Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Bureau of Labor Statistics > Price and Index Number Research > Price research data > Research Poverty Thresholds

2015 BLS-DPINR Supplemental Poverty Measure Thresholds Based on Consumer Expenditure Survey Data

Official and Research Experimental Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) Thresholds for Two Adults and Two Children, 2015
MeasureThreshold amount

Official

$24,036

SPM Owners with mortgages

$25,930

SPM Owners without mortgages

$21,806

SPM Renters

$25,583

NOTE: Research Experimental SPM thresholds are produced in the Division of Price and Index Number Research (DPINR), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These are computed using out-of-pocket expenditures for food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU), plus expenditures for other basic goods and services such as household supplies, personal care, and non-work-related expenditures. Shelter expenditures include those for mortgage principal payments.

Source: Thresholds were produced by Marisa Gudrais with assistance from Juan D. Mu&ntildeoz, and under the guidance of Thesia I. Garner, DPINR, BLS, for research purposes only, using the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Interview Survey. The thresholds are not BLS production quality. This work is solely that of the authors 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. These thresholds are final as of September 29, 2016.

 

Last Modified Date: September 29, 2016