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RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest poverty rate, US states

US states with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2024 ACS). Louisiana leads at 18.9%. 51 states qualify in total.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000
USUnited States334,922,49912.5%–
01Louisiana, LALA4,611,96118.9%−0.7 pts
02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77918.9%−1.0 pts
03New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24617.8%−0.6 pts
04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37316.7%−1.2 pts
05Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82416.1%+0.2 pts
06Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39116.0%+0.2 pts
07Alabama, ALAL5,086,76815.6%−0.5 pts
08District of Columbia, DCDC681,29415.4%−4.8 pts
09Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63415.3%+0.6 pts
10South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.1%−0.0 pts
11New York, NYNY19,852,36614.0%−0.6 pts
12Texas, TXTX30,188,42413.8%−1.6 pts
13Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38313.8%+0.3 pts
14Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.4%+0.4 pts
15Ohio, OHOH11,810,29313.3%+2.7 pts
16Michigan, MIMI10,077,76113.2%+2.7 pts
17North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.0%+0.7 pts
18Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+0.8 pts
19Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.6%+0.1 pts
20Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83812.5%−1.4 pts
21Nevada, NVNV3,184,61212.4%+1.9 pts
22Indiana, ININ6,851,07312.3%+2.8 pts
23California, CACA39,287,37712.0%−2.2 pts
24Oregon, OROR4,254,29311.9%+0.3 pts
25South Dakota, SDSD907,42811.9%−1.3 pts
26Illinois, ILIL12,694,79811.8%+1.1 pts
27Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63911.7%+0.7 pts
28Montana, MTMT1,116,87511.5%−3.1 pts
29Kansas, KSKS2,947,19711.3%+1.4 pts
30Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.2%−0.8 pts
31Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711.1%+1.9 pts
32North Dakota, NDND784,84110.8%−1.0 pts
33Maine, MEME1,387,81710.7%−0.2 pts
34Nebraska, NENE1,978,70710.6%+0.9 pts
35Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.6%−1.2 pts
36Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87210.6%+1.9 pts
37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.5%−0.9 pts
38Delaware, DEDE1,021,19110.4%+1.2 pts
39Alaska, AKAK735,70610.1%+0.7 pts
40Vermont, VTVT647,10610.1%+0.6 pts
41Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23510.0%−0.7 pts
42Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05610.0%+0.7 pts
43Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50810.0%+2.2 pts
44Washington, WAWA7,816,1169.9%−0.7 pts
45Virginia, VAVA8,705,1709.9%+0.3 pts
46New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8099.7%+1.2 pts
47Maryland, MDMD6,206,0119.4%+1.0 pts
48Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.4%+0.2 pts
49Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4459.3%+1.4 pts
50Utah, UTUT3,392,3318.5%−0.9 pts
51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687.2%+0.7 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

Louisiana ranks #1 with 18.9% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by poverty rate?

Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2024 ACS 5-year data.

How is poverty rate measured?

Share of people with income below the federal poverty line. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024).