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
| Year | First 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 | $11,880 | Varies | ($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 |
| 2011 | 10,890 | 3,820 | ( 22,350) | Federal Register 2011 |
| 2010 | 10,830 | 3,740 | ( 22,050) | Federal Register 2010 (Jan) Federal Register 2010 (Aug) |
| 2009 | 10,830 | 3,740 | ( 22,050) | Federal Register 2009 |
| 2008 | 10,400 | 3,600 | ( 21,200) | Federal Register 2008 |
| 2007 | 10,210 | 3,480 | ( 20,650) | Federal Register 2007 |
| 2006 | 9,800 | 3,400 | ( 20,000) | Federal Register 2006 |
| 2005 | 9,570 | 3,260 | ( 19,350) | Federal Register 2005 |
| 2004 | 9,310 | 3,180 | ( 18,850) | Federal Register 2004 |
| 2003 | 8,980 | 3,140 | ( 18,400) | Federal Register 2003 |
| 2002 | 8,860 | 3,080 | ( 18,100) | Federal Register 2002 |
| 2001 | 8,590 | 3,020 | ( 17,650) | Federal Register 2001 |
| 2000 | 8,350 | 2,900 | ( 17,050) | Federal Register 2000 |
| 1999 | 8,240 | 2,820 | ( 16,700) | Federal Register 1999 |
| 1998 | 8,050 | 2,800 | ( 16,450) | Federal Register 1998 |
| 1997 | 7,890 | 2,720 | ( 16,050) | Federal Register 1997 |
| 1996 | 7,740 | 2,620 | ( 15,600) | Federal Register 1996 |
| 1995 | 7,470 | 2,560 | ( 15,150) | Federal Register 1995 |
| 1994 | 7,360 | 2,480 | ( 14,800) | Federal Register 1994 |
| 1993 | 6,970 | 2,460 | ( 14,350) | Federal Register 1993 |
| 1992 | 6,810 | 2,380 | ( 13,950) | Federal Register 1992 |
| 1991 | 6,620 | 2,260 | ( 13,400) | Federal Register 1991 |
| 1990 | 6,280 | 2,140 | ( 12,700) | Federal Register 1990 |
| 1989 | 5,980 | 2,040 | ( 12,100) | Federal Register 1989 |
| 1988 | 5,770 | 1,960 | ( 11,650) | Federal Register 1988 |
| 1987 | 5,500 | 1,900 | ( 11,200) | Federal Register 1987 |
| 1986 | 5,360 | 1,880 | ( 11,000) | Federal Register 1986 |
| 1985 | 5,250 | 1,800 | ( 10,650) | Federal Register 1985 |
| 1984 | 4,980 | 1,740 | ( 10,200) | Federal Register 1984 |
| 1983 | 4,860 | 1,680 | ( 9,900) | Federal Register 1983 |
| 1982* | 4,680 | 1,540 | ( 9,300) | Federal Register 1982 |
| * Figures for nonfarm families only. | ||||