[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14579-14581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5631]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


State Median Income Estimate for a Four-Person Family: Notice of 
the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2008 State Median Income Estimates for 
Use Under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), 
Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, 
Division of Energy Assistance

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community 
Services, Division of Energy Assistance, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of estimated State median income estimates for FFY 2008.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the estimated median income for four-
person families in each State and the District of Columbia for FFY 2008 
(October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008). LIHEAP grantees may adopt the 
State median income estimates beginning with the date of publication in 
the Federal Register or at a later date as discussed below. This 
enables LIHEAP grantees to choose to implement this notice during the 
period between the heating and cooling seasons. However, by October 1, 
2007, or the beginning of a grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later, 
LIHEAP grantees using State median income estimates must adjust their 
income eligibility criteria to be in accord with the FFY 2008 State 
median income estimates.
    This listing of estimated State median incomes provides one of the 
maximum income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a 
household's income eligibility for LIHEAP.

DATES: Effective Date: The estimates are effective at any time between 
the date of this publication and October 1, 2007, or until the 
beginning of a LIHEAP grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Edelman, Office of Community 
Services, Division of Energy Assistance, 5th Floor West, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Telephone: (202) 401-5292, E-
Mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of section 2603(11) of 
Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law 
(PL) 97-35, as amended, HHS announces the estimated median income of a 
four-person family for each State, the District of Columbia, and the 
United States for FFY 2008 (October 1, 2007, through September 30, 
2008).
    Section 2605(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the LIHEAP statute provides that 60 
percent of the median income for each State, as annually established by 
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, is one of 
the income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a 
household's eligibility for LIHEAP.
    LIHEAP is authorized through the end of FFY 2008 by the Energy 
Policy Act of 2005, PL 109-58, enacted on August 8, 2005.
    Estimates of the median income for a four-person family for each 
State and the District of Columbia for FFY 2008 are produced by the 
Census Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, using the most 
recently available income data. In previous years, model-based 
estimates of the median income for a four-person family used the 
following data sources: (1) The Current Population Survey's Annual 
Social and Economic Supplement File; (2) the 2000 Decennial Census of 
Population; and (3) per capita personal income estimates, by State, 
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Department of 
Commerce.
    In preparing State-level, four-person family median income 
estimates for FFY 2008, the Census Bureau revised its methodology. The 
Census Bureau chose to use direct estimates derived from the American 
Community Survey (ACS) instead of using the model-based estimates. 
Generally, this change decreased, on average, State median income 
estimates by about 0.8 percent compared to the model-based estimates.
    There are two key advantages in using the ACS over the previous 
methodology. First, as the Federal Government's largest current 
household survey (approximately 3 million addresses per year), the ACS 
is able to produce State-level estimates with very low sampling errors. 
Second, since it is possible to obtain reliable State income estimates 
directly from the ACS (as opposed to the previous methodology that used 
a model based on several data sources), ACS estimates will be available 
on a more timely basis. For example, the ACS 2005 State median income 
estimates were released by the Census Bureau in August 2006.
    Information about the ACS is available at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/. For further information on the ACS State median income 
estimates, contact the Housing and Household Economic Statistics 
Division, at the Census Bureau (301) 763-3243.
    A State-by-State listing of median income and 60 percent of median 
income for a four-person family for FFY 2008 follows. The listing 
describes the method for adjusting median income for families of 
different sizes as specified in regulations applicable to LIHEAP, at 45 
CFR 96.85(b), published in the Federal Register on March 3, 1988 at 53 
FR 6824.

    Dated: March 21, 2007.
Yolanda Butler,
Deputy Director, Office of Community Services.

[[Page 14580]]



      Estimated State Median Income for a Four-Person Family, by State, Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2008 \1\
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                                                                 Estimated State median  60 percent of estimated
                            States                                 income for a four-    State median income for
                                                                   person family \2\       a four-person family
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Alabama.......................................................                  $53,690                  $32,214
Alaska........................................................                   76,560                   45,936
Arizona.......................................................                   61,102                   36,661
Arkansas......................................................                   52,217                   31,330
California....................................................                   70,712                   42,427
Colorado......................................................                   70,300                   42,180
Connecticut...................................................                   92,205                   55,323
Delaware......................................................                   76,288                   45,773
District of Columbia..........................................                   50,248                   30,149
Florida.......................................................                   62,269                   37,361
Georgia.......................................................                   64,427                   38,656
Hawaii........................................................                   79,240                   47,544
Idaho.........................................................                   52,470                   31,482
Illinois......................................................                   72,368                   43,421
Indiana.......................................................                   64,564                   38,738
Iowa..........................................................                   65,575                   39,345
Kansas........................................................                   64,929                   38,957
Kentucky......................................................                   54,992                   32,995
Louisiana.....................................................                   55,945                   33,567
Maine.........................................................                   64,806                   38,884
Maryland......................................................                   89,608                   53,765
Massachusetts.................................................                   85,420                   51,252
Michigan......................................................                   71,542                   42,925
Minnesota.....................................................                   77,395                   46,437
Mississippi...................................................                   47,726                   28,636
Missouri......................................................                   63,847                   38,308
Montana.......................................................                   55,641                   33,385
Nebraska......................................................                   64,800                   38,880
Nevada........................................................                   61,777                   37,066
New Hampshire.................................................                   81,522                   48,913
New Jersey....................................................                   90,261                   54,157
New Mexico....................................................                   48,223                   28,934
New York......................................................                   72,170                   43,302
North Carolina................................................                   59,481                   35,689
North Dakota..................................................                   59,926                   35,956
Ohio..........................................................                   66,734                   40,040
Oklahoma......................................................                   53,138                   31,883
Oregon........................................................                   61,945                   37,167
Pennsylvania..................................................                   68,646                   41,188
Rhode Island..................................................                   78,297                   46,978
South Carolina................................................                   57,932                   34,759
South Dakota..................................................                   61,309                   36,785
Tennessee.....................................................                   56,874                   34,124
Texas.........................................................                   57,511                   34,507
Utah..........................................................                   57,999                   34,799
Vermont.......................................................                   71,382                   42,829
Virginia......................................................                   77,430                   46,458
Washington....................................................                   72,103                   43,262
West Virginia.................................................                   52,292                   31,375
Wisconsin.....................................................                   71,064                   42,638
Wyoming.......................................................                   62,933                   37,760
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Note: FFY 2008 covers the period of October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008. The estimated median income for
  a four-person family living in the United States is $67,019 for FFY 2008. The estimates are effective for the
  Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at any time between the date of this publication and
  October 1, 2007, or by the beginning of a LIHEAP grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later.
\1\ In accordance with 45 CFR 96.85, each State's estimated median income for a four-person family is multiplied
  by the following percentages to adjust for family size for LIHEAP: 52 percent for one person, 68 percent for
  two persons, 84 percent for three persons, 100 percent for four persons, 116 percent for five persons, and 132
  percent for six persons. For each additional family member above six persons, add 3 percentage points to the
  percentage for a six-person family (132 percent), and multiply the new percentage by the State's estimated
  median income for a four-person family.
\2\ Prepared by the Census Bureau from the 2005 American Community Survey. For further information, contact the
  Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division at the Census Bureau (301-763-3243).


[[Page 14581]]

 [FR Doc. E7-5631 Filed 3-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P