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Prior HHS Poverty Guidelines and Federal Register References

Poverty guidelines since 1982 for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia can be calculated by addition using the figures shown below. (This simple calculation procedure gives correct guideline figures for each year, but it is not identical to the procedure by which the poverty guidelines are calculated from the poverty thresholds each year; see an example calculation.) Before 1982, the poverty guidelines were issued by the Office of Economic Opportunity/Community Services Administration.

Visit Historical Poverty Guidelines for a complete set of poverty guidelines and web links to their Federal Register notices.

Visit Spreadsheet Tool to Calculate Different Percentages of the Guidelines, 1983 to 2024.

NOTE: The poverty guideline figures below are NOT the figures the Census Bureau uses to calculate the number of poor persons.

The figures that the Census Bureau uses are the poverty thresholds.

HHS Poverty Guidelines

YearFirst
Person
Each
Additional
Person
(Four-Person
Family)
Page with
Complete Details
2024$15,060$5,380($31,200)Federal Register 2024
2023$14,580$5,140($30,000)Federal Register 2023
2022$13,590$4,720($27,750)Federal Register 2022
2021$12,880$4,540($26,500)Federal Register 2021
2020$12,760$4,480($26,200)Federal Register 2020
2019$12,490$4,420($25,750)Federal Register 2019
2018$12,140$4,320($25,100)Federal Register 2018
2017$12,060$4,180($24,600)Federal Register 2017
2016$11,880Varies($24,300)Federal Register 2016
2015$11,770$4,160($24,250)Federal Register 2015
2014$11,670$4,060($23,850)Federal Register 2014
2013$11,490$4,020($23,550)Federal Register 2013
2012$11,170$3,960($23,050)Federal Register 2012
201110,8903,820( 22,350)Federal Register 2011
201010,8303,740( 22,050)Federal Register 2010 (Jan)
Federal Register 2010 (Aug)
200910,8303,740( 22,050)Federal Register 2009
200810,4003,600( 21,200)Federal Register 2008
200710,2103,480( 20,650)Federal Register 2007
20069,8003,400( 20,000)Federal Register 2006
20059,5703,260( 19,350)Federal Register 2005
20049,3103,180( 18,850)Federal Register 2004
20038,9803,140( 18,400)Federal Register 2003
20028,8603,080( 18,100)Federal Register 2002
20018,5903,020( 17,650)Federal Register 2001
20008,3502,900( 17,050)Federal Register 2000
19998,2402,820( 16,700)Federal Register 1999
19988,0502,800( 16,450)Federal Register 1998
19977,8902,720( 16,050)Federal Register 1997
19967,7402,620( 15,600)Federal Register 1996
19957,4702,560( 15,150)Federal Register 1995
19947,3602,480( 14,800)Federal Register 1994
19936,9702,460( 14,350)Federal Register 1993
19926,8102,380( 13,950)Federal Register 1992
19916,6202,260( 13,400)Federal Register 1991
19906,2802,140( 12,700)Federal Register 1990
19895,9802,040( 12,100)Federal Register 1989
19885,7701,960( 11,650)Federal Register 1988
19875,5001,900( 11,200)Federal Register 1987
19865,3601,880( 11,000)Federal Register 1986
19855,2501,800( 10,650)Federal Register 1985
19844,9801,740( 10,200)Federal Register 1984
19834,8601,680( 9,900)Federal Register 1983
1982*4,6801,540( 9,300)Federal Register 1982
* Figures for nonfarm families only.