How to use the ASPE Poverty Guidelines API to retrieve the 2026 table in JSON format?
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Executive summary
The ASPE Poverty Guidelines API responds to simple HTTPS GET requests and returns poverty-guideline entries in JSON for a given year and household size; an example call pattern is illustrated by ASPE’s documentation using /api/2023/us/4 [1]. The ASPE site notes the API includes guidelines from 1983 through the current year, but also warns that ASPE content may not be actively updated during HHS restructuring — researchers should verify 2026 availability and fall back to the Federal Register or partner sites if needed [1] [2] [3].
1. What the API looks like and the canonical request pattern
ASPE’s technical guidance shows the API is accessed with a standard HTTPS GET and supplies an example URL that returns JSON for a specific year, geography, and household size — for example https://aspe.hhs.gov/.../api/2023/us/4 returns JSON data for a four-person U.S. household [1]. The API is described as carrying poverty guidelines from 1983 to the “current year,” implying the same URL pattern should work for 2026 if ASPE has published 2026 data to the API endpoint [1]. ASPE documentation also highlights that separate guidelines exist for Alaska and Hawaii, which implies geography may matter when constructing requests, though the public example uses the “us” geography token [2] [4].
2. Practical steps to retrieve the 2026 table (recommended workflow)
Attempt to fetch 2026 rows using the documented GET pattern; for a single household size use a URL like https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/api/2026/us/1 (replace the final number for family size) and repeat for sizes 1 through 8 [1]. If a single “table” endpoint is required but not documented in the snippets, programmatically iterate the family-size parameter (1..8) to assemble the full contiguous‑states table into a local JSON array; ASPE’s example demonstrates per-size JSON responses, so a client-side loop is the safe, reproducible method [1]. Use curl or any HTTP client: curl -s "https://aspe.hhs.gov/.../api/2026/us/4" and validate the returned JSON with jq or equivalent; the example pattern in ASPE shows this is how the API returns structured guideline data [1].
3. What to watch for: geography, family size increments, and update caveats
ASPE notes separate poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii and historic administrative practices that produced distinct figures; if the application must reflect AK or HI, verify whether the API supports 'alaska' or 'hawaii' tokens or whether those tables must be fetched differently [2] [4]. The policy requirement that the Secretary update guidelines annually based on CPI-U is the statutory background for yearly tables (42 U.S.C. 9902), so expect a year token in the URL to map to the published Federal Register notice [1]. However, ASPE’s site warnings about HHS restructuring mean the online API might lag or not yet serve 2026 data; confirm by checking the Federal Register notice for the official 2025/2026 publication and by testing the API directly [1] [2] [3].
4. Alternatives and verification sources if the API isn’t up-to-date
If the API does not return 2026 values, retrieve the official published figures from the Federal Register notice for the annual update (ASPE’s Federal Register posting for 2025 is an example of where official tables are published) and use those figures until the API is updated [3]. State or program-specific sites that publish FFY2026 poverty tables — for example the LIHEAP Clearinghouse which posts federal poverty tables for fiscal years — can provide interim program-use figures while ASPE’s API is pending [5]. ASPE’s historical and prior-guidelines pages remain a reference for computing and validating figures but also carry the same update caveat tied to HHS restructuring [6] [7].
5. Quick checklist and debugging tips
Confirm basic connectivity and URL correctness by requesting a known past-year example (for instance the documented 2023 URL) to ensure the pattern works in the environment, then replace the year with 2026 and loop family sizes 1–8 to assemble the full JSON table; handle Alaska/Hawaii separately if required by the program using the guidelines [1] [2]. If 2026 fails, consult the Federal Register notice for the official annual update and the LIHEAP or program-specific tables as stopgaps; ASPE itself flags that site content may not be updated during restructuring, which is the principal reliability caveat to bear in mind [1] [5] [3].