The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) and the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) are two different numbers that answer two different questions. The FPL, published each January by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the income cutoff that Medicaid, SNAP, ACA marketplace subsidies, WIC, LIHEAP, and most other assistance programs actually use to decide who qualifies. The SPM, published each September by the Census Bureau, is a research tool that factors in housing costs, taxes, and government benefits to estimate how many Americans are actually poor. In 2025, the official poverty rate (based on the measure behind the FPL) was 10.2%, while the SPM rate for the same year was 13.1%. No federal program uses the SPM to determine eligibility. If you are trying to figure out whether you qualify for benefits, the number that matters is the FPL, not the SPM.
This matters because the two measures frequently get confused in news coverage and online explainers, and the gap between them is not small. Below is a breakdown of how each measure is built, what counts as income under each one, and which one you should actually be looking at depending on what you're trying to do.
The Short Answer: Which One Decides Your Eligibility?
The Federal Poverty Level decides your eligibility. Every major benefit program ties its income limits to the HHS poverty guidelines (the FPL), either at 100% of the guideline or some multiple of it, such as 138% for Medicaid expansion states or 200% to 400% for ACA marketplace subsidies. The Supplemental Poverty Measure plays no role in any program's application form, income test, or eligibility worksheet. It exists so researchers, Congress, and federal agencies can evaluate how well the safety net is working, not so individuals can apply against it.
What Is the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)?
The FPL, formally called the HHS poverty guidelines, traces back to a formula created by Social Security Administration economist Mollie Orshansky in the early 1960s. Orshansky calculated the cost of a minimally adequate diet from USDA food plans, then multiplied it by three, based on the finding that families at the time spent roughly one third of their income on food. That multiplier, updated annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), is still the basis for today's guidelines.
Key features of the FPL:
- Published by: HHS, each January, in the Federal Register
- Based on: Pre-tax cash income only
- Updated for: Inflation (CPI-U), not changes in what households actually spend on housing, child care, or health care
- Geographic adjustment: None, except separate (higher) tables for Alaska and Hawaii
- Household adjustment: Varies by household size only
For 2026, the HHS poverty guideline for a single person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. is $15,960 per year. For 2025, it was $15,650. These guidelines took effect in mid-January of each respective year.
2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines by Household Size (48 Contiguous States and D.C.)
| Household Size | 2026 FPL (100%) |
|---|
| 1 | $15,960 |
| 2 | $21,640 |
| 3 | $27,320 |
| 4 | $33,000 |
| 5 | $38,680 |
| 6 | $44,360 |
| 7 | $50,040 |
| 8 | $55,720 |
Each additional person beyond eight adds $5,680 for 2026. Alaska and Hawaii use higher separate guidelines to reflect higher costs in those states. For the full 2026 chart, see BenefitsUSA's 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines guide.
What Is the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM)?
The SPM was developed starting in 2010, following recommendations from a 1995 National Academy of Sciences panel that concluded the Orshansky-era formula was too narrow for modern households. The Census Bureau, working with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has published an annual SPM report every September since, alongside (not instead of) the official poverty rate.
Key features of the SPM:
- Published by: U.S. Census Bureau, each September, using the prior calendar year's data
- Based on: Cash income, plus refundable tax credits (like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit) and in-kind government benefits (SNAP, housing subsidies, LIHEAP, free/reduced school lunch, and WIC), minus taxes, work expenses, child care costs, medical out-of-pocket (MOOP) spending, and child support paid
- Threshold basis: The 33rd percentile of what a reference group of consumer units spends on food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU), derived from five years of Consumer Expenditure Survey data, plus a small additional factor
- Geographic adjustment: Yes. Thresholds vary by metro area or state based on local housing costs
- Household adjustment: Varies by size, composition, and whether the household rents, owns with a mortgage, or owns without a mortgage
Because the SPM subtracts real expenses like medical bills and child care, and adds back the value of benefits like SNAP and housing subsidies, it tends to tell a more complete (and often different) story about who is actually struggling financially than the FPL-based official measure does.
2025 SPM Thresholds (Reference Family: Two Adults, Two Children)
| Housing Status | 2025 SPM Threshold |
|---|
| Owner with mortgage | $41,323 |
| Owner without mortgage | $34,326 |
| Renter | $41,701 |
| Official poverty threshold (same family, 2025) | $32,649 |
For a one-person household renting in 2025, the SPM threshold was approximately $16,360, compared to the 2025 FPL of $15,650 for the same household size. These are national figures; actual SPM thresholds shift by metro area.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Federal Poverty Level (FPL / HHS Guidelines) | Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) |
|---|
| Published by | HHS (guidelines), based on Census Bureau poverty thresholds | U.S. Census Bureau, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| First introduced | Early 1960s (Mollie Orshansky formula) | 2010 (based on a 1995 National Academy of Sciences panel) |
| Income counted | Pre-tax cash income only | Cash income plus refundable tax credits and in-kind benefits, minus taxes, work/child care costs, medical out-of-pocket spending, and child support paid |
| Threshold method | 1963 food-cost formula x3, adjusted yearly for inflation | 33rd percentile of spending on food, clothing, shelter, and utilities, from Consumer Expenditure Survey data |
| Geographic adjustment | None (except separate Alaska/Hawaii tables) | Yes, by metro area/state and housing tenure |
| Decides program eligibility? | Yes | No |
| 2025 U.S. poverty rate | 10.2% | 13.1% |
| Released | January (HHS guidelines) | September (Census report, using prior year's data) |
Why the Two Numbers Produce Different Poverty Rates
The 2025 gap between the two national rates (10.2% official vs. 13.1% SPM) comes down to what each measure counts. The SPM's broader definition of a household's needs, especially housing and medical costs that vary widely by location and age, pushes more households below its threshold even when their cash income looks similar to the official measure's cutoff. At the same time, the SPM also credits households with the value of SNAP, housing subsidies, and refundable tax credits, which can pull some lower-income households above the SPM line even though their cash income alone would put them below the official threshold.
In short, the SPM tends to show a fuller picture of hardship for groups with high housing or medical costs (notably seniors and renters in expensive metro areas), while also showing that safety-net programs are keeping millions of people above the poverty line who would otherwise fall below it. For more on how the FPL itself has changed since the 1960s, see BenefitsUSA's history of the federal poverty level.
Why This Distinction Matters If You're Applying for Benefits
If you're trying to figure out whether you qualify for Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidies, WIC, LIHEAP, Lifeline, or school meals, you need the FPL (HHS poverty guidelines), not the SPM. Here's how the FPL is actually used across common programs:
- Medicaid: Expansion states generally use 138% of the FPL as the income cutoff for adults
- SNAP: Gross income limits are typically set at 130% of the FPL, with net income limits at 100%
- ACA marketplace subsidies: Premium tax credits phase in and out based on income as a percentage of the FPL, generally between 100% and 400%
- WIC: States commonly set income eligibility at or below 185% of the FPL
- LIHEAP: Many states use 150% of the FPL or a percentage of the state median income, whichever is higher
None of these programs reference the SPM. There is no application anywhere that asks whether your household falls above or below the Supplemental Poverty Measure threshold. If you see the SPM cited in a news article or policy report, it is describing a national or state-level research estimate of poverty, not a number tied to any individual's benefit application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Supplemental Poverty Measure to find out if I qualify for benefits?
No. The SPM is a Census Bureau research measure used to study poverty trends and the effect of government programs. No federal or state benefit program uses the SPM to determine individual eligibility. Eligibility decisions for Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidies, WIC, and similar programs are based on the HHS federal poverty guidelines (the FPL), not the SPM.
Why is the Supplemental Poverty Measure usually higher than the official poverty rate?
In 2025, the SPM rate (13.1%) was higher than the official rate (10.2%) mainly because the SPM accounts for real-world housing and medical costs that the official measure ignores. Those added costs push more households below the SPM's income-adequacy threshold, even though the SPM also adds back the value of benefits like SNAP and tax credits that the official measure doesn't count as income at all.
Does the Supplemental Poverty Measure replace the Federal Poverty Level?
No. The Census Bureau has stated that the SPM is meant to provide a complementary perspective on poverty, not to replace the official poverty measure or the HHS poverty guidelines. Both are published every year, by different agencies, for different purposes.
How often are SPM and FPL figures updated?
The HHS poverty guidelines (FPL) are updated every January based on the prior year's CPI-U inflation data. The Census Bureau's SPM report is released every September, using income and expense data collected during the prior calendar year. For example, the SPM figures covering 2025 were released in September 2026.
Which measure accounts for where I live?
The SPM does. Its thresholds are adjusted by metro area or state to reflect local housing costs, and separately by whether a household rents or owns (with or without a mortgage). The FPL does not adjust for location except for two flat, separate tables for Alaska and Hawaii; the rest of the country uses identical guidelines regardless of local cost of living.
Does the SPM count SNAP and housing assistance as income?
Yes. The SPM adds the cash value of SNAP benefits, housing subsidies, LIHEAP, free or reduced-price school lunches, and WIC to a household's resources before comparing it to the SPM threshold. The official poverty measure behind the FPL counts none of these; it looks only at pre-tax cash income.
Where can I check if my income qualifies me for benefits right now?
Use the current year's HHS federal poverty guidelines and compare them to your household's gross income, then check the specific percentage cutoff for the program you're interested in (for example, 138% of the FPL for Medicaid expansion, or 130% for SNAP gross income limits). A free eligibility screening tool can run these comparisons for you across multiple programs at once based on your household size, income, and state.
