RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most residents in poverty, US states · 2000

US states with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2000 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. California leads at 4,815,836. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 1,177,290, against an all-states median of 449,898.

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 1990

USUnited States12.4% of US population281,421,90634,832,512–

01California, CACA39,287,3774,815,836+29%

02Texas, TXTX30,188,4243,204,360+4%

03New York, NYNY19,852,3662,769,037+18%

04Florida, FLFL22,416,0771,999,803+22%

05Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6391,348,148+2%

06Illinois, ILIL12,694,7981,326,493−3%

07Ohio, OHOH11,810,2931,203,142−12%

08Georgia, GAGA10,940,4071,063,250+12%

09Michigan, MIMI10,077,7611,046,651−14%

10North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404988,634+15%

11Louisiana, LALA4,611,961877,601−12%

12Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383766,927+0%

13Alabama, ALAL5,086,768716,163−3%

14New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809715,116+22%

15Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838713,890+24%

16Virginia, VAVA8,705,170679,104+7%

17Missouri, MOMO6,191,814656,901−4%

18Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824639,240−9%

19Washington, WAWA7,816,116626,064+18%

20Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056593,099+10%

21Indiana, ININ6,851,073577,157−3%

22Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779566,805−13%

23South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225566,024+6%

24Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634508,084−3%

25Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872464,714−11%

26Maryland, MDMD6,206,011449,898+14%

27Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391423,383−6%

28Colorado, COCO5,862,189398,127+3%

29Oregon, OROR4,254,293397,302+13%

30Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445390,423−13%

31New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246335,412+7%

32West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373323,757−8%

33Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508267,782+19%

34Iowa, IAIA3,210,507267,315−16%

35Kansas, KSKS2,947,197266,041−6%

36Utah, UTUT3,392,331209,913+7%

37Nevada, NVNV3,184,612209,385+72%

38Nebraska, NENE1,978,707166,196−6%

39Idaho, IDID1,934,262152,352+14%

40Maine, MEME1,387,817139,217+5%

41Montana, MTMT1,116,875131,774+3%

42Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235129,658+42%

43Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801125,122+30%

44District of Columbia, DCDC681,294115,646+13%

45South Dakota, SDSD907,42899,515−10%

46New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86880,918+14%

47North Dakota, NDND784,84176,186−17%

48Delaware, DEDE1,021,19172,155+24%

49Alaska, AKAK735,70658,915+19%

50Vermont, VTVT647,10657,467+4%

51Wyoming, WYWY582,39756,410+5%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest residents in poverty?

California ranks #1 with 4,815,836 (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by residents in poverty?

California, Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania.

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 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, 2000 Decennial Census.