2013-11575. State Median Income Estimates for a Four-Person Household: Notice of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2014 State Median Income Estimates for Use Under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

AGENCY:

Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services; Administration for Children and Families; Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Notice of state median income estimates for FFY 2014.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces to grantees of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) the estimated median income of four-person households in each state and the District of Columbia for FFY 2014 (October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014). LIHEAP grantees that choose to base their income eligibility criteria on these state median income (SMI) estimates may adopt these estimates (up to 60 percent) on their date of publication in the Federal Register or on a later date as discussed in the “Dates” section. This enables grantees to implement this notice during the period between the heating and cooling seasons. However, by October 1, 2013, or the beginning of the grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later, such grantees must adjust their income eligibility criteria so that they are in accord with the FFY 2014 SMI.

Sixty percent of SMI provides one of the maximum income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a household's income eligibility for LIHEAP.

DATES:

Effective Date: These estimates become effective at any time between the date of this publication and the later of (1) October 1, 2013; or (2) the beginning of a grantee's fiscal year.

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: [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, Public Law 97-35, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the estimated median income of four-person families for each state, the District of Columbia, and the United States for FFY 2014 (October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014).

Section 2605(b)(2)(B)(ii) of this Act provides that 60 percent of the median income of four-person families for each state and the District of Columbia (state median income or SMI), as annually established by the Secretary 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 was last authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, which was enacted on August 8, 2005. This authorization expired on September 30, 2007, and reauthorization remains pending.

The SMI estimates that HHS publishes in this notice are 3-year estimates derived from the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce (Census Bureau).

For additional information about the ACS state median income estimates, including the definition of income and the derivation of medians see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​Downloads/​data_​documentation/​SubjectDefinitions/​2011_​ACSSubjectDefinitions.pdf under “Income in the Past 12 Months.” For additional information about the ACS 1-year and 3-year estimates, see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​guidance_​for_​data_​users/​estimates/​. For additional information about the ACS in general, see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​ or contact the Census Bureau's Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division at [phone].

The SMI estimates, like those derived from any survey, are subject to two types of errors:

(1) Non-sampling Error, which consists of random errors that increase the variability of the data and non-random errors that consistently shift the data in a specific direction; and

(2) Sampling Error, which consists of the error that arises from the use of probability sampling to create the sample. For additional information about the accuracy of the ACS SMI estimates, see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​Downloads/​data_​documentation/​Accuracy/​MultiyearACSAccuracyofData2011.pdf.

In the state-by-state listing of SMI and 60 percent of SMI for a four-person family for FFY 2014, LIHEAP grantees must regard “family” to be the equivalent of “household” with regards to setting their income eligibility criteria. This listing describes the method for adjusting SMI for households of different sizes, as specified in regulations applicable to LIHEAP (45 CFR 96.85(b)). These regulations were published in the Federal Register on March 3, 1988, (53 FR 6827) and amended on October 15, 1999 (64 FR 55858).

Dated: May 8, 2013.

Jeannie L. Chaffin,

Director, Office of Community Services.

Estimated State Median Income for Four-Person Families, by State, for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2014, for Use in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

States	Estimated state median income for four-person families 1	60 percent of estimated state median income for four-person families2, 3
Alabama	$64,899	$38,939
Alaska	87,726	52,636
Arizona	64,434	38,660
Arkansas	56,994	34,196
California	77,679	46,607
Colorado	84,431	50,659
Connecticut	103,173	61,904
Delaware	83,557	50,134
District of Columbia	87,902	52,741
Florida	65,406	39,244
Georgia	67,401	40,441
Hawaii	85,350	51,210
Idaho	61,724	37,034
Illinois	81,770	49,062
Indiana	70,504	42,302
Iowa	76,905	46,143
Kansas	74,073	44,444
Kentucky	65,968	39,581
Louisiana	68,964	41,378
Maine	74,481	44,689
Maryland	105,348	63,209
Massachusetts	102,773	61,664
Michigan	73,354	44,012
Minnesota	87,283	52,370
Mississippi	57,662	34,597
Missouri	70,896	42,538
Montana	68,905	41,343
Nebraska	74,484	44,690
Nevada	69,475	41,685
New Hampshire	94,838	56,903
New Jersey	103,852	62,311
New Mexico	57,353	34,412
New York	83,648	50,189
North Carolina	66,985	40,191
North Dakota	82,605	49,563
Ohio	73,924	44,354
Oklahoma	63,580	38,148
Oregon	69,573	41,744
Pennsylvania	80,937	48,562
Rhode Island	87,793	52,676
South Carolina	62,965	37,779
South Dakota	71,207	42,724
Tennessee	64,042	38,425
Texas	66,880	40,128
Utah	68,017	40,810
Vermont	81,408	48,845
Virginia	90,109	54,065
Washington	83,238	49,943
West Virginia	63,863	38,318
Wisconsin	79,141	47,485
Wyoming	76,868	46,121
Note: FFY 2014 covers the period of October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014. The estimated median income for four-person families living in the United States for this period is $75,845. Grantees that use SMI for LIHEAP may, at their option, employ such estimates at any time between the date of this publication and the later of October 1, 2013, or the beginning of their fiscal years.
1 These figures were prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce (Census Bureau), from 3-year estimates from the 2009, 2010, and 2011 American Community Surveys (ACSs). These estimates, like those derived from any survey, are subject to two types of error: (1) Non-sampling Error, which consists of random errors that increase the variability of the data and non-random errors that consistently direct the data in a specific direction; and (2) Sampling Error, which consists of the error that arises from the use of probability sampling to create the sample.
2 These figures were calculated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance by multiplying the estimated state median income for a four-person family for each state by 60 percent.
3 To adjust for different sizes of households for LIHEAP purposes, 45 CFR 96.85 calls for multiplying 60 percent of a state's estimated median income for a four-person family by the following percentages: 52 percent for a one-person household, 68 percent for a two-person household, 84 percent for a three-person household, 100 percent for a four-person household, 116 percent for a five-person household, and 132 percent for a six-person household. For each additional household member above six people, 45 CFR 96.85 calls for adding 3 percentage points to the percentage for a six-person household (132 percent) and multiply the new percentage by 60 percent of the median income for a four-person family.