Poverty Guidelines

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2003 HHS Poverty Guidelines

Size of Family Unit	48 Contiguous States and D.C.	Alaska	Hawaii
1	$ 8,980	$11,210	$10,330
2	12,120	15,140	13,940
3	15,260	19,070	17,550
4	18,400	23,000	21,160
5	21,540	26,930	24,770
6	24,680	30,860	28,380
7	27,820	34,790	31,990
8	30,960	38,720	35,600
For each additional person, add	3,140	3,930	3,610

SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 26, February 7, 2003, pp. 6456-6458.

This graph gives a clear definition of what the government defines as financial poverty. Poverty, in this case, is based on the number of people in the family and the amount of money that is earned. If a family makes below the amount of money that specified for the amount of people in their family they are considered to be in poverty.