The data on poverty status were derived from answers to the same questions as the income data, questionnaire items 32 and 33. (For more information, see the discussion under "Income in 1989.") Poverty statistics presented in census publications were based on a definition originated by the Social Security Administration in 1964 and subsequently modified by Federal interagency committees in 1969 and 1980 and prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget in Directive 14 as the standard to be used by Federal agencies for statistical purposes.

At the core of this definition was the 1961 economy food plan, the least costly of four nutritionally adequate food plans designed by the Department of Agriculture. It was determined from the Agriculture Department's 1955 survey of food consumption that families of three or more persons spend approximately one-third of their income on food; hence, the poverty level for these families was set at three times the cost of the economy food plan. For smaller families and persons living alone, the cost of the economy food plan was multiplied by factors that were slightly higher to compensate for the relatively larger fixed expenses for these smaller households.

The income cutoffs used by the Census Bureau to determine the poverty status of families and unrelated individuals included a set of 48 thresholds arranged in a two-dimensional matrix consisting of family size (from one person to nine or more persons) cross-classified by presence and number of family members under 18 years old (from no children present to eight or more children present). Unrelated individuals and two-person families were further differentiated by age of the householder (under 65 years old and 65 years old and over).

The total income of each family or unrelated individual in the sample was tested against the appropriate poverty threshold to determine the poverty status of that family or unrelated individual. If the total income was less than the corresponding cutoff, the family or unrelated individual was classified as "below the poverty level." The number of persons below the poverty level was the sum of the number of persons in families with incomes below the poverty level and the number of unrelated individuals with incomes below the poverty level.

The poverty thresholds are revised annually to allow for changes in the cost of living as reflected in the Consumer Price Index. The average poverty threshold for a family of four persons was $12,674 in 1989. (For more information, see table A below.) Poverty thresholds were applied on a national basis and were not adjusted for regional, State or local variations in the cost of living. For a detailed discussion of the poverty definition, see U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 171, Poverty in the United States: 1988 and 1989.

Table A Poverty Thresholds in 1989 by Size of Family and Number of Related Children Under 18 Years
		Related children under 18 years
Size of Family Unit	Weight average thresholds	None	One	Two	Three	Four	Five	Six	Seven	Eight or more
One person (unrelated individual)	$6,310
Under 65 years	6,451	$6,451
65 years and over	5,947	5,947
Two persons	8,076
Householder under 65 years	8,343	8,303	$8,547
Householder 65 years and
over	7,501	7,495	8,515
Three persons	9,885	9,699	9,981	$9,990
Four persons	12,674	12,790	12,999	12,575	$12,619
Five persons	14,990	15,424	15,648	15,169	14,798	$14,572
Six persons	16,921	17,740	17,811	17,444	17,092	16,569	$16,259
Seven persons	19,162	20,412	20,540	20,101	19,794	19,224	18,558	$17,828
Fight persons	21,328	22,830	23,031	22,617	22,253	21,738	21,084	20,403	$20,230
Nine or more persons	25,480	27,463	27,596	27,229	26,921	26,415	25,719	25,089	24,933	$23,973

Includes persons who reported in one of the Asian or Pacific Islander groups listed on the questionnaire or who provided write-in responses such as Thai, Nepali, or Tongan. A more detailed listing of the groups comprising the Asian or Pacific Islander population is presented in figure 2 below. In some data products, information is presented separately for the Asian population and the Pacific Islander population.

Includes "Chinese," "Filipino," "Japanese," "Asian Indian," "Korean," "Vietnamese," and "Other Asian." In some tables, "Other Asian" may not be shown separately, but is included in the total Asian population.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Chinese" or who identified themselves as Cantonese, Tibetan, or Chinese American. In standard census reports, persons who reported as "Taiwanese" or "Formosan" are included here with Chinese. In special reports on the Asian or Pacific Islander population, information on persons who identified themselves as Taiwanese are shown separately.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Filipino" or reported entries such as Philipino, Philipine, or Filipino American.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Japanese" and persons who identified themselves as Nipponese or Japanese American.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Asian Indian" and persons who identified themselves as Bengalese, Bharat, Dravidian, East Indian, or Goanese.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Korean" and persons who identified themselves as Korean American.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Vietnamese" and persons who identified themselves as Vietnamese American.

Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Cambodian or Cambodia.

Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Hmong, Laohmong, or Mong.

Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Laotian, Laos, or Lao.

Includes persons who provided a write-in response such as Thai, Thailand, or Siamese.

Includes persons who provided a write-in response of Bangladeshi, Burmese, Indonesian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Amerasian, or Eurasian. See figure 2 for other groups comprising "Other Asian."

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Pacific Islander" by classifying themselves into one of the following groups or identifying themselves as one of the Pacific Islander cultural groups of Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Hawaiian" as well as persons who identified themselves as Part Hawaiian or Native Hawaiian. Samoan--Includes persons who indicated their race as "Samoan" or persons who identified themselves as American Samoan or Western Samoan.

Includes persons who indicated their race as "Guamanian" or persons who identified themselves as Chamorro or Guam. Other Pacific Islander--Includes persons who provided a write-in response of a Pacific Islander group such as Tahitian, Northern Mariana Islander, Palauan, Fijian, or a cultural group such as Polynesian, Micronesian, or Melanesian. See figure 2 for other groups comprising "Other Pacific Islander."