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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 (2020 ACS). Mississippi leads at 19.6%. 51 states qualify in total.

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RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000
USUnited States331,449,28112.8%–
01Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77919.6%−0.3 pts
02Louisiana, LALA4,611,96118.6%−1.0 pts
03New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24618.6%+0.1 pts
04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37317.1%−0.8 pts
05Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82416.6%+0.8 pts
06Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39116.1%+0.2 pts
07Alabama, ALAL5,086,76816.0%−0.1 pts
08District of Columbia, DCDC681,29415.5%−4.8 pts
09Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63415.3%+0.5 pts
10South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22514.7%+0.6 pts
11Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38314.6%+1.1 pts
12Georgia, GAGA10,940,40714.3%+1.3 pts
13Texas, TXTX30,188,42414.2%−1.1 pts
14Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83814.1%+0.2 pts
15North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40414.0%+1.7 pts
16Michigan, MIMI10,077,76113.7%+3.2 pts
17Ohio, OHOH11,810,29313.6%+3.0 pts
18New York, NYNY19,852,36613.6%−1.0 pts
19Florida, FLFL22,416,07713.3%+0.8 pts
20Missouri, MOMO6,191,81413.0%+1.3 pts
21Indiana, ININ6,851,07312.9%+3.4 pts
22South Dakota, SDSD907,42812.8%−0.4 pts
23Montana, MTMT1,116,87512.8%−1.8 pts
24Nevada, NVNV3,184,61212.8%+2.3 pts
25California, CACA39,287,37712.6%−1.6 pts
26Oregon, OROR4,254,29312.4%+0.8 pts
27Illinois, ILIL12,694,79812.0%+1.3 pts
28Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63912.0%+1.0 pts
29Idaho, IDID1,934,26211.9%+0.2 pts
30Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80111.6%−0.4 pts
31Kansas, KSKS2,947,19711.4%+1.5 pts
32Delaware, DEDE1,021,19111.4%+2.2 pts
33Iowa, IAIA3,210,50711.1%+2.0 pts
34Maine, MEME1,387,81711.1%+0.2 pts
35Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87211.0%+2.3 pts
36Vermont, VTVT647,10610.8%+1.3 pts
37Wyoming, WYWY582,39710.8%−0.7 pts
38North Dakota, NDND784,84110.5%−1.3 pts
39Nebraska, NENE1,978,70710.4%+0.7 pts
40Alaska, AKAK735,70610.3%+0.9 pts
41Washington, WAWA7,816,11610.2%−0.4 pts
42Virginia, VAVA8,705,17010.0%+0.4 pts
43Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0569.8%+0.5 pts
44Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5089.8%+1.9 pts
45Colorado, COCO5,862,1899.8%+0.5 pts
46New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8099.7%+1.2 pts
47Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4459.3%+1.4 pts
48Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2359.3%−1.4 pts
49Utah, UTUT3,392,3319.1%−0.3 pts
50Maryland, MDMD6,206,0119.0%+0.5 pts
51New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8687.4%+0.9 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?

Mississippi ranks #1 with 19.6% (2020 Decennial Census).

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 Decennial Census data.

How is poverty rate measured?

Share of people with income below the federal poverty line. Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.