RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest poverty rate, US states · 2020

US states with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2023 ACS). Mississippi leads at 19.6%. 51 states qualify in total.

Flip the list · Lowest poverty rate, US states →

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77919.6%−2%

02Louisiana, LALA4,611,96118.6%−5%

03New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24618.6%+1%

04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37317.1%−5%

05Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82416.6%+5%

06Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39116.1%+2%

07Alabama, ALAL5,086,76816.0%−1%

08District of Columbia, DCDC681,29415.5%−24%

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

10South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.7%+4%

11Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38314.6%+8%

12Georgia, GAGA10,940,40714.3%+10%

13Texas, TXTX30,188,42414.2%−7%

14Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83814.1%+2%

15North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40414.0%+14%

16Michigan, MIMI10,077,76113.7%+30%

17Ohio, OHOH11,810,29313.6%+29%

18New York, NYNY19,852,36613.6%−7%

19Florida, FLFL22,416,07713.3%+7%

20Missouri, MOMO6,191,81413.0%+11%

21Indiana, ININ6,851,07312.9%+36%

22South Dakota, SDSD907,42812.8%−3%

23Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.8%−12%

24Nevada, NVNV3,184,61212.8%+22%

25California, CACA39,287,37712.6%−12%

26Oregon, OROR4,254,29312.4%+6%

27Illinois, ILIL12,694,79812.0%+12%

28Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63912.0%+9%

29Idaho, IDID1,934,26211.9%+1%

30Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.6%−3%

31Kansas, KSKS2,947,19711.4%+16%

32Delaware, DEDE1,021,19111.4%+24%

33Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711.1%+22%

34Maine, MEME1,387,81711.1%+1%

35Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.0%+27%

36Vermont, VTVT647,10610.8%+14%

37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.8%−6%

38North Dakota, NDND784,84110.5%−11%

39Nebraska, NENE1,978,70710.4%+7%

40Alaska, AKAK735,70610.3%+10%

41Washington, WAWA7,816,11610.2%−4%

42Virginia, VAVA8,705,17010.0%+4%

43Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0569.8%+5%

44Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5089.8%+24%

45Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.8%+6%

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

47Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4459.3%+18%

48Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2359.3%−13%

49Utah, UTUT3,392,3319.1%−3%

50Maryland, MDMD6,206,0119.0%+6%

51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687.4%+13%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

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

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

Mississippi ranks #1 with 19.6% (2020 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by poverty rate?

Mississippi, Louisiana, 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 2020 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 (2020).