November 14, 2011

Special Tabulation of Supplemental Poverty Measure Estimates

This special tabulation of estimates using the Supplemental Poverty Measure were prepared at the

request of the New York Times.  It consists of five tables:

(1) Estimates of the number of people with incomes/resources between 100 and 150 percent of

their poverty thresholds by different poverty measures and by selected characteristics.  These

estimates can be used to calculate “rates” for either measure and/or the share of the population

with each of these characteristics.

(2) Effect of excluding individual elements on the percent of people with SPM Resources between

100 and 150 percent of their SPM poverty thresholds.

(3) Cross tabulation of SPM vs Official Income to Poverty Ratios.   

(4) Poverty estimates by work status: 2010.  This provides three SPM estimates not provided in the

November 7 Research SPM report.  Official estimates can be found in Table 4 of the September

2011 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States:  2010.

(5) SPM Threshold for DC Metro Area: 2010/Lowest and Highest Two Adult Two Child Thresholds

These tabulations apply the geographic adjustments outlined in a June 2011 working paper to

the 2010 SPM thresholds provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The thresholds for other

family configurations are calculated using the equivalence scale as described in the appendix of

the Research SPM Report.  

These estimates were done as a special tabulation and have undergone more limited review than

official publications.
Numbers in thousands

Total

Population Number Number

All people 306,110                 29,111         51,365

Age

Under 18 74,916                      8,452         15,813

18 to 64 192,015                 15,707         28,411

65 years and older 39,179                      4,952            7,141

Type of Unit

In married couple unit 185,723                 12,873         25,678

In female householder unit 61,966                      9,345         15,196

In male householder unit 32,224                      3,514            5,508

In new SPM unit 26,197                      3,378            4,982

Race and Hispanic Origin

White 243,323                 21,797         37,564

   White, not Hispanic 197,423                 14,804         25,144

Black 39,031                      5,039            9,228

Asian 14,332                      1,091            2,548

Hispanic (any race) 49,972                      7,572         13,463

Tenure

Owner 207,290                 13,910         25,063

   Owner/mortage 138,324                    7,125         16,210

   Owner/no mortgage/rent free 72,180                      7,275            9,457

Renter 95,606                   14,712         25,697

Residence

Inside MSAs 258,350                 23,509         43,767

  Inside principal cities 98,774                   10,635         19,401

  Outside principal cities 159,576                 12,874         24,366

Outside MSA 47,760                      5,602            7,598

Health Insurance Coverage

With private insurance 195,847                 10,239         21,765

With public, no private insurance 60,332                   10,890         17,237

Not insured 49,904                      7,982         12,363

Work Status

Total Over Age 16 239,917                 21,559         37,141

Full Time Year Round 99,250                      4,641         10,277

Less than full time year round 53,891                      5,450            9,168

Did not work 86,776                   11,468         17,696

   Details may not sum to totals because of rounding

Number of People with Incomes/Resources between 100 and 150% of their Poverty

Threshold by Different Poverty Measures:  2010

* Differs from the published official poverty estimates because unrelated individuals under

15 years of age are included in the universe.

Source:  Special tabulation from the 2011  Current Population Survey Annual Social and

Economic Supplement.  For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error,

nonsampling error, and definitions see www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_239sa.pdf

Notes:  These estimates were done as a special tabulation and have undergone more

limited review than official publications.

Official* SPM
All Persons

Research SPM 2010 16.8

EITC 16.0

SNAP 15.9

Housing Subsidy 16.0

School lunch 16.7

WIC 16.8

LIHEAP 16.7

Child support paid 16.7

Federal income tax before credits 15.8

FICA 15.0

Work expense 15.5

MOOP 14.9

Effect of Excluding Individual Elements on the Percent

of People With SPM Resources between 100 and 150

percent of Their SPM Poverty Threshold:  2010

Source:  Special tabulation from the 2011  Current

Population Survey Annual Social and Economic

Supplement.  For information on confidentiality

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and

definitions see

www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_239sa.pdf

Notes:  These estimates were done as a special

tabulation and have undergone more limited review

than official publications.
Cross tabulation of SPM vs Official Income to Poverty Ratios

Numbers in thousands

Less than

100%

Between 100

and 150

percent

Equal to or

greater than

150 percent Total

Less than 100%           34,319             9,739                2,544             46,602

Between 100

and 150

percent             9,352           15,101                4,658             29,111

Equal to or

greater than

150 percent             5,423           26,525           198,449           230,397

Total           49,094           51,365           205,651           306,109

Official Poverty Measure*

Supplemental Poverty Measure

* Differs from the published official poverty estimates because unrelated individuals

under 15 years of age are included in the universe.

Source:  Special tabulation from the 2011  Current Population Survey Annual Social and

Economic Supplement.  For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error,

nonsampling error, and definitions see www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_239sa.pdf

Notes:  These estimates were done as a special tabulation and have undergone more

limited review than official publications.
Numbers in thousands

Ages 16+ Total

Full time 99,250            2,608      4,700

Less than full time full year 53,891            8,057      8,932

No Work 86,776          20,717    23,311

Total 239,917       31,382    36,943

   Details may not sum to totals because of rounding

Two

adults,

two

children

One adult,

two

children

Three

Adults

Owners with Mortgage      31,693    26,314    31,693

Owners, No Mortgage      24,942    20,709    24,942

Renters      30,733    25,517    30,733

Lowest Threshold      17,060

Highest Threshold 34,152      

Poverty Estimates by Work Status:  2010

Official SPM

Source:  Special tabulation from the 2011  Current Population Survey

Annual Social and Economic Supplement.  For information on

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and

definitions see www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_239sa.pdf

Notes:  These estimates were done as a special tabulation and have

undergone more limited review than official publications.

Source:  National thresholds from Garner and Gudrais, Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 2011,

<http://www.bls.gov/pir.  Geographic adjustments applied as per Renwick, 2011, Geographic

Adjustments of SPM Poverty Thresholds:  Using the American Community Survey Five‐Year Data on

Housing Costs," presented at the Western Economic Association Conference.  Poverty Measurement

Working Paper, U.S. Census Bureau.  Equivalence scale as described in Short, 2011, The Research

Supplemental Poverty Measure:  2010, p. 18.

  San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara CA Metropolitan Area

(Owner with a mortgage) ‐ Two Adults, Two Children

Nonmetro North Dakota (Owner without a mortgage) ‐ 

Two adults, Two children

SPM Thresholds for DC Metro Area:  2010/ Highest and Lowers Two Adult/Two Child Thresholds