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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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

USUnited States334,922,49912.5%–

01Louisiana, LALA4,611,96118.9%−4%

02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77918.9%−5%

03New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24617.8%−3%

04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37316.7%−7%

05Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82416.1%+2%

06Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39116.0%+1%

07Alabama, ALAL5,086,76815.6%−3%

08District of Columbia, DCDC681,29415.4%−24%

09Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63415.3%+4%

10South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.1%−0%

11New York, NYNY19,852,36614.0%−4%

12Texas, TXTX30,188,42413.8%−10%

13Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38313.8%+2%

14Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.4%+3%

15Ohio, OHOH11,810,29313.3%+25%

16Michigan, MIMI10,077,76113.2%+25%

17North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.0%+6%

18Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.6%+7%

19Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.6%+0%

20Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83812.5%−10%

21Nevada, NVNV3,184,61212.4%+19%

22Indiana, ININ6,851,07312.3%+30%

23California, CACA39,287,37712.0%−16%

24Oregon, OROR4,254,29311.9%+3%

25South Dakota, SDSD907,42811.9%−10%

26Illinois, ILIL12,694,79811.8%+11%

27Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63911.7%+7%

28Montana, MTMT1,116,87511.5%−21%

29Kansas, KSKS2,947,19711.3%+14%

30Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.2%−6%

31Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711.1%+21%

32North Dakota, NDND784,84110.8%−9%

33Maine, MEME1,387,81710.7%−2%

34Nebraska, NENE1,978,70710.6%+9%

35Idaho, IDID1,934,26210.6%−10%

36Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87210.6%+22%

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.5%−8%

38Delaware, DEDE1,021,19110.4%+13%

39Alaska, AKAK735,70610.1%+8%

40Vermont, VTVT647,10610.1%+6%

41Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23510.0%−6%

42Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05610.0%+7%

43Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50810.0%+27%

44Washington, WAWA7,816,1169.9%−7%

45Virginia, VAVA8,705,1709.9%+3%

46New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8099.7%+14%

47Maryland, MDMD6,206,0119.4%+11%

48Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.4%+2%

49Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4459.3%+17%

50Utah, UTUT3,392,3318.5%−10%

51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687.2%+11%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · 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).