It might be related to the consumer price index from BLS. The current base year(s) for the CPI is a 1982-1984 average annual. Bob Schwartz, Data Administrator Phone: 412-391-5590 ext 336 Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission FAX: 412-391-9160 425 Sixth Ave, Ste 2500 Email: schwartz(a)spcregion.org Pittsburgh, PA 15219 SPC online: www.spcregion.org From: ctpp-news-bounces(a)ryoko.chrispy.net [mailto:ctpp-news-bounces@ryoko.chrispy.net] On Behalf Of Sulabh Aryal Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 1:21 PM To: &#39;ctpp-news(a)ryoko.chrispy.net&#39; Subject: [CTPP] Question about Poverty Threshold Base year 1982 Hi everyone, Digging onto the Census documentation I found out that poverty thresholds are determined by multiplying the base-year poverty thresholds (1982) by the average of the monthly inflation factor. Does anyone can explain why this particular year 1982 is taken as base year. Thanks, Sulabh Sulabh Aryal Associate Planner Richmond Regional Planning District Commission 9211 Forest Hill Avenue, Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23235 Phone: 804.323.2033 3 Fax: 804.323.2025 saryal(a)richmondregional.org <mailto:saryal@richmondregional.org> 3 www.richmondregional.org <http://www.richmondregional.org>