2017 Supplemental Poverty Measure Thresholds Changes After CE Reprocessing

Reprocessing of the Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey data after the publication date of the 2017 SPM thresholds created changes in the distribution of food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU) expenditures. The 2017 thresholds resulting from this reprocessing are displayed below alongside those previously published in August 2018. Reprocessed and published thresholds are statistically significantly different at the 5 percent level. SPM thresholds for Owners with mortgages increased by $2, Owners without mortgage increased by $24, and Renters decreased by $18. Published thresholds will remain as they are, but individuals attempting to recreate the 2017 thresholds will only be able to reproduce the reprocessed results.

Thresholds and shares are produced within the Division of Price and Index Number Research (DPINR), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These threshold ds and statistics are produced for research purposes only using the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey. The thresholds and shares are not BLS production quality. This work is solely that of DPINR researchers and does not necessarily reflect the official positions or policies of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or the views of other staff members within this agency.

Last Modified Date: September 10, 2019