05-3088. State Median Income Estimate for a Four-Person Family (FFY 2006); Notice of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2006 State Median Income Estimates for Use Under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Administration by the ...

AGENCY:

Office of Community Services, ACF, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of estimated State median income estimates for FFY 2006.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the estimated median income for four-person families in each State and the District of Columbia for FFY 2006 (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006). LIHEAP grantees may adopt the State median income estimates beginning with the date of this publication of the estimates in the Federal Register or at a later date as discussed below. This means that LIHEAP grantees could choose to implement this notice during the period between the heating and cooling seasons. However, by October 1, 2005, or by 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 2006 State median income estimates.

This listing of estimate State median incomes provides one of the maximum income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a household's income eligibility for LIHEAP.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

The estimates are effective at any time between the date of this publication and October 1, 2005, or by the beginning of a LIHEAP grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Leon Litow, Administration for Children and Families, HHS, Office of Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance, 5th Floor West, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Telephone: [phone], E-Mail [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the provisions of section 2603(11) of Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Pub. L. 97-35, as amended), we are announcing the estimated median income of a four-person family for each State, the District of Columbia, and the United States for FFY 2006 (the period of October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2006).

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 2004 by the Coats Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998, Public Law 105-285, which was enacted on October 27, 1998. The LIHEAP program continues to operate with reauthorization legislation currently pending in Congress.

Estimates of the median income for a four-person family for each State and the District of Columbia for FFY 2006 have been developed by the Census Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, using the most recently available income data. In developing the median income estimates for FFY 2006, the Census Bureau used the following three sources of data: (1) The Current Population Survey's 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplement File; (2) the 2000 Decennial Census of Population; and (3) 2003 per capita personal income estimates, by State, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For further information on the estimating method and data sources, contact the Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, at the Census Bureau (302-763-3243). For information on recent U.S. income trends go to: http://www.census.gov/​prod/​2004pubs/​p60-226.pdf.

A state-by-state listing of median income, and 60 percent of median income, for a four-person family for FFY 2006 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), which was published in the Federal Register on March 3, 1988 at 53 FR 6824.

Dated: February 9, 2005.

Robert L. Mott,

Deputy Director, Office of Community Services.

Estimated State Median Income for a Four-Person Family, by State, Federal Fiscal Year 2006 ¹

States	Estimated State median income for a four-person family 2	60 percent of estimated State median income for a four-person family
Alabama	$55,448	$33,269
Alaska	72,110	43,266
Arizona	58,206	34,924
Arkansas	48,353	29,012
California	67,814	40,688
Colorado	71,559	42,935
Connecticut	86,001	51,601
Delaware	72,680	43,608
Dist. of Col.	56,067	33,640
Florida	58,605	35,163
Georgia	62,294	37,376
Hawaii	71,320	42,792
Idaho	53,376	32,026
Illinois	72,368	43,421
Indiana	65,009	39,005
Iowa	64,341	38,605
Kansas	64,215	38,529
Kentucky	53,198	31,919
Louisiana	50,529	30,317
Maine	59,596	35,758
Maryland	82,363	49,418
Massachusetts	82,561	49,537
Michigan	68,602	41,161
Minnesota	76,733	46,040
Mississippi	46,570	27,942
Missouri	64,128	38,477
Montana	49,124	29,474
Nebraska	63,625	38,175
Nevada	63,005	37,803
New Hampshire	79,339	47,603
New Jersey	87,412	52,447
New Mexico	45,867	27,520
New York	69,354	41,612
North Carolina	56,712	34,027
North Dakota	57,092	34,255
Ohio	66,066	39,640
Oklahoma	50,216	30,130
Oregon	61,570	36,942
Pennsylvania	68,578	41,147
Rhode Island	71,098	42,659
South Carolina	56,433	33,860
South Dakota	59,272	35,563
Tennessee	55,401	33,241
Texas	54,554	32,732
Utah	62,032	37,219
Vermont	65,876	39,526
Virginia	71,697	43,018
Washington	69,130	41,478
West Virginia	46,169	27,701
Wisconsin	69,010	41,406
Wyoming	56,065	33,639
Note—FFY 2006 covers the period of October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006. The estimated median income for a four-person family living in the United States is $65,093 for FFY 2006. 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, 2005, 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: 52% for one person, 68% for two persons, 84% for three persons, 100% for four persons, 116% for five persons, and 132% for six persons. For each additional family member above six persons, add 3% to the percentage for a six-person family (132%), 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 Current Population Survey's 2004 Annual Social and Economic Supplement File, 2000 Decennial Census of Population and Housing, and 2003 per capita personal income estimates, by State, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). For further information, contact the Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division at the Census Bureau (301-763-3243).