RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 58 SHOWN OF 58

Most residents in poverty, California counties · 1990

California counties with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 1990 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 58 counties in California that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 58 is 20,203.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDHighest median household income Lowest median household income Highest per-capita income Lowest poverty rate Highest poverty rate Most six-figure households

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS –

01Los Angeles County, CACA9,694,9341,335,542–

02San Diego County, CACA3,282,248283,155–

03Orange County, CACA3,149,507204,303–

04San Bernardino County, CACA2,224,091179,914–

05Fresno County, CACA1,035,456143,096–

06Alameda County, CACA1,636,630135,857–

07Riverside County, CACA2,544,916134,732–

08Sacramento County, CACA1,618,460129,814–

09Santa Clara County, CACA1,914,391112,426–

10Kern County, CACA927,06891,904–

11San Francisco County, CACA826,07991,662–

12San Joaquin County, CACA823,81575,600–

13Tulare County, CACA485,14670,439–

14Contra Costa County, CACA1,170,07058,716–

15Stanislaus County, CACA557,71952,314–

16Ventura County, CACA830,85148,728–

17Santa Barbara County, CACA442,06547,166–

18Monterey County, CACA433,72941,308–

19San Mateo County, CACA743,56841,071–

20Merced County, CACA297,26035,499–

21Butte County, CACA209,21134,369–

22Sonoma County, CACA486,44429,612–

23San Luis Obispo County, CACA282,36728,178–

24Imperial County, CACA181,41125,969–

25Solano County, CACA455,37625,541–

26Yolo County, CACA224,41024,600–

27Santa Cruz County, CACA258,85224,558–

28Humboldt County, CACA131,64720,962–

29Shasta County, CACA181,64820,203–

30Kings County, CACA154,32718,443–

31Madera County, CACA167,92715,385–

32Placer County, CACA442,08112,295–

33Marin County, CACA253,69411,991–

34Mendocino County, CACA88,12211,381–

35Yuba County, CACA88,69111,332–

36Sutter County, CACA98,7879,945–

37El Dorado County, CACA192,3239,678–

38Lake County, CACA67,7727,741–

39Tehama County, CACA64,6657,616–

40Napa County, CACA132,9497,612–

41Siskiyou County, CACA42,0136,091–

42Nevada County, CACA101,9116,057–

43Tuolumne County, CACA53,1604,414–

44Glenn County, CACA28,1414,325–

45Del Norte County, CACA26,4103,678–

46Lassen County, CACA28,1173,677–

47San Benito County, CACA70,0823,500–

48Calaveras County, CACA46,6053,230–

49Amador County, CACA41,8762,527–

50Trinity County, CACA15,7202,418–

51Plumas County, CACA18,5832,351–

52Inyo County, CACA18,1582,175–

53Colusa County, CACA21,8362,157–

54Mariposa County, CACA16,9181,810–

55Modoc County, CACA8,4261,456–

56Mono County, CACA12,505983–

57Sierra County, CACA3,098306–

58Alpine County, CACA1,043201–

SHOWING 1–58 OF 58

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS