Description

POVERTY reports the total annual income of each person’s family expressed as a percentage of their family’s poverty threshold. POVERTY assigns all members of each family—not each household—the same value. Families are identified by the variable FAMUNIT, which is based on the IPUMS-created family interrelationship variables. POVERTY is calculated by comparing the value of FTOTINC to the family’s poverty threshold, which is determined by the family’s size, number of children, and age of the householder. See the poverty definition page for more information on poverty thresholds. POVERTY is also calculated for unrelated individuals over age 15 living in households, while group quarters residents are excluded.

In all samples, POVERTY is calculated by IPUMS based on income, family composition, and the associated poverty threshold within each family unit (as defined by FAMUNIT). The original census microdata samples from 1990 onward and the ACS/PRCS included a version of poverty calculated by the Census Bureau, but due to the different family definitions used by the Census Bureau, this original variable does not always match POVERTY. The original Census Bureau poverty values can be found in the variable CBPOVERTY. Note that while the original variables in the 2006 and later ACS/PRCS samples (reported in CBPOVERTY) included values for some group quarters residents, these are all treated as not-in-universe for POVERTY.

Note that IPUMS applies the income adjustment factor before calculating poverty in the ACS and PRCS, although use of this adjustment is not recommended by IPUMS generally (see the ACS income standardization note for more information.)

POVERTY is a 3-digit numeric code expressing each family's total income for the previous year as a percentage of its corresponding poverty threshold. POVERTY specific variable codes for missing, edited, or unidentified observations, observations not applicable (N/A), observations not in universe (NIU), top and bottom value coding, etc. are provided below by year (and data sample if specified).

POVERTY Specific Variable Codes
000 = N/A
001 = 1 percent or less of poverty threshold (including 0 or negative income)
501 = 501 percent or more of poverty threshold

Comparability

Apart from differences in recording income (see the comparability tab of FTOTINC for details), this variable is largely comparable across years.

For the 1950-2000 censuses, the reference period for income is the previous calendar year; for the ACS and the PRCS, the reference period is the preceding 12 months from the date of interview.

Universe

Availability

• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1960: All samples
• 1950: 1%
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

There is no editing procedure available for this variable.