RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest poverty rate, US states · 2000

US states with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2023 ACS). District of Columbia leads at 20.2%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 14.8%, against an all-states median of 11.4%.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29420.2%+0%

02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77919.9%+0%

03Louisiana, LALA4,611,96119.6%+0%

04New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24618.4%+0%

05West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37317.9%+0%

06Alabama, ALAL5,086,76816.1%+0%

07Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39115.8%+0%

08Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82415.8%+0%

09Texas, TXTX30,188,42415.4%+0%

10Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63414.7%+0%

11Montana, MTMT1,116,87514.6%+0%

12New York, NYNY19,852,36614.6%+0%

13California, CACA39,287,37714.2%+0%

14South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.1%+0%

15Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83813.9%+0%

16Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38313.5%+0%

17South Dakota, SDSD907,42813.2%+0%

18Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.0%+0%

19Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.5%+0%

20North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40412.3%+0%

21Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.9%+0%

22North Dakota, NDND784,84111.9%+0%

23Idaho, IDID1,934,26211.8%+0%

24Missouri, MOMO6,191,81411.7%+0%

25Oregon, OROR4,254,29311.6%+0%

26Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.4%+0%

27Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63911.0%+0%

28Maine, MEME1,387,81710.9%+0%

29Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23510.7%+0%

30Illinois, ILIL12,694,79810.7%+0%

31Washington, WAWA7,816,11610.6%+0%

32Ohio, OHOH11,810,29310.6%+0%

33Michigan, MIMI10,077,76110.5%+0%

34Nevada, NVNV3,184,61210.5%+0%

35Kansas, KSKS2,947,1979.9%+0%

36Nebraska, NENE1,978,7079.7%+0%

37Virginia, VAVA8,705,1709.6%+0%

38Indiana, ININ6,851,0739.5%+0%

39Vermont, VTVT647,1069.4%+0%

40Utah, UTUT3,392,3319.4%+0%

41Alaska, AKAK735,7069.4%+0%

42Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0569.3%+0%

43Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.3%+0%

44Delaware, DEDE1,021,1919.2%+0%

45Iowa, IAIA3,210,5079.1%+0%

46Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8728.7%+0%

47New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8098.5%+0%

48Maryland, MDMD6,206,0118.5%+0%

49Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4457.9%+0%

50Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5087.9%+0%

51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8686.5%+0%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 20.2% (2000 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by poverty rate?

District of Columbia, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 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 (2000).