What is the federal poverty line?

For 2015, the federal poverty guideline for a household of four people is $24,250 in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. A household of eight has a poverty guideline of $40,890.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the federal poverty level depends on the number of residents in a home and whether the residents live in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia, or in Hawaii or Alaska. In Alaska, for example, a household of four has a poverty guideline of $30,320 and a household of eight has a guideline of $51,120.