The denominator is the total number of children ages 0-2. The numerator is the number of children ages 0-2 with family incomes less than or equal to 150 percent of the state median income. In order to calculate the numerator, we took the following steps: a) obtained the state median incomes for 4-person families by state from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Information Memorandum; b) multiplied those numbers by 1.5 to get 150 percent of the state median income for 4-person families; c) calculated 150 percent of the state median income for families of different configurations, using the conversion provided in a table footnote in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Information Memorandum; d) applied the relevant state median income threshold to each respondent in the 2021 1-year American Community Survey (ACS), based on their state and family size; and e) counted respondents whose family income was less than or equal to the 150 percent state median income threshold.
This indicator can be disaggregated by race/ethnicity and urbanicity. Race/Ethnicity: Survey respondents report the infant or toddler’s race and ethnicity. Respondents can select one or more of many racial categories or fill in their race. The Census Bureau then assigns each respondent into one of 9 categories (American Indian and Alaska Native, Black/African American, Chinese, Japanese, Other Asian or Pacific Islander, Other race, Two major races, Three or more major races, and White). Ethnicity is asked as a separate question. Responses of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Other Hispanic are coded as Hispanic, regardless of response to the race item. With these categories and ethnicity, we create the following mutually exclusive race/ethnicity categories: Hispanic, Non-Hispanic Asian/PI, Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic Other, Non-Hispanic Multiple Races, and Non-Hispanic White. Urbanicity: Metropolitan areas include central/principal cities, metro areas outside of central/principal cities, and metro areas with central/principal city status indeterminable. Non-metropolitan areas are areas outside of metropolitan areas. Cases whose metropolitan status is indeterminable or mixed are excluded from the urbanicity subgroup analysis. We relied on ACS data from 2021 that do not include estimates for Puerto Rico for the urbanicity indicator. Puerto Rico is not included in the urbanicity subgroup analysis for indicators derived from the Puerto Rico Community Survey.
Sources:
Ruggles, S., Flood, S., Sobek,M., Brockman, D., Cooper,G., Richards, S. & Schouweiler, M. (2023). American Community Survey 2021, one-year estimates. (IPUMS USA: Version 13.0) [Data set] .https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V13.0.
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. (2021). The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program IM 2020-3 state median income estimates for optional use in FY 2020 and mandatory use in FY 2021. .https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/policy-guidance/liheap-im-2021-03-state-median-income-estimates-optional-use-fy-2021.