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Income and Poverty Data
Poverty data can be confusing to data users because estimates come from different sources, and there are TWO DIFFERENT POVERTY MEASURES used by federal agencies. These are the Poverty Thresholds and Poverty Guidelines. If unfamiliar with using poverty data, we recommend reading the Census Bureau Poverty information and the Health and Human Services Guidelines linked below. The HHS website offers a concise description of how poverty data is used by government agencies.
Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Census Bureau's Poverty Information Web Site
Below is an explanation from the Health and Human Services poverty web site: "The poverty thresholds are the original version of the federal poverty measure. They are updated each year by the Census Bureau (although they were originally developed by Mollie Orshansky of the Social Security Administration). The thresholds are used mainly for statistical purposes — for instance, preparing estimates of the number of Americans in poverty each year. (In other words, all official poverty population figures are calculated using the poverty thresholds, not the guidelines.) Poverty thresholds since 1973 (and for selected earlier years) and weighted average poverty thresholds since 1959 are available on the Census Bureau's Web site. For an example of how the Census Bureau applies the thresholds to a family's income to determine its poverty status, see "How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty" on the Census Bureau's web site. The poverty guidelines are the other version of the federal poverty measure. They are issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The guidelines are a simplification of the poverty thresholds for use for administrative purposes — for instance, determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs."
The Census Bureau poverty information page explains the most common sources that people cite. These have been the American Community Survey (and Decennial Census prior to 2010), Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), and Current Population Surveys (CPS).
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Data:
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 1989-2010 (State, County and School District Estimates) Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) for Counties and States
Kentucky and Counties Poverty Rates (from 2000 Census)
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