Unfortunately the supplemental poverty measure doesn&#x27;t actually measure poverty, just inequality. The definition is:<p><i>The 33rd percentile of expenditures on food, clothing, shelter, and utilities (FCSU) of consumer units with exactly two children multiplied by 1.2</i><p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.census.gov&#x2F;hhes&#x2F;povmeas&#x2F;methodology&#x2F;supplemental&#x2F;research&#x2F;Short_ResearchSPM2010.pdf" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.census.gov&#x2F;hhes&#x2F;povmeas&#x2F;methodology&#x2F;supplemental&#x2F;...</a><p>So if you were to reduce the income of everyone from the 34th percentile downward to exactly $1.24&#x2F;day you&#x27;d actually <i>reduce</i> supplemental poverty.