RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most residents in poverty, US states · 1990

US states 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. California leads at 3,722,242. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 1,097,229, against an all-states median of 448,281.

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS –

USUnited States13.1% of US population248,709,87332,620,189–

01California, CACA39,287,3773,722,242–

02Texas, TXTX30,188,4243,074,029–

03New York, NYNY19,852,3662,343,562–

04Florida, FLFL22,416,0771,641,804–

05Illinois, ILIL12,694,7981,360,870–

06Ohio, OHOH11,810,2931,359,971–

07Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6391,322,084–

08Michigan, MIMI10,077,7611,219,332–

09Louisiana, LALA4,611,961995,038–

10Georgia, GAGA10,940,407949,250–

11North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404859,883–

12Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383765,906–

13Alabama, ALAL5,086,768740,997–

14Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824701,399–

15Missouri, MOMO6,191,814682,618–

16Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779648,756–

17Virginia, VAVA8,705,170634,028–

18Indiana, ININ6,851,073591,973–

19New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809585,809–

20Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838577,088–

21Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056537,567–

22South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225536,022–

23Washington, WAWA7,816,116531,664–

24Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634525,571–

25Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872523,271–

26Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391448,281–

27Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445447,150–

28Maryland, MDMD6,206,011395,289–

29Colorado, COCO5,862,189384,773–

30Oregon, OROR4,254,293353,118–

31West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373352,592–

32Iowa, IAIA3,210,507318,881–

33New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246312,268–

34Kansas, KSKS2,947,197284,469–

35Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508224,096–

36Utah, UTUT3,392,331195,651–

37Nebraska, NENE1,978,707175,903–

38Idaho, IDID1,934,262133,397–

39Maine, MEME1,387,817132,612–

40Montana, MTMT1,116,875128,433–

41Nevada, NVNV3,184,612122,040–

42South Dakota, SDSD907,428110,368–

43District of Columbia, DCDC681,294102,362–

44Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80196,426–

45North Dakota, NDND784,84191,846–

46Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23591,451–

47New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86871,259–

48Delaware, DEDE1,021,19158,032–

49Vermont, VTVT647,10655,477–

50Wyoming, WYWY582,39753,794–

51Alaska, AKAK735,70649,487–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

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

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest residents in poverty?

California ranks #1 with 3,722,242 (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by residents in poverty?

California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 Decennial Census data.

How is residents in poverty measured?

Estimated number of residents living below the federal poverty line, from the poverty rate applied to total population. Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Decennial Census.