Topics: Economics and Personal Finances, Socioeconomic Class. 1  Richard Fry is a senior researcher focusing on economics and education at Pew Research Center. 2  Rakesh Kochhar is an associate director of research at Pew Research Center.
In the United States, the Census Bureau determines who is poor using an economic poverty measure, by calculating official poverty estimates using a set of dollar-value thresholds, or minimum amount of income needed to meet basic needs, that vary by family size and composition.
The 100 point scale regardes the top rating level of 91-100 as superior functioning, which essentially identifies a person without symptoms. At the middle of the scale, a rating of 41-50 is for symptoms that lead to antisocial behavior (kleptomania) or social dysfunction (inability to keep a job).