 | 33.5 | 32.8 | 34.0 | 33.2 | 32.7 | 32.0 | 32.3 | 32.1 | 31.6 | 31.8 | 31.7 |
| High income | 16.8 | 15.7 | 15.8 | 16.7 | 18.1 | 19.4 | 21.2 | 22.2 | 22.7 | 23.0 | 21.3 | 21.0 | 21.6 | 22.4 | 23.1 | 22.9 | 23.4 | 25.0 | 27.0 | 28.7 | 29.0 | 29.2 | 29.6 | 29.4 | 28.9 | 29.5 | 29.9 | 29.5 | 28.3 |
| Very high income | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 10.1 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 12.6 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 13.1 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 13.8 | 13.4 | 12.9 |
| NOTE: The 2004 data have been revised to reflect a correction to the weights in the 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC). Data for 1999, 2000, and 2001 use Census 2000 population controls. Data for 2000 onward are from the expanded Current Population Survey (CPS) sample. Estimates refer to children who are related to the householder and who are ages 0–17. The income classes are derived from the ratio of the family’s income to the family’s poverty threshold. Extreme poverty is less than 50 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., $10,916 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). Below poverty, but above extreme poverty is between 50 and 99 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $10,917 and $21,833 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). Low income is between 100 and 199 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $21,834 and $43,667 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). Medium income is between 200 and 399 percent of the poverty threshold (i.e., between $43,668 and $87,335 for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). High income is 400 percent of the poverty threshold or more (i.e., $87,336 or more for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). Very high income is 600 percent of the poverty threshold and over (i.e., $131,004 or more for a family of four with 2 related children in 2008). [These income categories are similar to those used in the Economic report for the President (1998). A similar approach is found in Hernandez, Donald J. (1993). America’s children: Resources from family, government, and the economy. New York: Russell Sage Foundation for the National Committee for Research on the 1980 Census, except that Hernandez uses the relationship to median income to define his categories. The medium- and high-income categories are similar for either method.] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplements. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
