States Ranked by Poverty Rate
All 52 U.S. states and territories ranked by poverty rate. The highest is New Hampshire at 7.2%, and the lowest is Puerto Rico at 40.5%. The national value is 12.6%.
What is Poverty Rate?
Percentage of the population living below the federal poverty line, which varies by household size and composition. For 2024, the poverty threshold for a family of four is approximately $31,000.
The poverty rate is a key indicator of economic hardship and is used to determine eligibility for many government assistance programs. Rural and urban poverty often have different causes and characteristics.
Key Findings
The lowest poverty rate is found in New Hampshire, NH at 7.2%, followed by Utah, UT (8.5%) and Minnesota, MN (9.3%). The median county value is 11.9%. At the other end, West Virginia, WV has the highest value at 16.7%.
Poverty Rate by State
All States Ranked
52 states ranked from highest to lowest. Click any state to view its full profile.
| Rank | State | Poverty |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Hampshire | 7.2% |
| #2 | Utah | 8.5% |
| #3 | Minnesota | 9.3% |
| #4 | Colorado | 9.4% |
| #5 | Maryland | 9.4% |
| #6 | New Jersey | 9.7% |
| #7 | Virginia | 9.9% |
| #8 | Washington | 9.9% |
| #9 | Connecticut | 10.0% |
| #10 | Massachusetts | 10.0% |
| #11 | Hawaii | 10.0% |
| #12 | Vermont | 10.1% |
| #13 | Alaska | 10.1% |
| #14 | Delaware | 10.4% |
| #15 | Wyoming | 10.5% |
| #16 | Wisconsin | 10.6% |
| #17 | Idaho | 10.6% |
| #18 | Nebraska | 10.6% |
| #19 | Maine | 10.7% |
| #20 | North Dakota | 10.8% |
| #21 | Iowa | 11.1% |
| #22 | Rhode Island | 11.2% |
| #23 | Kansas | 11.3% |
| #24 | Montana | 11.5% |
| #25 | Pennsylvania | 11.7% |
| #26 | Illinois | 11.8% |
| #27 | South Dakota | 11.9% |
| #28 | Oregon | 11.9% |
| #29 | California | 12.0% |
| #30 | Indiana | 12.3% |
| #31 | Nevada | 12.4% |
| #32 | Arizona | 12.5% |
| #33 | Florida | 12.6% |
| #34 | Missouri | 12.6% |
| #35 | North Carolina | 13.0% |
| #36 | Michigan | 13.2% |
| #37 | Ohio | 13.3% |
| #38 | Georgia | 13.4% |
| #39 | Tennessee | 13.8% |
| #40 | Texas | 13.8% |
| #41 | New York | 14.0% |
| #42 | South Carolina | 14.1% |
| #43 | Oklahoma | 15.3% |
| #44 | District of Columbia | 15.4% |
| #45 | Alabama | 15.6% |
| #46 | Arkansas | 16.0% |
| #47 | Kentucky | 16.1% |
| #48 | West Virginia | 16.7% |
| #49 | New Mexico | 17.8% |
| #50 | Mississippi | 18.9% |
| #51 | Louisiana | 18.9% |
| #52 | Puerto Rico | 40.5% |
Based on the American Community Survey 2024 5-Year Estimates. All values are estimates subject to margin of error. For more information, see our methodology.