RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest poverty rate, US states · 1990

US states with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (1990 ACS). Mississippi leads at 25.2%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 16.3%, against an all-states median of 12.4%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS –

USUnited States248,709,87313.2%–

01Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77925.2%–

02Louisiana, LALA4,611,96123.6%–

03New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24620.6%–

04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37319.7%–

05Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39119.1%–

06Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82419.0%–

07Alabama, ALAL5,086,76818.3%–

08Texas, TXTX30,188,42418.1%–

09District of Columbia, DCDC681,29416.9%–

10Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63416.7%–

11Montana, MTMT1,116,87516.1%–

12South Dakota, SDSD907,42815.9%–

13Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83815.7%–

14Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38315.7%–

15South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22515.4%–

16Georgia, GAGA10,940,40714.7%–

17North Dakota, NDND784,84114.4%–

18Missouri, MOMO6,191,81413.3%–

19Idaho, IDID1,934,26213.3%–

20Michigan, MIMI10,077,76113.1%–

21New York, NYNY19,852,36613.0%–

22North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40413.0%–

23Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.7%–

24Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.5%–

25California, CACA39,287,37712.5%–

26Oregon, OROR4,254,29312.4%–

27Illinois, ILIL12,694,79811.9%–

28Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.9%–

29Colorado, COCO5,862,18911.7%–

30Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711.5%–

31Kansas, KSKS2,947,19711.5%–

32Utah, UTUT3,392,33111.4%–

33Nebraska, NENE1,978,70711.1%–

34Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63911.1%–

35Washington, WAWA7,816,11610.9%–

36Maine, MEME1,387,81710.8%–

37Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87210.7%–

38Indiana, ININ6,851,07310.7%–

39Virginia, VAVA8,705,17010.2%–

40Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44510.2%–

41Nevada, NVNV3,184,61210.2%–

42Vermont, VTVT647,1069.9%–

43Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8019.6%–

44Alaska, AKAK735,7069.0%–

45Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0568.9%–

46Delaware, DEDE1,021,1918.7%–

47Maryland, MDMD6,206,0118.3%–

48Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2358.3%–

49New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8097.6%–

50Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5086.8%–

51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8686.4%–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

Mississippi ranks #1 with 25.2% (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by poverty rate?

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

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 Decennial Census data.

How is poverty rate measured?

Share of people with income below the federal poverty line. Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Decennial Census.