Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines
While the U.S. Census Bureau uses poverty thresholds for statistical purposes - for instance, preparing estimates of the number of Americans in poverty each year - the U.S. Department of Health and Human services issues another version of the federal poverty measure called the "poverty guidelines." These guidelines are a simplification of the poverty thresholds for use for administrative purposes - for instance, determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs, such as Head Start, the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch Program, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Unlike the "poverty thresholds," the "poverty guidelines" make no distinction of age; yet do provide separate guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii.
For 2007, the HHS Poverty Guidelines are
| Size of Family Unit |
48 Contiguous States and D.C. |
Alaska |
Hawaii |
| 1 |
$10,210 |
$12,770 |
$11,750 |
| 2 |
13,690 |
17,120 |
15,750 |
| 3 |
17,170 |
21,470 |
19,750 |
| 4 |
20,650 |
25,820 |
23,750 |
| 5 |
24,130 |
30,170 |
27,750 |
| 6 |
27,610 |
34,520 |
31,750 |
| 7 |
31,090 |
38,870 |
35,750 |
| 8 |
34,570 |
43,220 |
39,750 |
For each
additional
person, add |
3,480 |
4,350 |
4,000 |
Source: Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 15, January 24, 2007, pp. 3147-3148.
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