Final answer:
The criticisms of the poverty line are its disregard for state-specific cost of living and the omission of non-cash government aid from its calculations, failing to accurately reflect actual living standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two major criticisms of the poverty line include its lack of adjustment for geographical cost-of-living differences and its exclusion of non-cash government aid in the calculation. The median household income and cost of living can vary significantly between states; for example, New Jersey and Mississippi had a considerable income disparity in 2017. Despite this, the national poverty line does not reflect these differences. Furthermore, the poverty line is solely based on cash income, meaning it omits consideration of valuable non-cash assistance like Medicaid, food aid, and federal housing assistance that low-income families may receive, potentially skewing the actual standard of living for those near the poverty line.