Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Topics
Data & Maps
Surveys & Programs
Resource Library
Measuring Poverty in the United States: History and Current Issues
Measuring Poverty in the United States: History and Current Issues
Working Paper Number CES-06-11
Abstract
Formal measurement of poverty in the United States is now about 40 years old. This paper first briefly describes the origins and basis of the official poverty thresholds adopted by the federal government in the late 1960s. Then, it discusses in some detail some of the more current issues that observers suggest must be addressed if changes are to be made. The final sections discuss recent efforts to propose alternates to the current official approach.
Others in Series
Working Paper
Import Price Pressure on Firm Productivity and Employment: The Case of U.S. Textiles
Working Paper
Downsizing, Layoffs and Plant Closure: The Impacts of Import Price Pressure and Technological Growth on U.S. Textile Producers
Working Paper
Impacts of Trade on Wage Inequality in Los Angeles: Analysis Using Matched Employer-Employee Data
Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
✕
Is this page helpful?
Yes
No
Yes
No✕
NO THANKS
255 characters maximum
255 characters maximum reached
255 characters maximum reached
✕
Thank you for your feedback.
Comments or suggestions?
Comments or suggestions?
