The Self-Sufficiency Standard helps to locate income disparities in King County.

The Standard, developed by The Center for Women’s Welfare at the University of Washington School of Social Work, is a measure that determines incomes for working individuals and families to “meet basic necessities without public or private assistance.”

The Standard is also an “alternative to the official poverty measure.”

• Self-Sufficiency Standard

• Self-Sufficiency Calculator

• Article on the Standard in 2020: "For single adults and families alike, higher cost of living in all Washington counties."

The Census Bureau measures poverty status by first determining the poverty threshold ($31,661 for 2020) then comparing the family's total income to this threshold. The family is considered "in poverty" if their income is below the threshold.

For the other two categories, we interpret “foreign born” as immigrants and refugees and “female householders without partner” as single mothers. We believe that our interpretations make the categories more relevant.

• How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty

A census classification. We interpret this as immigrants and refugees.

A census classification. We interpret this as single mothers.