Poverty rate, actual and simulated official and supplemental poverty measure, 1967–2015
| Year | Supplemental Poverty Measure rate | Simulated poverty rate* (predicted SPM) | Official Poverty Measure rate | Simulated poverty rate* (predicted OPM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 24.4% | 24.1% | 14.2% | 13.0% |
| 1968 | 22.4% | 23.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 1969 | 21.0% | 22.6% | 12.1% | 12.6% |
| 1970 | 21.0% | 22.9% | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| 1971 | 21.0% | 22.4% | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| 1972 | 19.4% | 21.3% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 1973 | 18.2% | 20.0% | 11.1% | 11.9% |
| 1974 | 19.2% | 20.4% | 11.2% | 12.0% |
| 1975 | 18.4% | 20.7% | 12.3% | 12.1% |
| 1976 | 17.7% | 19.6% | 11.8% | 11.8% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 18.5% | 11.6% | 11.5% |
| 1978 | 17.0% | 17.2% | 11.4% | 11.1% |
| 1979 | 16.8% | 16.6% | 11.7% | 11.0% |
| 1980 | 18.2% | 17.0% | 13.0% | 11.1% |
| 1981 | 19.4% | 16.6% | 14.0% | 10.9% |
| 1982 | 20.4% | 17.5% | 15.0% | 11.2% |
| 1983 | 20.9% | 16.4% | 15.2% | 10.9% |
| 1984 | 19.8% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 19.6% | 13.3% | 14.0% | 10.1% |
| 1986 | 19.0% | 12.4% | 13.6% | 9.8% |
| 1987 | 17.8% | 11.5% | 13.4% | 9.6% |
| 1988 | 17.7% | 10.4% | 13.0% | 9.3% |
| 1989 | 17.4% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 9.0% |
| 1990 | 17.9% | 9.1% | 13.5% | 9.0% |
| 1991 | 18.5% | 9.7% | 14.2% | 9.1% |
| 1992 | 18.6% | 9.0% | 14.8% | 8.9% |
| 1993 | 19.7% | 8.4% | 15.1% | 8.8% |
| 1994 | 18.2% | 7.3% | 14.5% | 8.5% |
| 1995 | 16.6% | 6.8% | 13.8% | 8.3% |
| 1996 | 16.5% | 5.8% | 13.7% | 8.1% |
| 1997 | 15.7% | 4.4% | 13.3% | 7.7% |
| 1998 | 14.8% | 3.1% | 12.7% | 7.3% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | 1.6% | 11.9% | 6.9% |
| 2000 | 13.6% | 0.5% | 11.3% | 6.6% |
| 2001 | 14.0% | 0.6% | 11.7% | 6.7% |
| 2002 | 14.3% | 0.3% | 12.1% | 6.6% |
| 2003 | 14.4% | -0.4% | 12.5% | 6.4% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | -1.7% | 12.7% | 6.0% |
| 2005 | 14.0% | -2.8% | 12.6% | 5.8% |
| 2006 | 14.1% | -3.8% | 12.3% | 5.5% |
| 2007 | 14.3% | -4.4% | 12.5% | 5.3% |
| 2008 | 14.1% | 13.2% | ||
| 2009 | 14.2% | 14.3% | ||
| 2010 | 14.8% | 15.1% | ||
| 2011 | 15.1% | 15.0% | ||
| 2012 | 15.6% | 15.0% | ||
| 2013 | 15.6% | 14.7% | ||
| 2014 | 15.9% | 14.8% | ||
| 2015 | 14.2% | 13.5% |
* Simulated poverty rates are based on a model of the statistical relationship between growth in per capita GDP and poverty that prevailed between 1967 and 1979.
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement data, Wimer, Fox, Garfinkel, Kaushal, and Waldfogel (2013), and Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income Product Accounts public data. Analysis using Danziger and Gottschalk (1995). Anchored 2015 SPM provided by Wimer, Fox, Garfinkel, Kaushal, and Waldfogel.
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