U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

P70-119

Economic Characteristics of Households 

in the United States: Third Quarter 2008

Household Economic Studies

Issued April 2010

Current

Population

Reports

By

Thomas Palumbo

U S C E N S U S B U R E A U

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

INTRODUCTION

In the third quarter of 2008, the U.S. economy was in the midst of the recession that 

began in December 2007, while the labor 

market continued a decline that started 

during the second half of 2007. The third 

quarter of 2008 saw the national unemployment rate rise to 6 percent and the number 

of unemployed people reach 9.4 million, an 

increase of 1.2 percentage points and 2 million people over the fourth quarter of 2007 

(all figures seasonally adjusted). Over the 

same 2007–2008 period, employment was 

down by almost 1 million people and the 

employment-population ratio dipped from 

62.8 percent to 62.1 percent. Throughout 

2008, median weekly earnings grew at 

about the same rate as inflation.1

This report provides an overview of some 

of the key sources of financial support of 

the nation’s people and households during this time. The data offer a window 

into the roles of government-sponsored 

benefit programs and the labor market 

during the downturn. When placed within 

a wider context, the data can contribute to 

a better understanding of how public and 

market-oriented financial-support mechanisms respond to varying economic circumstances, and how the role of government 

programs has changed over time.

1 The description and data in this paragraph are 

based on Borbely, 2009. The data are seasonallyadjusted quarterly averages from the Current Population 

Survey. The labor force measurements are for people 

aged 16 or older only. 

This report marks the 25th anniversary of the data in the first 

publication from the Survey of 

Income and Program Participation 

(SIPP), P70-1, Economic 

Characteristics of Households in 

the United States: Third Quarter 

1983, and revisits several of the 

topics of that vanguard report. 

Although those early data were 

considered to be preliminary, their 

publication heralded concretely 

the arrival of a major new source 

of longitudinal data about the 

nation’s people and economy. 

Since their release, the SIPP has 

found widespread analytical uses. 

Like the Current Population 

Survey (CPS) and the American 

Housing Survey, the SIPP has 

become one of the country’s 

iconic data sources.

When data from the SIPP for the 

fourth quarter of 1984 were ready 

for publication, the U.S. Census 

Bureau, believing that it had 

gained sufficient familiarity with 

the new survey’s behavior and 

data processing system, dropped 

the “preliminary” label from the 

data. Appendix C compares selected data for 2008 from the body of 

this report with these data for the 

fourth quarter of 1984.
2 U.S. Census Bureau

Specifically, this report presents 

average monthly data on income, 

participation in government-sponsored social welfare programs and 

social insurance programs, and 

labor force activity for people and 

households during the third quarter of 2008 (July, August, September).2

 The data were collected in 

the first wave of the 2008 panel of 

the Survey of Income and Program 

Participation (SIPP).3, 4 The figures 

represent the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States in 

the third quarter of 2008.5

The SIPP interviews a representative sample of U.S. households once 

in every four months. The survey 

is capable of producing monthly 

averages because, in any given 

interview, it collects information on 

household composition, income, 

program participation, and labor 

force activity for each of the preceding four months.

2 Appendix A describes the procedures 

used to compute the monthly averages shown 

in this report. The SIPP data in this report are 

not seasonally adjusted. The data in Table 7 

and in Figures 1 and 2 represent actual 

monthly counts rather than monthly averages. 3 The SIPP is a longitudinal survey that 

follows the same panel of individuals over 

time. The survey is conducted in waves. 

Data are collected from one-fourth of the 

sample members (“rotation group”) in each 

of the four months of a wave. People are 

asked about characteristics and activities 

during each of the four months prior to the 

interview, a time known as the “reference 

period.” The data for this report were collected during wave 1 of the 2008 SIPP panel. 

Interviews were conducted from September 

2008 through December 2008. See Box 1 for 

related sources of data. 4 A package of tabulations of annual and 

monthly data from the 2004 SIPP panel on 

individual, family, and household programparticipation rates and amounts for 2004–

2005 for social insurance and social welfare 

programs is found at: <www.census.gov/sipp

/tables/index.html>. 5 Published data generally comparable with 

those in this report are available from the SIPP 

for the third quarter of 1984 (U.S. Census 

Bureau, 1985). The tables in Appendix C compare selected data in this report with those 

data (see the text in Appendix C for issues 

related to comparability).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Median monthly cash income 

for all households in the third 

quarter of 2008 was $3,865, or 

$46,380 on an annual basis.6

• The median monthly cash income 

of $5,604 for married-couple 

households was substantially 

above the comparable figure of 

$2,193 for family households 

with a female householder with 

no husband present and with 

own children under 18.

• In an average month during the 

third quarter of 2008, about 45 

percent of the population resided 

in households in which at least 

one individual received benefits 

from one or more governmentsponsored social welfare or social 

insurance programs. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid were 

6 The estimates in this report (which may 

be shown in the text, tables, and figures) are 

based on responses from a sample of the population and may differ from actual values 

because of sampling variability or other factors. As a result, apparent differences between 

estimates for two or more groups may not be 

statistically significant. All comparative statements have undergone statistical testing and 

are significant at the 90 percent confidence 

level unless otherwise noted. The data in 

Tables 1 to 6 are averages of monthly 

estimates. 

the most widespread sources of 

benefits.

• About 28.4 million households, 

or 24 percent of total U.S. households, received means-tested 

benefits (either cash or noncash) in an average month, with 

Medicaid, free or reduced-price 

school meals, and food stamps 

being the most widely received.7

In 1984, the roughly comparable 

figure was about 16 percent.8

• The two government programs 

affecting the largest number 

of households, Social Security 

and Medicare, are not means 

tested. About 33.6 million 

households (28.6 percent of the 

total) received Social Security 

or Railroad Retirement benefits 

and 30.8 million (26.2 percent) 

received benefits from Medicare.

7 The 2008 farm bill (H.R. 2419, the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) 

changed the name of the Federal Food Stamp 

Program to the Supplemental Nutrition 

Assistance Program (SNAP) as of Oct. 1, 2008. 

States maintained flexibility to name the program on their own but were encouraged to 

change the name to SNAP or another alternate 

name. 8 See Table C-2. Note the discussion in 

the text in Appendix C concerning the comparability of the 1984 and 2008 data. 

Box 1. Related Sources of Data

Several existing data series provide information closely related to the 

data in this report. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes statistics on 

annual income of people and households based on the Annual Social 

and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey 

(CPS) at <www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/income.html>. The 

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes several data series on earnings based on the CPS and the Current Employment Statistics Survey 

at <www.bls.gov>. The BLS also publishes the nation’s official 

household-based statistics on monthly employment and unemployment from data collected in the CPS, which is specifically designed 

to obtain labor force statistics. The SIPP collects data on labor force 

activity to complement its data on income and household economic 

status. Accordingly, the SIPP labor force data are based on procedures and concepts that differ from those used to collect and define 

the official CPS statistics. 
U.S. Census Bureau 3

• Noncash means-tested benefits 

went to 28.2 million households 

in an average month. The majority 

of these households (54 percent) 

participated in two or more programs. About 5.9 million family 

households with a female householder with no husband present 

and with own children under 18 

received noncash means-tested 

benefits—nearly three quarters 

(74.0 percent) participated in two 

or more programs.

• In an average month, 156.7 million people aged 16 or older, or 

66.9 percent of people of working age, engaged in some form of 

labor force activity (working, on 

layoff, or looking for work). Most, 

142.6 million, had a job for the 

entire month.

• The median monthly cash household income of people with some 

labor force activity was $5,500, 

or $66,000 if sustained for the 

entire year. The comparable figure for people without labor force 

activity, such as retired people, 

was $2,979, or about $35,750 

annualized.

• Receiving means-tested government benefits was significantly 

more common among households with unemployed members 

or with no labor force participants than among those with jobholders only. This was especially 

true for family households with 

a female householder with no 

husband present and with own 

children under 18.

• The number of households 

receiving food stamps increased 

steadily between May and 

November of 2008, rising from 

8.9 million to 10.4 million. 

MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD 

INCOME

Median monthly cash income for 

all households in the third quarter 

of 2008 was $3,865 (Table 1).9

 A 

household receiving this amount in 

each month for a year would have 

an annual income of $46,380. Asian 

households had the highest median 

monthly income ($5,196 monthly 

or $62,352 annualized), followed 

by White, not Hispanic, households 

($4,252 monthly or $51,024 annualized), Hispanic households ($3,041 

monthly or $36,492 annualized), 

and Black households ($2,579 

monthly or $30,948 annualized).10

Median monthly household incomes 

differed little across the four regions 

of the country, with about $600 

separating the lowest from the 

highest. The medians for the West 

($4,177) and Northeast ($4,132) 

were highest. The $3,590 median 

for the South (the region with the 

highest percentage of households, 

37 percent) was lowest, about $250 

below the $3,833 figure for the 

Midwest.

Half of the nation’s households 

consisted of married-couple families. Their median monthly income 

of $5,604 contrasted with those of 

the other household types (Table 

1). Family households with a female 

householder with no husband 

present and with own children 

under 18 composed 7 percent of 

all households, and had a median 

cash income of $2,193 or about 40 

percent of that of married-couple 

families. Nonfamily households 

constituted about 33 percent of all 

households; the median income 

of those with male householders 

exceeded that of households with 

female householders, $2,793 to 

$1,927. 

The median monthly incomes 

of households by ascending age 

of the householder displayed an 

inverted “V” pattern. After rising 

steadily from $2,252 for the youngest householders, they peaked at 

$5,000 for householders 45 to 54 

years old, then fell back to $2,448 

for the oldest householders.

9 There were, on average, 117.5 million 

households in the United States in the third 

quarter of 2008. Slightly less than three-quarters (71 percent) had a White, not Hispanic, 

householder. Black households and Hispanic 

households each composed about 12 percent 

of all households. Asian households made up 

3 percent of the total (Table 1). 10 Federal surveys now give respondents 

the option of reporting more than one race. 

There are two basic ways of defining a race 

group. A group such as Black may be 

defined as those who reported Black and no 

other race (the race-alone or single-race concept) or as those who reported Black regardless of whether they also reported another 

race (the race alone-or-in-combination concept). This report shows data using the first 

approach (race-alone). The use of the singlerace population does not imply that it is the 

preferred method of presenting or analyzing 

data. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a variety 

of approaches. Information on people who 

reported more than one race, such as White 

and American Indian, or Asian and Black or 

African American, is available from Census 

2000 through the American FactFinder Web 

site. About 2.6 percent of people reported 

more than one race in Census 2000. 
4 U.S. Census Bureau

Table 1.

Households and Median Monthly Household Cash Income by Selected Characteristics of 

Householder: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter 2008 

(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic

Number Median Income 

(dollars)

All households

90 percent confidence 

interval 

(+/-)1 Percent

90 percent confidence 

interval 

(+/-)1 Estimate

90 percent confidence 

interval 

(+/-)1

As a 

percent of 

all households

90 percent confidence 

interval 

(+/-)1

	 	 All	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Race	and	Hispanic	Origin	of	Householder	

117,528 27 100 .0 	– 3,865 30 100 .0 	–

White Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95,853 400 81 .6 0 .3 4,079 29 105 .5 1 .1

 White Alone, not Hispanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83,376 468 70 .9 0 .4 4,252 34 110 .0 1 .2

Black Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,504 339 12 .3 0 .3 2,579 59 66 .7 1 .6

Asian Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,778 182 3 .2 0 .2 5,196 164 134 .4 4 .4

Hispanic Origin (any race) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Region

13,695 331 11 .7 0 .3 3,041 41 78 .7 1 .2

Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,610 399 18 .4 0 .3 4,132 55 106 .9 1 .7

Midwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,395 430 22 .5 0 .4 3,833 49 99 .2 1 .5

South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43,181 497 36 .7 0 .4 3,590 45 92 .9 1 .4

West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Type	of	Household

Family household: 

26,343 430 22 .4 0 .4 4,177 55 108 .1 1 .6

 Married-couple family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Family household: 

 Female householder, no husband present, 

58,904 515 50 .1 0 .4 5,604 38 145 .0 1 .5

 with own children under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . . 8,578 268 7 .3 0 .2 2,193 48 56 .7 1 .3

Nonfamily household: Male householder . . . . . 18,025 371 15 .3 0 .3 2,793 68 72 .3 1 .8

Nonfamily household: Female householder . . .

Age	of	Householder

20,333 390 17 .3 0 .3 1,927 24 49 .9 0 .7

15 to 24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,044 228 5 .1 0 .2 2,252 72 58 .3 1 .9

25 to 34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,017 379 16 .2 0 .3 3,944 52 102 .0 1 .6

35 to 44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,992 409 19 .6 0 .3 4,778 47 123 .6 1 .6

45 to 54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,217 423 21 .5 0 .4 5,000 49 129 .4 1 .6

55 to 64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,892 386 16 .9 0 .3 4,417 60 114 .3 1 .8

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,366 418 20 .7 0 .4 2,448 31 63 .3 0 .9

– Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 A 90 percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the confidence interval in relation to the size of the 

estimate, the less reliable the estimate. For more information, see “Uses and Computation of Standard Errors” at <http://www.census.gov/sipp 

/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding and because not all categories are shown. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
U.S. Census Bureau 5

PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

Tables 2 , 3, and 4 summarize data 

collected in the SIPP concerning the 

receipt of benefits from the government-sponsored social welfare and 

social insurance programs shown in 

Box 2. Data are provided both for 

people (Table 2) and for households 

(Tables 3 and 4).11

11 The data in Table 2 for means-tested 

programs include all people residing in a 

household in which one or more of the residents received benefits from such programs, 

regardless of whether they personally 

received benefits.

Box 2. Government-Sponsored Social Insurance and 

Social Welfare Programs

Social Insurance Programs

Department of Veterans’ Affairs 

Compensation, Pensions, 

and Educational Assistance

Medicare

Social Security

Unemployment Compensation 

Insurance

Workers’ Compensation

Social Welfare Programs

Food Stamps or the Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program 

(SNAP)

Free/Reduced-Price School Lunch 

and Breakfast Program

Housing Assistance

Federal and State Supplemental 

Security Income (SSI)

Medicaid

Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families (TANF)

Supplemental Nutrition Program 

for Women, Infants, and Children 

(WIC)

Table 2.

People by Receipt of Benefits From Selected Programs: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter 

2008

(Numbers in thousands. The figures for means-tested programs include anyone residing in a household in which one or more 

people received benefits from the program) 

Recipiency status and program Number

Standard 

error Percent

Standard 

error

	 	 All	people	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299,430 	– 100 .0 	–

Received benefits from one or more programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133,059 533 44 .4 0 .2

 Social Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,700 382 14 .9 0 .1

 Railroad Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 34 0 .1 –

 Veterans' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,919 105 1 .0 –

 Unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,932 106 1 .0 –

 Workers' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 43 0 .2 –

 Veterans' educational assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B)

 Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,016 369 13 .7 0 .1 1, 2 One or more means-tested programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,398 498 31 .5 0 .2

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,682 208 3 .9 0 .1

 Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,292 236 5 .1 0 .1

 Food stamps3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29,670 320 9 .9 0 .1

 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,772 147 1 .9 –

 Other cash assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,278 93 0 .8 –

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,698 260 6 .2 0 .1

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,378 457 23 .8 0 .2

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

(B) Base less than 75,000, or numerator too small for comparison. 

1

 Includes free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast, energy assistance, state-administered supplemental security income, and veterans’ pensions 

not shown separately.

2

 Includes anyone residing in a household in which one or more people received benefits from a means-tested program. 

3

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
6 U.S. Census Bureau

In an average month during the (benefiting 13.7).13 Nearly 10 per- Needy Families (TANF) program, 

third quarter of 2008, about 45 cent of all people benefited from the provided benefits to 2 percent or 

percent of the population benefited Food Stamp Program (renamed the less of the population (most affectfrom one or more government Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ed 1 percent or less).

programs. This means they directly Program [SNAP]; see <www.fns.usda Government programs potentially received something of value or they .gov/snap/rules/Legislation/about benefit all members of a recipient’s resided in a household in which one .htm> for more information).

household. Table 3 shows how the or more other people received a About 6 percent of people ben- data in Table 2 are reflected at the direct benefit from a means-tested efited from the Women, Infants, and household level. program (Table 2).12

Children (WIC) nutrition program 

and about 5 percent from Federal In the third quarter of 2008, an The most widespread programs Supplemental Security Income (SSI). average monthly level of 28.4 mil- in the third quarter of 2008 were Public or subsidized rental housing lion households, or 24 percent of Medicaid (which benefited 23.8 benefits flowed to about 4 percent total U.S. households, received one percent of all people in an average of the population. All of the other or more means-tested government- month), Social Security (benefit- programs shown in Table 2, includ- sponsored benefits, either cash ing 14.9 percent), and Medicare ing the Temporary Assistance for assistance, a noncash benefit, or 1

12 both. 4

 Cash benefits went to 6.7 When the data for means-tested programs 

are restricted to people directly receiving bene- 13 If the data on Medicaid are restricted to million households, while noncash 

fits, the participation rate in government pro- those actually covered by the program, the avergrams drops from the 45 percent figure cited in age number of people who received Medicaid benefits went to 28.2 million. The 

this sentence to between 39.6 percent and 42.0 benefits drops from 71.4 million to 42.4 million, 

percent, depending upon which means-tested and the corresponding percentage falls from 14 In 1984, the comparable total was 15.6 programs are selected for the restriction. See the 23.8 percent to 14.2 percent of the population. percent (see Table C-2 in Appendix C). table in Appendix B. See the table in Appendix B.

Table 3.

Households by Receipt of Selected Sources of Noncash Benefits and Cash Transfer 

Payments: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter 2008 

(Numbers in thousands) 

Source of benefit or payment Number

Standard 

error Percent

Standard 

error

																All	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117,528 17 100 .0 	–

Type	of	benefit	received:

One or more means-tested benefits or payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,357 268 24 .1 0 .2

 One or more means-tested cash transfer payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,688 145 5 .7 0 .1

 TANF or other cash assistance1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,885 79 1 .6 0 .1

 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,199 129 4 .4 0 .1

 One or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,193 267 24 .0 0 .2

 Food stamps2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,318 169 7 .9 0 .1

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,157 116 3 .5 0 .1

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,495 186 9 .8 0 .2

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,198 129 4 .4 0 .1

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,364 88 2 .0 0 .1

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,149 241 18 .0 0 .2

Other money transfer payments:

 Social Security or Railroad Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,605 283 28 .6 0 .2

 Veterans' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,841 96 2 .4 0 .1

 Unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,735 94 2 .3 0 .1

Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,811 275 26 .2 0 .2

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 “Other cash assistance” includes General Assistance or General Relief, other welfare, and veterans’ pensions.

2

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
U.S. Census Bureau 7

Table 4. 

Households by Number of Means-Tested Noncash Programs in Which Members 

Participate: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter 2008 

(Numbers in thousands) 

Recipiency, and number and type 

of programs received Number

Standard

error Percent

Standard

error

	 	 All	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Received means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 One means-tested noncash benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Two means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps and Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps and free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast 

 Other combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Three means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps, Medicaid, and free or reduced-price lunch 

 or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps, Medicaid, and public or subsidized 

 rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Other combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Four or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . .

Female	family	householder,	no	husband	present,

with	own	children	under	18 	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Received means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 One means-tested noncash benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 Two means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps and Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps and free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast 

 Other combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Three means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps, Medicaid, and free or reduced-price lunch 

 or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Food stamps, Medicaid, and public or subsidized 

 rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Other combinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Four or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . . 

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . . 

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

 . .

117,528

28,193

12,955

746

363

3,279

401

1,066

7,100

8,050

2,132

165

5,754

4,719

1,512

915

2,293

2,469

8,578

5,887

1,503

(B)

(B)

743

(B)

(B)

600

1,430

198

88

1,144

1,485

701

76

709

1,469

17

267

196

50

35

103

37

59

149

158

84

23

135

123

71

55

87

90

163

137

70

(B)

(B)

50

(B)

(B)

45

69

26

17

61

70

48

16

48

70

100 .0

24 .0

11 .0

0 .6

0 .3

2 .8

0 .3

0 .9

6 .0

6 .8

1 .8

0 .1

4 .9

4 .0

1 .3

0 .8

2 .0

2 .1

100 .0

68 .6

17 .5

(B)

(B)

8 .7

(B)

(B)

7 .0

16 .7

2 .3

1 .0

13 .3

17 .3

8 .2

0 .9

8 .3

17 .1

	–

0 .2

0 .2

 –

 –

0 .1

 –

0 .1

0 .1

0 .1

0 .1

 –

0 .1

0 .1

0 .1

 –

0 .1

0 .1

	–

0 .9

0 .7

(B)

(B)

0 .6

(B)

(B)

0 .5

0 .7

0 .3

0 .2

0 .7

0 .7

0 .5

0 .2

0 .5

0 .7

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

(B) Base less than 75,000, or numerator too small for comparison.

1

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>. 
8 U.S. Census Bureau

major programs providing means- The majority of the 28.2 million quarters (74.5 percent), received 

tested noncash benefits were Med- households that received means- benefits from two or more proicaid, free or reduced-price school tested noncash benefits participated grams; 1.5 million or a quarter (25.0 

lunches or breakfasts, food stamps, in two or more programs (Table 4): percent) received benefits from four 

and public or subsidized rental hous- 8.1 million (28.6 percent) received or more programs.

ing. Medicaid was received by 21.1 benefits from two programs, 4.7 

million households (18 percent of million (16.7 percent) from three LABOR FORCE ACTIVITY 

all households); reduced-price meals programs, and 2.5 million (8.8 Table 5 looks at the role of the job by 11.5 million (9.8 percent); food percent) from four or more. At least market in the income of households stamps by 9.3 million (7.9 percent); 4.6 million households received in the third quarter of 2008. The and rental housing by 5.2 million benefits from both the Food Stamp patterns in the data generally show, (4.4 percent). The major programs Program and Medicaid—this was a unsurprisingly, that holding a job providing cash assistance include prevalent form of multiple-program is associated with a higher income, both federal and state-provided participation. and unemployment (being on layoff Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or looking for work) is associated received by 5.2 million households, Family households with a female with a lower income. or 4.4 percent of the total number. householder with no husband presAlso 1.9 million households, or 1.6 ent and with own children under In an average month, 156.7 million percent of the total, received Tem- 18 represented about 7 percent of people aged 16 or older, or 66.9 porary Assistance to Needy Families all households, yet they made up percent of people of working age, (TANF) or other cash assistance. about one-fifth of all households were attached to the job market that received means-tested noncash through some form of labor force The two programs affecting the benefits. They were also more likely activity, either by holding a job, largest number of households, than households in general to be being on layoff, or looking for work. Social Security and Medicare, are recipients of benefits from more Most of the people in this group not means-tested. In 33.6 million than one means-tested noncash (142.6 million), had a job for the households (28.6 percent of the program. Of the 5.9 million family entire month. The median monthly total), one or more people received households with a female house- cash income of the households of Social Security or Railroad Retire- holder with no husband present and people with some labor force activ- ment benefits. Medicare provided with own children under 18 which ity was $5,500, or about $66,000 benefits to 30.8 million households received means-tested noncash if sustained for the entire year. The (26.2 percent of all households). benefits, 4.4 million or nearly three 

Table 5. 

People 16 Years a

Monthly Averages

(Numbers in thousands) 

nd O

, Thi

ver by 

rd Qua

Labor Force 

rter 2008 

Status and Monthly Household Cash Income: 

 

Labor force status

Total

Standard 

error

Percent distribution by household cash income

Median 

income 

(dollars)1

Standard 

error

Under 

$2,500

Standard 

error

$2,500 

to 

$6,499

Standard 

error

$6,500 

and over

Standard 

error

With some labor force activity . . . . . 156,658 449 18 .2 0 .2 41 .1 0 .2 40 .7 0 .2 $5,500 $9 

 With job entire month . . . . . . . . . . 142,640 464 15 .6 0 .2 41 .8 0 .3 42 .7 0 .3 5,751 21

 Spent time on layoff . . . . . . . . . 1,814 82 30 .7 2 .1 42 .5 2 .3 26 .8 2 .0 3,917 103

 With job part of month . . . . . . . . . 4,574 130 30 .7 1 .3 37 .8 1 .4 31 .5 1 .3 4,001 55

 Looked for work or on layoff . . . . 2,032 87 35 .4 2 .1 39 .9 2 .1 24 .7 1 .9 3,483 97

 No job during month: looked for 

 work or on layoff . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,444 185 51 .3 1 .0 32 .7 0 .9 15 .9 0 .7 2,510 40

With no labor force activity . . . . . . . 77,389 443 43 .5 0 .3 36 .8 0 .3 19 .7 0 .3 2,979 15

1

 The medians in this table are based on the distribution of people in households, not on the households themselves, and, therefore, they differ 

from median household incomes shown in other tables.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
U.S. Census Bureau 9

comparable median for people ($30,012 annualized) for people household cash income of unemwithout labor force activity, such who were without a job the entire ployed people who had a job part 

as retired people, was $2,979 or month and unemployed (looking for of the month—about 2 million 

$35,748 annualized. work or on layoff). people—was about $500 less than 

that of part-month job holders in 

The presence and extent of job- Unemployment was associated with general ($3,483 compared with 

holding were associated with higher lower household cash incomes, $4,001).

household cash incomes among even among people who had a job 

people with some labor force activ- Another way to observe the impor- for all or for part of the month. On 

tance of the job market on the ity. The household median monthly average, about 1.8 million people 

who had jobs the entire month income situation of households is cash income for people with a job 

spent a week or more on layoff to classify their incomes by the for the entire month was $5,751 

($69,012 annualized). For people from them. Their median monthly combined labor force activities of 

who had a job only part of the household cash income was $3,917, their members (Table 6). 

month, it was $4,001 ($48,012 considerably less than the $5,751 The mean monthly cash income of 

annualized), while it was $2,510 cited above for people overall with the nation’s 117.5 million 

jobs the entire month. Similarly, the 

Table 6.

Households by Labor Force Status of Members, Program Participation, and Mean Cash 

Income: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter 2008 

(Numbers in thousands. Labor force status applies to people 15 years or older only)

 

 

Household type, program participation, 

and mean cash income

All households

Standard 

error

Households 

with 

one or more 

members 

with a job, no 

one looking 

for work or 

on layoff

Standard 

error

Households 

with 

one or more 

members 

looking for 

work or on 

layoff

Standard 

error

Households with 

no members in 

the labor 

force

Standard 

error

All	households

 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117,528 17 80,505 291 11,430 186 25,593 258

 Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 .0 – 100 .0 – 100 .0 – 100 .0 –

Received unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . 2 .3 0 .1 0 .6 0 .1 18 .5 0 .7 0 .5 0 .1

Received means-tested benefits1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 .1 0 .2 19 .7 0 .3 42 .8 0 .8 29 .7 0 .5

 Food stamps2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 .9 0 .1 4 .7 0 .1 18 .2 0 .7 13 .6 0 .4

Mean income (dollars)3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,329 41 6,490 56 4,041 106 2,255 31

Female	householder,	no	husband	present,

with	own	children	under	18	years

 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,578 163 6,004 138 1,494 70 1,080 60

 Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 .0 – 100 .0 – 100 .0 – 100 .0 –

Received unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . 2 .9 0 .3 0 .5 0 .2 13 .7 1 .6 0 .9 0 .5

Received means-tested benefits1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 .7 0 .9 60 .9 1 .2 83 .7 1 .7 90 .9 1 .6

 Food stamps2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 .6 0 .9 22 .4 1 .0 50 .1 2 .4 65 .6 2 .6

Mean income (dollars)3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,999 88 3,681 117 1,982 128 612 85

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 Includes Federal and State SSI; energy assistance; TANF; General Assistance or General Welfare; other welfare; WIC; Medicaid; free or reducedprice lunch or breakfast; public or subsidized rental housing, and veterans’ pensions, not shown separately.

2

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

3

 The income data are mean amounts, whereas the corresponding data in Table 1 are median amounts. Mean amounts were chosen for Table 6 

to make the table generally comparable with published data from the SIPP for the third quarter of 1984; see Appendix C. Unlike medians, means 

are affected by extremely high or low incomes.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
10 U.S. Census Bureau

households in the third quarter of 

2008 was $5,329.15 When one or 

more members in the household 

had a job and no member was 

unemployed (about 68 percent of 

all households or 80.5 million) the 

mean household monthly income 

was $6,490. When at least one 

household member was unemployed (about 10 percent of households or 11.4 million) the mean 

household income was $4,041. For 

the roughly 22 percent of households (25.6 million) without members in the labor force the mean 

income was $2,255. The same 

pattern, although at lower income 

levels throughout, is also seen for 

family households with a female 

householder with no husband present and with own children under 18. 

As with mean monthly income, 

receiving means-tested government 

benefits was related to the nature of 

a household’s labor force participation. Receiving these benefits was 

substantially higher among households with unemployed members or 

with no labor force participants than 

among those with job-holders only. 

Among family households with a 

female householder with no husband present and with own children 

under 18, the pattern was especially 

clear. About 85 percent of those with 

some unemployed members and 

about 90 percent of those with no 

members in the labor force received 

means-tested benefits, compared 

with 61 percent of job-holding 

households. The corresponding figures for the receipt of food stamps 

by these just-mentioned types 

of female-householder-with-nohusband-present family households 

 

 

 

 

15 The income data in Table 6 are mean 

amounts, whereas the corresponding data in 

Table 1 are median amounts. 

Figure 1. 

Number of Households Receiving Benefits From 

Selected Means-Tested Noncash Benefit Programs: 

May to November 2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

May June July August September October November

Millions

Public or subsidized rental housing 

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits 

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 

Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast Food stamps 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 

Panel, May–November 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see 

<http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.

Energy assistance

 Medicaid

Figure 2. 

Percent of Households Receiving Benefits From 

Selected Means-Tested Noncash Benefit Programs: 

May to November 2008

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

May June July August September October November

Percent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 

Panel, May–November 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see 

<http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.

Public or subsidized rental housing 

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits 

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 

Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast Food stamps 

Energy assistance

 Medicaid
U.S. Census Bureau 11

Table 7.

Number and Percent of Households Receiving Benefits From Selected Means-Tested 

Noncash Benefit Programs, by Month: May to November 2008

(Numbers in thousands)

Recipiency status and 

source of benefit May June July August

SeptemberOcto - 

ber

November

Number

	 	 All	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . .

 Food stamps1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

	 	 All	households		 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . .

 Food stamps1

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

	 	 Percent	of	all	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . .

 Food stamps1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

	 	 Percent	of	all	households	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Received one or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . .

 Food stamps1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

117,228

27,184

8,868

4,294

11,277

5,142

2,401

20,478

117,244

27,613

8,965

4,175

11,343

5,135

2,290

20,846

117,316

27,833

9,027

4,080

11,367

5,119

2,287

20,903

117,625

28,151

9,297

4,216

11,500

5,218

2,399

21,097

117,643

28,594

9,629

4,176

11,619

5,259

2,405

21,448

118,078

28,823

10,143

4,299

11,701

5,320

2,514

21,593

117,702

29,112

10,403

4,544

11,775

5,442

2,707

21,828

Standard error

70

516

323

229

360

250

173

464

48

367

229

160

255

177

119

330

35

300

188

129

209

144

97

270

	–

261

165

114

182

126

86

235

	–

303

194

131

211

146

100

273

	–

372

243

162

259

180

125

335

	–

528

347

236

367

257

183

475

Percent

100 .0

23 .2

7 .6

3 .7

9 .6

4 .4

2 .0

17 .5

100 .0

23 .6

7 .6

3 .6

9 .7

4 .4

2 .0

17 .8

100 .0

23 .7

7 .7

3 .5

9 .7

4 .4

1 .9

17 .8

100 .0

23 .9

7 .9

3 .6

9 .8

4 .4

2 .0

17 .9

100 .0

24 .3

8 .2

3 .5

9 .9

4 .5

2 .0

18 .2

100 .0

24 .4

8 .6

3 .6

9 .9

4 .5

2 .1

18 .3

100 .0

24 .7

8 .8

3 .9

10 .0

4 .6

2 .3

18 .5

Standard error

	–

0 .4

0 .3

0 .2

0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0 .4

	–

0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0 .2

0 .2

0 .1

0 .3

	–

0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0 .2

0 .1

0 .1

0 .2

	–

0 .2

0 .1

0 .1

0 .2

0 .1

0 .1

0 .2

	–

0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0 .2

0 .1

0 .1

0 .2

	–

0 .3

0 .2

0 .1

0 .2

0 .2

0 .1

0 .3

	–

0 .4

0 .3

0 .2

0 .3

0 .2

0 .2

0 .4

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, May–November 2008. For information on sampling and nonsampling error, see <http://www.census.gov/sipp/sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11).pdf>.
12 U.S. Census Bureau

were 50 percent, 66 percent, and 22 REFERENCES Accuracy of the Estimates 

percent, respectively. Borbely, James Marscall. 2009. “U.S. Statistics from surveys are sublabor market in 2008: economy in ject to sampling and nonsampling MONTHLY RECEPTION OF recession,” Monthly­Labor­Review,­ errors. All comparisons presented MEANS-TESTED NONCASH March 2009. in this report have taken sampling BENEFITS error into account and are signifiTable 7 and Figures 1 and 2 display U.S. Census Bureau. 1985. Economic cant at the 90 percent confidence 

monthly data on households receiv- Characteristics­of­Households­in­the­ level unless otherwise noted. This 

United­States:­Third­Quarter­1984. ing means-tested noncash benefits means the 90 percent confidence 

Current Population Reports, P70-5. for May to November 2008. These interval for the difference between 

Washington, DC: U.S. Government are the individual months for which the estimates being compared does 

Printing Office. the first wave of the 2008 SIPP not include zero. Nonsampling 

panel collected information.16 errors in surveys may be attributed 

SOURCE AND ACCURACY OF to a variety of sources, such as how 

As noted earlier, in these months, ESTIMATES the survey is designed, how responthe economy was in the midst dents interpret questions, how Source of the Data of the recession that began in able and willing respondents are to 

December 2007. During this time, The population represented (popu- provide correct answers, and how 

the participation data for each lation universe) in the 2008 SIPP accurately the answers are coded 

program mostly trended upward is the civilian noninstitutionalized and classified. The Census Bureau 

(Figures 1 and 2). The number of population living in the United employs quality control procedures 

households receiving means-tested States. The SIPP is a longitudinal throughout the production process, 

government benefits increased by survey conducted at 4-month inter- including the overall design of 

about 2 million during the period vals. The data in this report were surveys, the wording of questions, 

and the corresponding percentage collected from September through review of the work of interviewers 

and coders, and statistical review increased from 23.2 percent to 24.7 December 2008 in the first wave 

(interview) of the 2008 SIPP. For of reports to minimize these errors. percent (Table 7). The number of 

The SIPP weighting procedure uses households receiving food stamps the 2008 SIPP Panel, approximately 

was up by 1.5 million, from 7.6 65,000 housing units and other ratio estimation, whereby sample 

dwellings were in sample for Wave estimates are adjusted to inde- percent of all households to 8.8 

1. Of the 52,031 units eligible to pendent estimates of the national percent. Those receiving Medicaid 

be interviewed, 42,032 units were population by age, race, sex, and benefits rose by 1.4 million, from 

interviewed. All household mem- Hispanic origin. This weighting 17.5 percent to 18.5 percent of all bers aged 15 and older were eligible partially corrects for bias due to households. 

to be interviewed, with proxy under-coverage, but biases may still 

response permitted for household be present when people who are 

members not available at the time missed by the survey differ from 

of interview. The institutionalized those interviewed in ways other 

population, which is excluded from than age, race, sex, and Hispanic 

the population universe, is com- origin. How this weighting proceposed primarily of the population in dure affects other variables in the 

correctional institutions and nursing survey is not precisely known. All of 16 Depending upon the month, data were collected about the month from one to a maximum homes (91 percent of the 4.1 mil- these considerations affect comof four rotation groups (groupings of one-fourth lion institutionalized population in parisons across different surveys or of the sample members).

Census 2000). data sources. 
U.S. Census Bureau 13

For further information on the Web sites: <www.census.gov/sipp/> SUGGESTED CITATION

source of the data and accuracy of (main SIPP Web site), <www.census Palumbo, Thomas, 2010. Economic­ the estimates, including standard .gov/sipp/workpapr/wp230 Characteristics­of­Households­in­the­ errors and confidence intervals, .pdf> (SIPP Quality Profile), and United­States:­Third­Quarter­2008. visit <www.census.gov/sipp <www.census.gov/sipp/usrguide Current Population Reports, P70- /sourceac/S&A08_W1(S&A-11). /sipp2001.pdf> (SIPP User’s Guide). 119. U.S. Census Bureau, Washing- pdf> or contact the following indi- ton, DC. viduals from the Census Bureau’s 

Demographic Statistical Methods CONTACTS 

Division: Mahdi Sundukchi at 

<mahdi.s.sundukchi@census For further information on the 

.gov> or 301-763-4228, and Sarah content of the report, contact 

 Tekansik at <sarah.tekansik Thomas Palumbo of the Census 

@census.gov> or 301-763-1860. Bureau’s Housing and Household 

Economics Statistics Division at 

Additional information on the SIPP <thomas.j.palumbo@census.gov>

can be found at the following or 301-763-6263.
14 U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix A 

Key Definitions and Explanations

Calculation of Monthly Averages individual month of the quarter, Household—A household consists 

summing the three aggregates, then of all people who occupy a housing 

Numbers—With the exception of dividing the sum by 3. unit. A house, an apartment or other 

the data for Table 7 and Text Fig- group of rooms, or a single room is 

ures 1 and 2, the estimates in this Geographic Regions regarded as a housing unit when it report are monthly averages for the is occupied or intended for occu- The four major regions of the third calendar quarter (July, August, pancy as separate living quarters— United States consist of the follow- September) of 2008. The proce- that is, when the occupants do not dures used to compute monthly ing states: live and eat with any other people averages treat each month of the Northeast—Connecticut, Maine, in the structure and there is either: 

quarter as an independent observa- Massachusetts, New Hampshire, (1) direct access from the outside tion. For example, Table 3 shows New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, or through a common hall or (2) a that the average monthly number of Rhode Island, and Vermont. kitchen or cooking equipment for households receiving food stamps the exclusive use of the occupants. was 9,318,000. The actual number Midwest—Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, A household includes the related receiving food stamps in a given Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, family members and all the unre- month, however, varied from month Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, lated people, if any, such as lodgers, to month. The monthly average Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. foster children, wards, or employ- estimate was computed by calculat- ees who share the housing unit. A ing the total number receiving food South—Alabama, Arkansas, person living alone in a housing stamps in each individual month Delaware, District of Columbia, unit or a group of unrelated people of the quarter, summing the three Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, sharing a housing unit as partners totals, and dividing the sum by 3. Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, is also counted as a household. The North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Median Income—The monthly count of households excludes group Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, average estimates of median quarters. Examples of group quar- and West Virginia. income were computed by a two- ters include rooming and boardingstage process. First, for each house- West—Alaska, Arizona, California, houses, college dormitories, and 

hold in a group, monthly average Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, convents and monasteries.

household income was calculated Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, 

by aggregating the incomes of all Family household—A family Washington, and Wyoming.

the individuals in the household household is a household mainfor each separate month of the Household Concepts tained by a family; any unrelated 

quarter that the household was in people who may be residing there 

the sample, summing the result- Householder—Survey procedures are included. The number of family 

ing aggregates, and dividing the call for listing first the person (or households is equal to the number 

sum by the number of months the one of the people) in whose name of families.

household was in the sample. Then, the home is owned or rented. If the 

the monthly average median for house is owned jointly by a mar- Nonfamily households—A nonthe group was calculated by finding ried couple, either the husband or family household is a household 

the median of the distribution of the wife may be listed first, thereby maintained by a person living alone 

the group by their monthly average becoming the reference person, or or with nonrelatives only.

household incomes. householder, to whom the relationship of the other household Own Child—A never-married child 

Mean Income—The monthly aver- members is recorded. One person under 18 years of age who is a son 

age estimates of the mean income in each household is designated as or daughter by birth, a stepchild, 

for a group were computed by the “householder.” The number of or an adopted child of the houseaggregating the household incomes householders, therefore, is equal to holder.

of the units in the group for each the number of households.
U.S. Census Bureau 15

Labor Force Activity Status starting a professional practice or report for households are based 

opening a business, (4) placing or on the sum of the monthly income 

With a job—People are classified as answering advertisements, (5) writing received by each household mem-

“with a job” in a month if they were letters of application, (6) being on a ber 15 years of age or older. The 

15 years of age or older and dur- professional register, and (7) asking cash income concept used in this 

ing the month, either: (a) worked as friends or relatives. report includes the sum of all 

paid employees, or worked in their income received from any of the 

own business or profession or on Layoff—In general, the word sources listed in Figure A-1. Rebates, their own farm, or worked without “layoff” means release from a job refunds, loans, and capital gain or pay in a family business or farm; or because of slack work, material loss amounts from the sale of assets, 

(b) were temporarily absent from shortages, inventory-taking, plant and inter-household transfers of cash 

work either with or without pay. remodeling, installation of machin- such as allowances are not included. 

In general, the word “job” implies ery, or other similar reasons. The Accrued interest on Individual Retirean arrangement for work for pay released workers anticipate recall at ment Accounts, KEOUGH retirement where payment is in cash wages or a specified date or within 6 months plans, and U.S. savings bonds are salaries, at piece rates, in tips, by of being laid off. For this survey, also excluded. The income amounts 

commission, or in-kind (e.g., meals, people were also on “layoff” in a represent amounts actually received living quarters, supplies received). given month who did not have a during the month, before deductions In this report, “job” also includes job but responded that they had for income and payroll taxes, union self-employment at a business, pro- spent at least 1 week on layoff from dues, Part B Medicare premiums, and fessional practice, or farm. A busi- a job and that they were available so on. ness is defined as an activity that to accept a job in that month. In involves the use of machinery or addition, people were on “layoff” in Benefits

equipment in which money has been a given month if they were “with a invested or an activity requiring an job” but “absent without pay” from Means‐tested benefits—The term 

office or “place of business,” or an that job for at least 1 full week dur- means-tested benefits refers to 

activity that requires advertising. ing that month, and they responded programs that require the income 

Payment may be in the form of prof- that their main reason for being or assets (resources) of the indiits or fees. The Current Population absent from their job or business vidual or family be below specified 

Survey (CPS), the official source of was “layoff.” guidelines in order to qualify for 

labor force statistics for the nation, benefits. These programs provide 

uses the same definition for a job With labor force activity—The cash and noncash assistance to the 

or business. The term “with a job,” term “with labor force activity” as low-income population. The major however, should not be confused used in this report includes all peo- sources of means-tested cash and 

with the term “employed” as used ple with a job (as defined above) and noncash assistance are shown in 

in the CPS. In the SIPP, “with a job” those looking for work or on layoff Figure A-2. includes those who were temporarily from a job for at least 1 week during absent from a job because of layoff. the given month. Conversely, those Medicare—The Federal Health 

In the CPS these people are not con- people “with no labor force activity” Insurance Program for the Aged and 

sidered employed and are classified had no job, were not on layoff from Disabled as provided for by Title 

as “unemployed.” a job, and made no effort to find a XVIII of the Social Security Act.

job during the month. Looking for work—People who Medicaid—The federal-state 

“looked for work” in a given month Income program of medical assistance for 

are those who were 15 years of low-income individuals and their 

age or older and (a) were without Median income—The median families as provided for by Title XIX 

a job during at least 1 week during income is the amount which divides of the Social Security Act.

the month, (b) tried to find work or the units of a given group into two 

establish a business or profession in equal subgroups, one consisting of Unemployment compensa‐

that week, and (c) were available to those units having incomes above tion—Cash benefits paid to unemaccept a job. Examples of job seek- the median, and the other of those ployed workers through a state or 

ing activities are: (1) registering at a having incomes below the median. local unemployment agency. This 

public or private employment office, includes all benefits paid under 

(2) meeting with prospective employ- Monthly income—The monthly the federal-state unemployment 

ers, (3) investigating possibilities for income estimates shown in this insurance program as established 
16 U.S. Census Bureau

under the Social Security Act, as 

well as those benefits paid to state 

and local government employees, 

federal civilian employees, and 

veterans.

Energy Assistance—Benefits from 

the federally funded Low-Income 

Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)

program authorized by Title XXVI of 

the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 

Act of 1981, or comparable assistance provided through state-funded assistance programs. The assistance may be received in the form 

of direct payment to the household 

as reimbursement for heating or 

cooling expenses or paid directly to 

the fuel dealer or landlord.

Special Supplemental Food 

Program for Women, Infants, 

and Children (WIC)—Benefits are 

received in the form of vouchers 

that are redeemed at retail stores 

for specific supplemental nutritious 

foods. Eligible low-income recipients are infants and children up to 

age 5, and pregnant, postpartum, 

and breast-feeding women. 

Receipt of Benefits

Recipient—Social Security, Special 

Supplemental Food Program for 

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), 

Temporary Assistance for Needy 

Families (TANF), and Medicaid can 

offer benefits solely to children. 

In this case, an adult receives the 

income on behalf of the child. The 

SIPP treats the adult (an individual 

15 years and older) as the recipient 

of the benefit. 

Medicaid and Medicare 

Benefits—The SIPP treats people 

as receiving benefits from these 

programs in a month if they are 

enrolled in the program during the 

month, regardless of whether they 

actually utilized any covered health 

care services of the program during 

the month.

Figure A-1. Income Sources Included in Monthly 

Cash Income

Earnings From Employment

Wages and salary

Nonfarm self-employment income

Farm self-employment income

Income From Assets (Property Income)

Regular/passbook savings accounts in a bank, savings and loan, 

 or credit union

Money market deposit accounts

Certificates of deposit or other savings certificates

NOW, Super NOW, or other interest-earning checking accounts

Money market funds

U.S. Government securities

Municipal or corporate bonds

Other interest-earning assets

Stocks or mutual fund shares

Rental property

Mortgages

Royalties

Other financial investments

Other Income Sources

Social Security

U.S. Government Railroad Retirement

Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

State Administered Supplemental Security Income

State unemployment compensation

Supplemental Unemployment Benefits

Other unemployment compensation (Trade Adjustment Act 

 benefits, strike pay, or other)

Veterans’ compensation or pensions

Black lung payments

Worker’s compensation

State temporary sickness or disability benefits

Payments from a sickness, accident, or disability insurance policy 

 purchased by self

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)—formerly 

 known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC, ADC)

General assistance or General relief

Indian, Cuban, or Refugee Assistance

Foster child care payments

Other welfare

Child support payments

Alimony payments

Pensions from a company or union

Federal Civil Service or other federal civilian employee pensions

Continued­on­page­17
U.S. Census Bureau 17

U.S. Military retirement

National Guard or Reserve Forces retirement

State government pensions

Local government pensions

Income from paid-up life insurance policies or annuities

Estates and trusts

Other payments for retirement, disability, or survivors

G.I. Bill/VEAP education benefits

Income assistance from a charitable group

Money from relatives or friends

Lump sum payments

Income from roomers or boarders

National Guard or Reserve pay

Incidental or casual earnings

Other cash income not included elsewhere

While the income amounts from most sources are recorded monthly 

for the 4-month reference period, property amounts such as interest, 

dividends, and rental income are recorded as totals for the 4-month 

period. These totals were distributed equally among the months of 

the reference period for purposes of calculating monthly averages.

Figure A-1. Income Sources Included in Monthly Cash 

Income—Con.

Figure A-2. Sources of Means-Tested Benefits 

Covered in SIPP

Cash Benefits

Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 

State Administered Supplemental Security Income 

Veterans’ pensions 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 

General assistance or General relief 

Indian, Cuban, or Refugee Assistance 

Other welfare

Noncash Benefits

Food Stamps—now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

 Program (SNAP). (For more information, visit <www.fns.usda.gov 

 /snap/rules/Legislation/about.htm>).

Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and 

 Children (WIC)

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (ILHEAP)

Medicaid

Free or reduced-price school breakfasts

Free or reduced-price school lunches

Public or subsidized rental housing
18 U.S. Census Bureau

Appendix B 

Alternative Definitions of Receipt of Benefits from Means-Tested Government Programs

The table in this appendix dis- program if and only if they person- coverage or enrollment in Medicaid). 

plays the results of calculating the ally (for themselves or on behalf For all other means-tested 

number of people receiving benefits of a child) received a benefit from programs, however, people are 

from means-tested government the program (including coverage or counted as recipients of a benefit 

programs under each of two defini- enrollment in Medicaid). Under the according to the same rules as used 

tions of recipiency that differ from Alternative 2 definition of recipien- for the above-mentioned Table 2 

the definition used for Table 2 in cy, people are counted as receiving (that is, they personally received a 

the body of this report. Under the a benefit from Medicaid if and only benefit, or they resided in a houseAlternative 1 definition of recipien- if they personally (for themselves hold in which one or more people 

cy, people are counted as recipients or on behalf of a child) received a personally received a benefit). 

of a benefit from a means-tested benefit from the program (including 

Table. B

People by Receipt

Recipiency: Month

(Numbers in thousands) 

 of B

ly A

enefits

verage

 From Selected Programs by Alternative Definitions of 

s, Third Quarter 2008 

Recipiency status and program

Alternative 1

definition of recipiency

Alternative 2

definition of recipiency

Number Percent Number Percent

											All	people 	 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299,430 100 .0 299,430 100 .0

Received benefits from one or more programs . . . . . . . . . 118,440 39 .6 125,615 42 .0

 Social Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,700 14 .9 44,700 14 .9

 Railroad Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 0 .1 294 0 .1

 Veterans' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,919 1 .0 2,919 1 .0

 Unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,932 1 .0 2,932 1 .0

 Workers' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484 0 .2 484 0 .2

 Veterans' educational assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 – 51 –

 Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41,016 13 .7 41,016 13 .7 1 One or more means-tested programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77,466 25 .9 85,805 28 .7

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,682 3 .9 11,682 3 .9

 Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) . . . . . . . 6,101 2 .0 14,153 4 .7

 Food stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,246 3 .4 29,670 9 .9

 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) . . . 1,559 0 .5 5,772 1 .9

 Other cash assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 782 0 .3 2,278 0 .8

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,391 1 .5 1,870 0 .6

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,399 14 .2 42,399 14 .2

 – Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 Includes free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast, energy assistance, and veterans’ pensions not shown separately.

Note: Detailed categories may not add to total because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 2008 Panel, July–September 2008. 
U.S. Census Bureau 19

Appendix C

Comparisons of Economic Characteristics of Households in the United States: Monthly 

Averages for the Third Quarter, 1984 and 2008 

The tables in this appendix com- The 2008 and 1984 data are not households in 1984 was $2,572 

pare selected data from the tables strictly comparable because the (in 1984 dollars), about 12 perin the body of this report with 1984 data exclude rural residents cent higher than the average for 

data from the report, U.S. Census living on farms (the farm popula- nonfarm households. Only about 

Bureau, 1985, Economic­Character- tion). In the third quarter of 1984, 1.0 percent of the total number of 

istics­of­Households­in­the­United­ the farm population accounted for households receiving means-tested 

States:­Third­Quarter­1984, Current 2.3 percent of all households and benefits were in the farm sector. 

Population Reports, P70-5.1 2.6 percent of the people living 

in households (see Appendix B of 1 Standard errors for the 2008 data in the 

tables of this appendix are found in the corre- the P70-5 report). Average housesponding tables in the body of this report. hold monthly income for farm 
20 U.S. Census Bureau

Table C-1.

Households and Median Monthly Ho

Householder: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter, 1984 and 2008

(Numbers in thousands. Income in 2008 dollars) 

usehold Cash Income by Selected Characteristics of 

 

Characteristic

Percent 

distribution

Median income

 (2008 dollars)

Standard errors

Total

Median income

1984

2008 1984

2008 1984

1984 Estimate

As a percent of all 

houseEstimate holds

As a percent of all 

households Estimate

As a percent of all 

households

All	households

Number (thousands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117,528 84,609 $3,865 100 .0 $3,490 100 .0 159 .82 $34 1 .36

Percent distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Race1

	and	Hispanic	Origin	of	

householder	

100 .0 100 .0 (X) (X) (X) (X) – (X) (X)

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 .6 86 .7 4,079 105 .5 3,675 105 .3 0 .30 39 1 .52

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 .3 11 .1 2,579 66 .7 2,252 64 .5 0 .23 73 2 .18

Hispanic Origin (any race) . . . . . . . . . .

Region

11 .7 4 .8 3,041 78 .7 2,805 80 .4 0 .19 134 3 .92

Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 .4 21 .8 4,132 106 .9 3,606 103 .3 0 .37 75 2 .37

Midwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 .5 25 .1 3,833 99 .2 3,494 100 .1 0 .39 67 2 .15

South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 .7 33 .7 3,590 92 .9 3,245 93 .0 0 .42 51 1 .72

West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Type	of	household

Family household: 

22 .4 19 .3 4,177 108 .1 3,839 110 .0 0 .35 93 2 .86

 Married-couple family . . . . . . . . . . . .

Family household: 

 Female householder, no husband 

 present, with own children 

50 .1 58 .2 5,604 145 .0 4,609 132 .1 0 .44 45 1 .82

 under 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nonfamily household: 

7 .3 7 .1 2,193 56 .7 1,660 47 .6 0 .23 79 2 .31

 Male householder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nonfamily household: 

15 .3 11 .7 2,793 72 .3 2,698 77 .3 0 .29 73 2 .22

 Female householder . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Age	of	householder

17 .3 16 .1 1,927 49 .9 1,538 44 .1 0 .33 41 1 .26

15 to 24 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .1 6 .8 2,252 58 .3 2,426 69 .5 0 .23 75 2 .25

25 to 34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 .2 23 .3 3,944 102 .0 3,679 105 .4 0 .38 61 2 .03

35 to 44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 .6 20 .0 4,778 123 .6 4,648 133 .2 0 .36 83 2 .70

45 to 54 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 .5 14 .3 5,000 129 .4 5,049 144 .7 0 .31 91 2 .95

55 to 64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 .9 14 .9 4,417 114 .3 3,768 108 .0 0 .32 105 3 .17

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 .7 20 .7 2,448 63 .3 1,994 57 .1 0 .36 39 1 .26

– Represents or rounds to zero.

X Not applicable.

1

 The race data for 2008 are not entirely comparable with those for 1984. In 2008, unlike in 1984, respondents had the option of reporting 

more than one race. There are two basic ways of defining a race group. A group such as Black may be defined as those who reported Black and no 

other race (the race-alone or single-race concept) or as those who reported Black regardless of whether they also reported another race (the racealone-or-in-combination concept).The 2008 race data in this table use the first approach (race-alone), whereas the 1984 data use the second. The 

use of the single-race population does not imply that it is the preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. The Census Bureau uses a variety 

of approaches. Information on people who reported more than one race, such as White and American-Indian or Asian and Black or African-American, 

is available from Census 2000 through the American FactFinder Web site. About 2.6 percent of people reported more than one race in Census 2000.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding and because not all categories are shown.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 1984 and 2008 Panels.
U.S. Census Bureau 21

Table C-2. 

Households by Receipt of Selected Sources of Noncash Benefits and Cash Transfer 

Payments: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter, 1984 and 2008 

(Numbers in thousands) 

Source of benefit or payment

2008 1984

Standard Errors

1984

																All	households

Number (thousands) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117,528 84,609 160

Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 .0 100 .0 –

Type	of	benefit	received:

One or more means-tested benefits or payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 .1 15 .6 0 .32

 One or more means-tested cash transfer payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .7 8 .3 0 .25

 TANF or other cash assistance 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 .6 4 .2 0 .18

 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .4 3 .5 0 .17

 One or more means-tested noncash benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 .0 14 .7 0 .32

 Food stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 .9 7 .1 0 .23

 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 .5 1 .4 0 .11

 Free or reduced-price lunch or breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .8 2 .2 0 .13

 Public or subsidized rental housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .4 4 .3 0 .18

 Energy assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 .0 (NA) (NA)

 Medicaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 .0 8 .6 0 .25

Other money transfer payments: 0 .00

 Social Security or Railroad Retirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 .6 27 .7 0 .40

 Veterans' compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 .4 (NA) (NA)

 Unemployment compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 .3 2 .1 0 .13

Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 .2 24 .5 0 .38

– Represents or rounds to zero.

NA Not available.

1

 “Other cash assistance” includes General Assistance or General Relief, other welfare, and veterans’ pensions.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 1984 and 2008 Panel.

Table C-3.

People 16 Years and Older by Labor Force Status and Monthly Household Cash Income: 

Monthly Averages, Third Quarter, 1984 and 2008 

(Numbers in thousands)

Labor force status

2008 1984

2008 

Median 

income1

1984 

Median 

income1

(in 2008 

dollars)

Standard errors

1984 1984 

Median 

income 

(in 2008 

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent dollars)

Total 16 years and older . . . . . . . . . .

 With some labor force activity . . .

 With job entire month . . . . . . . . . .

 Spent time on layoff . . . . . . . . . .

 With job part of month . . . . . . . . .

 Looked for work or on layoff . . . .

 No job during month: looked for 

 work or on layoff . . . . . . . . . . .

With no labor force activity . . . . . . . .

234,047

156,658

142,640

1,814

4,574

2,032

9,444

77,389

100 .0

66 .9

60 .9

0 .8

2 .0

0 .9

4 .0

33 .1

172,424

113,515

101,658

380

4,029

1,948

7,828

58,909

100 .0

65 .8

59 .0

0 .2

2 .3

1 .1

4 .5

34 .2

$4,631

5,500

5,751

3,917

4,001

3,483

2,510

2,979

$4,184

4,879

5,073

3,393

4,032

3,241

2,286

2,876

456

474

46

147

103

202

459

–

0 .3

0 .3

0 .0

0 .1

0 .1

0 .1

0 .3

$20

32

26

343

142

189

87

34

– Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 The medians in this table are based on the distribution of people in households, not on the households themselves, and, therefore, they differ 

from median household incomes shown in other tables.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 1984 and 2008 Panels.
22 U.S. Census Bureau

Table C-4.

Households by Labor Force Status o

Income: Monthly Averages, Third Quarter, 1984 and 2008

(Numbers in thousands. Income in 2008 dollars) 

f Members, Program Participation, and Mean Cash 

 

Household type,

program participation,

and mean income

All households

Standard 

error

Households 

with one or 

more members 

with a job, no 

one looking 

for work or on 

layoff

Standard 

error

Households 

with one or 

more members 

looking for work 

or on layoff

Standard 

error

Households 

with no 

members in the 

labor force

Standard 

error

2008 1984 1984 2008 1984 1984 2008 1984 1984 2008 1984 1984

All	households

 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

117,528

100 .0

84,609

100 .0

160

–

80,505

100 .0

56,934

100 .0

371

–

11,430

100 .0

8,736

100 .0

231

–

25,593

100 .0

18,940

100 .0

317

–

Received unemployment 

 compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Received means-tested benefits . . . 2 Food stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mean income (2008 dollars) . . . . . . .

2 .3

24 .1

7 .9

$5,329

2 .1

15 .6

7 .1

4,552

0 .1

0 .3

0 .2

59

0 .6

19 .7

4 .7

6,490

0 .6

8 .8

2 .5

5,507

0 .1

0 .3

0 .2

79

18 .5

42 .8

18 .2

4,041

15 .8

30 .9

19 .4

3,389

1 .0

1 .3

1 .1

97

0 .5

29 .7

13 .6

2,255

0 .3

28 .7

15 .2

2,215

0 .1

0 .9

0 .7

89

Female	householder,	no	husband

present,	with	own	children											

under	18

 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 Percent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8,578

100 .0

6,037

100 .0

195

–

6,004

100 .0

3,267

100 .0

146

–

1,494

100 .0

1,300

100 .0

93

–

1,080

100 .0

1,470

100 .0

99

–

Received unemployment 

 compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Received means-tested benefits . . . 2 Food stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mean income (2008 dollars) . . . . . . .

2 .9

68 .7

32 .6

$2,999

2 .1

53 .4

37 .7

2,297

0 .5

1 .7

1 .6

109

0 .5

60 .9

22 .4

3,681

0 .6

34 .4

15 .2

3,038

0 .3

2 .2

1 .6

101

13 .7

83 .7

50 .1

1,982

8 .0

65 .9

50 .8

1,678

2 .0

3 .4

3 .6

128

0 .9

90 .9

65 .6

612

0 .2

84 .6

75 .9

1,198

0 .3

2 .5

2 .9

355

– Represents or rounds to zero.

1

 Includes Federal and State SSI; energy assistance; TANF; General Assistance or General Welfare; other welfare; WIC; Medicaid; free or reducedprice lunch or breakfast; public or subsidized rental housing; and veterans’ pensions, not shown separately.

2

 Now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.

Note: Details may not sum to totals because of rounding, because not all categories are shown, and because people may receive benefits from 

more than one program.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, Wave 1, 1984 and 2008 Panels. 

 

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