Description

SPMPOV_19RYALT indicates whether a family is classified as poor according to the Research Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). Researchers should use the weight developed for the SPM when using SPMPOV_19RYALT. This weight is available in SPMWT and SPMWT_19RYALT. These two weight variables are identical in 2020 and SPMWT_19RYALT is only provided as a convenience to data users who wish to use a complete set of all 2020 alternative SPM variables.

This variable is an alternative version of SPMPOV that was re-released for the 2020 ASEC which reflects methodological changes first introduced with the 2021 CPS ASEC sample. For more information, see our documentation on the re-release of the 2019 SPM research file in the 2020 ASEC that describes methodological improvements that impact SPM resource and threshold variables. The SPM reference year is the calendar year to which the income, taxes, transfers, expenses, and poverty thresholds apply.

The SPM is calculated by the Census Bureau as an alternative indicator of poverty status. It incorporates the value of tax and transfer benefits not included in the official poverty measure. In addition, the SPM thresholds are calculated based on consumer expenditure data and take into account geographic differences in the cost of living. Finally, the SPM is calculated using a different definition of family membership than the official poverty measure. Differences include treating cohabiting couples as members of the same family, including foster children in the family of the head of household, and placing no age or marital status restrictions on identifiable family relationships among adults who are unrelated to the householder.

Another variable, SPMPOVANC12_19RYALT, is an anchored corollary to SPMPOV_19RYALT, and indicates a family's poverty status using thresholds pegged to a 2012 standard of living (SPMTHRESHANC12_19RYALT). These anchored variables provide a more absolute measure of poverty over time

For more information on the calculation of the SPM, see the Census Bureau's "The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure" report. Note that the SPM data files were made confidential by the Census Bureau before public release. Consequently, poverty estimates produced using the public use files may differ slightly from those reported in Census Bureau studies.

A family is classified as poor by this measure if their total economic resources fall below the poverty threshold. SPM family units are identified in SPMFAMUNIT_19RYALT.

Comparability

In 2021 (which applies to this alternative version of this variable), the Census Bureau made improvements to the Supplement Poverty Measure, including changing how WIC was valued (see SPMWIC) and how the Supplemental Poverty Thresholds (SPMTHRESH) were constructed. As a result, SPM poverty rates calculated using SPMPOV are not entirely comparable before and after 2021. For more details on the 2021 SPM updates, see Burns and Fox, 2021.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables