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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 (2000 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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RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 1990
USUnited States281,421,90612.4%–
01District of Columbia, DCDC681,29420.2%+3.3 pts
02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77919.9%−5.3 pts
03Louisiana, LALA4,611,96119.6%−3.9 pts
04New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24618.4%−2.2 pts
05West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37317.9%−1.8 pts
06Alabama, ALAL5,086,76816.1%−2.2 pts
07Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39115.8%−3.2 pts
08Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82415.8%−3.2 pts
09Texas, TXTX30,188,42415.4%−2.7 pts
10Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63414.7%−2.0 pts
11Montana, MTMT1,116,87514.6%−1.5 pts
12New York, NYNY19,852,36614.6%+1.6 pts
13California, CACA39,287,37714.2%+1.7 pts
14South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.1%−1.3 pts
15Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83813.9%−1.8 pts
16Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38313.5%−2.2 pts
17South Dakota, SDSD907,42813.2%−2.7 pts
18Georgia, GAGA10,940,40713.0%−1.7 pts
19Florida, FLFL22,416,07712.5%−0.2 pts
20North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40412.3%−0.7 pts
21Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.9%+2.3 pts
22North Dakota, NDND784,84111.9%−2.5 pts
23Idaho, IDID1,934,26211.8%−1.5 pts
24Missouri, MOMO6,191,81411.7%−1.6 pts
25Oregon, OROR4,254,29311.6%−0.8 pts
26Wyoming, WYWY582,39711.4%−0.4 pts
27Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63911.0%−0.1 pts
28Maine, MEME1,387,81710.9%+0.1 pts
29Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23510.7%+2.4 pts
30Illinois, ILIL12,694,79810.7%−1.2 pts
31Washington, WAWA7,816,11610.6%−0.3 pts
32Ohio, OHOH11,810,29310.6%−1.9 pts
33Michigan, MIMI10,077,76110.5%−2.6 pts
34Nevada, NVNV3,184,61210.5%+0.3 pts
35Kansas, KSKS2,947,1979.9%−1.6 pts
36Nebraska, NENE1,978,7079.7%−1.4 pts
37Virginia, VAVA8,705,1709.6%−0.7 pts
38Indiana, ININ6,851,0739.5%−1.2 pts
39Vermont, VTVT647,1069.4%−0.4 pts
40Utah, UTUT3,392,3319.4%−2.0 pts
41Alaska, AKAK735,7069.4%+0.4 pts
42Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0569.3%+0.4 pts
43Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.3%−2.4 pts
44Delaware, DEDE1,021,1919.2%+0.5 pts
45Iowa, IAIA3,210,5079.1%−2.3 pts
46Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8728.7%−2.0 pts
47New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8098.5%+0.9 pts
48Maryland, MDMD6,206,0118.5%+0.2 pts
49Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4457.9%−2.3 pts
50Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5087.9%+1.0 pts
51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8686.5%+0.1 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

District of Columbia ranks #1 with 20.2% (2000 Decennial Census).

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 Decennial Census data.

How is poverty rate measured?

Share of people with income below the federal poverty line. Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.