2011+Poverty+Levels

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issues new federal poverty guidelines every year referred to as the Federal Poverty Level. Current 2011 guidelines begin for a family of one at 10,890 dollars, increasing by 3,820 dollars for each additional person for 49 states excluding Hawaii and Alaska. The poverty guidelines in for families of one in Alaska starts at 13,600 dollars, and increases 4,780 dollars by each additional person. In Hawaii guidelines begin in families of one at 12,540 dollars and increases 4,390 dollars by each additional person. Another way to determine poverty is through poverty thresholds which are updated each year by the census bureau and are used mainly for statistics for determining the number of people in poverty each year.

The guidelines for 2010 in 49 states excluding Alaska and Hawaii begin at 10,830 dollars for a family of one and increase 3,740 dollars for each additional person. The guidelines for 2010 in Alaska begin at 13,530 dollars and increase by 4,680 dollars for each additional person. In Hawaii the guidelines for a family of one began at 12,460 dollars and increase an additional 4,300 dollars for each person.