IncoIncomeme andand P Povertyoverty in in the theUn Unitedited State States:s: 2017 2017 CurrentCurrent Population Reports ByBy KaylaKayla Fontenot,Fontenot, JessicaJessica Semega,Semega, andand MelissaMelissa KollarKollar IssuedIssued SeptemberSeptember 20182018 P60-263P60-263 Jessica Semega and Melissa Kollar prepared the income sections of this report Acknowledgments under the direction of Jonathan L. Rothbaum, Chief of the Income Statistics Branch. Kayla Fontenot prepared the poverty section under the direction of Ashley N. Edwards, Chief of the Poverty Statistics Branch. Trudi J. Renwick, Assistant Division Chief for Economic Characteristics in the Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division, provided overall direction. Susan S. Gajewski and Nancy Hunter, Demographic Surveys Division, and Lisa P. Cheok, Associate Directorate Demographic Programs, processed the Current Population Survey 2018 Annual Social and Economic Supplement file. Kirk E. Davis, Raymond E. Dowdy, Shawna Evers, Ryan C. Fung, Lan N. Huynh, and Chandararith R. Phe programmed and produced the historical, detailed, and publication tables under the direction of Hung X. Pham, Chief of the Tabulation and Applications Branch, Demographic Surveys Division. Nghiep Huynh and Alfred G. Meier, under the supervision of KeTrena Farnham and David V. Hornick, all of the Demographic Statistical Methods Division, con- ducted statistical review. Tim J. Marshall, Assistant Survey Director of the Current Population Survey, provided overall direction for the survey implementation. Lisa P. Cheok and Aaron Cantu, Associate Directorate Demographic Programs, and Charlie Carter, Agatha Jung, and Johanna Rupp of the Application Development and Services Division prepared and programmed the computer-assisted interviewing instru- ment used to conduct the Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Additional people within the U.S. Census Bureau also made significant contribu- tions to the preparation of this report. Gloria G. Guzmán, Brian E. Glassman, Laryssa Mykyta, Bernadette D. Proctor, Bruce H. Webster, Jr., and Edward J. Welniak, Jr. reviewed the contents. Census Bureau field representatives and telephone interviewers collected the data. Without their dedication, the preparation of this report or any report from the Current Population Survey would be impossible. Anthony Richards, Amanda J. Perry, Christine E. Geter, and Janet S. Sweeney of the Public Information Office provided publication management, graph- ics design and composition, and editorial review for print and electronic media. William A. Burbano and George E. Williams of the Census Bureau’s Administrative and Customer Services Division provided printing management. Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017 Issued September 2018 P60-263 U.S. Department of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary Karen Dunn Kelley, Performing the Nonexclusive Duties of the Deputy Secretary Economics and Statistics Administration Karen Dunn Kelley, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Ron Jarmin, Performing the Nonexclusive Functions and Duties of the Director Suggested Citation Fontenot, Kayla, Jessica Semega, and Melissa Kollar, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, P60-263, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2018. Economics and Statistics Administration Karen Dunn Kelley, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Ron Jarmin, Performing the Nonexclusive Functions and Duties of the Director Enrique Lamas, Performing the Nonexclusive Functions and Duties of the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Eloise Parker, Acting Associate Director for Demographic Programs David G. Waddington, Chief, Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division Contents TEXT INTRODUCTION ............................................... 1 Summary of Findings ........................................... 1 INCOME IN THE UNITED STATES ................................ 1 Highlights ..................................................... 1 Caution for Historical Comparisons. 4 Household Income ............................................. 4 Type of Household ............................................. 4 Race and Hispanic Origin ....................................... 4 Age of Householder ............................................ 6 Nativity ....................................................... 6 Region ........................................................ 6 Residence ..................................................... 7 Income Inequality .............................................. 7 Equivalence-Adjusted Income Inequality .......................... 7 Earnings and Work Experience .................................. 9 POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES ............................... 11 Highlights ..................................................... 11 Race and Hispanic Origin ....................................... 14 Sex ........................................................... 14 Age ........................................................... 14 Nativity ....................................................... 15 Region ........................................................ 16 Residence ..................................................... 16 Work Experience ............................................... 16 Disability Status ................................................ 16 Educational Attainment ......................................... 16 Families ....................................................... 17 Depth of Poverty ............................................... 17 Ratio of Income to Poverty ...................................... 17 Income Deficit ................................................. 17 Shared Households ............................................. 19 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INCOME AND POVERTY ......... 21 State and Local Estimates of Income and Poverty ................. 21 Longitudinal Estimates .......................................... 21 The Supplemental Poverty Measure .............................. 21 SOURCE AND ACCURACY OF THE ESTIMATES ................... 22 Redesigned CPS ASEC .......................................... 23 U.S. Census Bureau Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017 iii FIGURES Figure 1. Real Median Household Income by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1967 to 2017 ..................... 5 Figure 2. Female-to-Male Earnings Ratio and Median Earnings of Full-Time, Year-Round Workers 15 Years and Older by Sex: 1960 to 2017 ................................................... 9 Figure 3. Total and Full-Time, Year-Round Workers With Earnings by Sex: 1967 to 2017 ................... 10 Figure 4. Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate: 1959 to 2017 ........................................... 11 Figure 5. Poverty Rates by Age and Sex: 2017 ........................................................ 14 Figure 6. Poverty Rates by Age: 1959 to 2017 ......................................................... 15 Figure 7. Demographic Makeup of the Population at Varying Degrees of Poverty: 2017 ................... 19 TABLES Table 1. Income and Earnings Summary Measures by Selected Characteristics: 2016 and 2017 ............. 2 Table 2. Income Distribution Measures Using Money Income and Equivalence–Adjusted Income: 2016 and 2017 ........................................................................... 8 Table 3. People in Poverty by Selected Characteristics: 2016 and 2017 ................................... 12 Table 4. Families and People in Poverty by Type of Family: 2016 and 2017 ............................... 13 Table 5. People With Income Below Specified Ratios of Their Poverty Thresholds by Selected Characteristics: 2017 ............................................................. 18 Table 6. Income Deficit or Surplus of Families and Unrelated Individuals by Poverty Status: 2017 ........... 20 iv Income and Poverty in the United States: 2017 U.S. Census Bureau APPENDIXES Appendix A. Estimates of Income ................................................................... 25 How Income Is Measured ......................................................................... 25 Business Cycles .................................................................................. 25 Annual Average Consumer Price Index Research Series (CPI-U-RS) Using Current Methods All Items: 1947 to 2017 ........................................................................ 26 Cost-of-Living Adjustment ........................................................................ 26 Poverty Threshold Adjustment .................................................................... 26 Appendix B. Estimates of Poverty ................................................................... 47 How Poverty Is Calculated ........................................................................ 47 Poverty Thresholds for 2017 by Size of Family and Number of Related Children Under 18 Years ......... 47 Weighted Average Poverty Thresholds in 2017 by Size of Family ..................................... 47 Appendix C. Replicate Weights ..................................................................... 61 References ...................................................................................... 61 Appendix D. Additional Data and Contacts ........................................................... 63 Customized Tables .............................................................................. 63 The CPS Table Creator ........................................................................