Receipt of public assistance among families of workers likely affected by a minimum-wage increase to $10.10
| Type of assistance | Count | Share of workers receiving each benefit | Total benefits received (in millions) | Average value of benefits received (among those receiving each benefit) | Adjustment factor to total benefits received* | Total benefits received, adjusted for known CPS undercount (in millions)* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any government assistance | 9,714,000 | 44.8% | $28,348 | $3,110 | 1.37 | $38,977 | |
| Earned income tax credit (EITC) | 8,163,000 | 37.7% | $16,774 | $2,050 | 1.39 | $23,233 | |
| Energy assistance (LIHEAP) | 773,000 | 3.6% | $267 | $350 | *** | $267 | |
| Food stamps (SNAP) | 3,214,000 | 14.8% | $6,984 | $2,580 | 1.50 | $10,502 | |
| Housing assistance | 630,000 | 2.9% | $2,829 | $4,490 | *** | $2,829 | |
| Medicaid | 2,099,000 | 9.7% | ** | ** | ** | ** | |
| TANF/cash assistance | 317,000 | 1.5% | $803 | $2,530 | 1.47 | $1,183 | |
| Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) | 1,342,000 | 6.2% | $691 | $510 | 1.40 | $964 |
* The CPS-ASEC survey data are known to significantly understate the rate of receipt and total income received from public assistance programs. In this analysis, we do not make any attempt to correct for this undercount in the rate of receipt. However, columns six and seven show the adjustment factor and total adjusted benefit amounts, respectively, based upon the observed underreporting of benefit dollars in the CPS-ASEC for each program as measured in Meyer, Mok, and Sullivan (2009). See endnote 2 for further details.
** Due to changes in Medicaid benefits resulting from the Affordable Care Act, the fungible value of Medicaid benefits is not included in any dollar-value calculations. This means that total and average overall assistance values are likely significantly understated.
*** No underreporting rate is available for the LIHEAP or Housing Assistance programs, so for these programs, no adjustment is made.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement microdata, pooled data years 2010–2012
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