Census Bureau Research Matters Blogs for September 4, 2024
 How Inflation Affects the Census Bureau’s Income and Earnings Estimates
Written By: Matthew Unrath and Gloria Guzman, Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division
On Sept. 10, 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau will release a new report comparing estimates of median income and earnings between 2022 and 2023 and historical income and earnings dating back to 1967. The report, Income in the United States: 2023, is based on information collected in the 2024 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements (CPS ASEC) conducted by the Census Bureau.
Health Insurance Coverage Measurement in Two Major Surveys
Written by: Kevin C. Heslin, Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division
As the U.S. Census Bureau gears up to release the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS ASEC) (September 10) and the American Community Survey (ACS) (September 12), we wanted to provide an overview of key similarities and differences between their health insurance coverage measures. Health insurance stats from these surveys are available in Census Bureau reports, public data files, Health Insurance Historical Table Series and related products.
Comparing Poverty Measures: Development of the Supplemental Poverty Measure and Differences with the Official Poverty Measure
Written by: John Creamer and Kalee Burns, Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division
There has been continued debate about the best way to measure poverty in the United States since the first official U.S. poverty statistics were published in the mid-1960s. The U.S. Census Bureau releases two poverty measures each September. The first, called the official poverty measure, is based on cash resources. The second, the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), includes both cash and noncash benefits and subtracts necessary expenses (such as taxes and medical expenses). The official poverty measure has remained mostly unchanged since it was introduced in the mid-1960s. In contrast, the SPM was designed to improve as new data and methods become available. This blog discusses the development of the SPM and differences between the two measures.
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