Supplemental Poverty Measure

Posted on November 7, 2013 by admin

• Poverty level doesn’t budge: 50 million and counting, By Jennifer Liberto, November 6, 2013, CNNMoney: “The economic recovery hasn’t done all that much for the poor. But federal programs aimed at helping the poor are keeping some Americans out of poverty, according to a special ‘supplemental poverty measure’ by the Census Bureau released Wednesday. The poverty rate hasn’t budged over the past two years, as nearly 50 million Americans, or 16% of the population, lived in poverty in 2012, according to the special report…”
• The real measure of poverty: 1 out of 6 Americans, By Hope Yen (AP), November 6, 2013, NBC News: “The number of poor people in America is 3 million higher than the official count, encompassing 1 in 6 residents due to out-of-pocket medical costs and work-related expenses, according to a revised census measure released Wednesday. The new measure is aimed at providing a fuller picture of poverty, but does not replace the official government numbers. Put in place two years ago by the Obama administration, it generally is considered more reliable by social scientists because it factors in living expenses as well as the effects of government aid, such as food stamps and tax credits…”
• U.S. poverty higher, California highest, when housing costs added, By Emily Alpert Reyes, November 6, 2013, Los Angeles Times: “An alternative way of measuring poverty shows that nearly 2.8 million more people are struggling across the country than officially calculated, the U.S. Census Bureau reports – and California has by far the biggest share of people in poverty, eclipsing states such as Mississippi and Louisiana. The alternative yardstick, known as the supplemental poverty measure, is different from the official poverty rate in a few key ways: It takes tax credits and other government benefits into account. It also counts necessary expenses such as child care and out-of-pocket medical costs…”
• Nebraska, Iowa look even better on poverty scale, By Henry J. Cordes, November 7, 2013, Omaha World-Herald: “Iowa, Nebraska and other states in the hardworking Midwest have always boasted some of the lowest poverty rates in the country. But under a new Census Bureau poverty calculation that for the first time takes into account cost-of-living differences among the states, the Midwest looks even better. Iowa ranks No. 1 for lowest poverty under the new measure released Wednesday — five spots better than it ranked under the latest official poverty measure, which didn’t adjust for cost-of-living differences…”