Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Fresno County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 58 counties in 2013, at 42%. Placer County had the lowest, at 9.5%. The median was 24.3% and the figure for California was 23.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest42Fresno County
Lowest9.5Placer County
Median24.358 counties
California23.5History

Map of counties, 2013

Alameda County: 15.4 %Alpine County: 31.9 %Amador County: 22.1 %Butte County: 25 %Calaveras County: 21.8 %Colusa County: 20 %Contra Costa County: 13.4 %Del Norte County: 32.6 %El Dorado County: 13.8 %Fresno County: 42 %Glenn County: 28.5 %Humboldt County: 25.6 %Imperial County: 30.9 %Inyo County: 23.1 %Kern County: 30.5 %Kings County: 28 %Lake County: 33.7 %Lassen County: 19.9 %Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Madera County: 32.2 %Marin County: 10.3 %Mariposa County: 25.5 %Mendocino County: 28.9 %Merced County: 34.1 %Modoc County: 33.4 %Mono County: 18.7 %Monterey County: 24.4 %Napa County: 13.7 %Nevada County: 17.8 %Orange County: 18.8 %Placer County: 9.5 %Plumas County: 24.9 %Riverside County: 24.2 %Sacramento County: 25.9 %San Benito County: 18.6 %San Bernardino County: 26.7 %San Diego County: 19.4 %San Francisco County: 14.4 %San Joaquin County: 26.4 %San Luis Obispo County: 16.1 %San Mateo County: 10 %Santa Barbara County: 20.9 %Santa Clara County: 12.9 %Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Shasta County: 28.3 %Sierra County: 20.4 %Siskiyou County: 28 %Solano County: 17.8 %Sonoma County: 16 %Stanislaus County: 30.5 %Sutter County: 25.4 %Tehama County: 28.7 %Trinity County: 34.6 %Tulare County: 39.8 %Tuolumne County: 21.6 %Ventura County: 18 %Yolo County: 17.9 %Yuba County: 28 %
  • Under 16
  • 16 to 19
  • 19 to 24
  • 24 to 27
  • 27 to 31
  • 31 and over
%, 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2013

Fresno County: 42 %Fresno County42Tulare County: 39.8 %Tulare County39.8Trinity County: 34.6 %Trinity County34.6Merced County: 34.1 %Merced County34.1Lake County: 33.7 %Lake County33.7Modoc County: 33.4 %Modoc County33.4Del Norte County: 32.6 %Del Norte County32.6Madera County: 32.2 %Madera County32.2Alpine County: 31.9 %Alpine County31.9Imperial County: 30.9 %Imperial County30.9Kern County: 30.5 %Kern County30.5Stanislaus County: 30.5 %Stanislaus County30.5Mendocino County: 28.9 %Mendocino County28.9Tehama County: 28.7 %Tehama County28.7Glenn County: 28.5 %Glenn County28.5Shasta County: 28.3 %Shasta County28.3Kings County: 28 %Kings County28Siskiyou County: 28 %Siskiyou County28Yuba County: 28 %Yuba County28Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Los Angeles County27.4San Bernardino County: 26.7 %San Bernardino County26.7San Joaquin County: 26.4 %San Joaquin County26.4Sacramento County: 25.9 %Sacramento County25.9Humboldt County: 25.6 %Humboldt County25.6Mariposa County: 25.5 %Mariposa County25.5Sutter County: 25.4 %Sutter County25.4Butte County: 25 %Butte County25Plumas County: 24.9 %Plumas County24.9Monterey County: 24.4 %Monterey County24.4Riverside County: 24.2 %Riverside County24.2Inyo County: 23.1 %Inyo County23.1Amador County: 22.1 %Amador County22.1Calaveras County: 21.8 %Calaveras County21.8Tuolumne County: 21.6 %Tuolumne County21.6Santa Barbara County: 20.9 %Santa Barbara County20.9Sierra County: 20.4 %Sierra County20.4Colusa County: 20 %Colusa County20Lassen County: 19.9 %Lassen County19.9San Diego County: 19.4 %San Diego County19.4Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Santa Cruz County18.9Orange County: 18.8 %Orange County18.8Mono County: 18.7 %Mono County18.7San Benito County: 18.6 %San Benito County18.6Ventura County: 18 %Ventura County18Yolo County: 17.9 %Yolo County17.9Nevada County: 17.8 %Nevada County17.8Solano County: 17.8 %Solano County17.8San Luis Obispo County: 16.1 %San Luis Obispo County16.1Sonoma County: 16 %Sonoma County16Alameda County: 15.4 %Alameda County15.4San Francisco County: 14.4 %San Francisco County14.4El Dorado County: 13.8 %El Dorado County13.8Napa County: 13.7 %Napa County13.7Contra Costa County: 13.4 %Contra Costa County13.4Santa Clara County: 12.9 %Santa Clara County12.9Marin County: 10.3 %Marin County10.3San Mateo County: 10 %San Mateo County10Placer County: 9.5 %Placer County9.5Fresno County: 42 %Fresno County42Tulare County: 39.8 %Tulare County39.8Trinity County: 34.6 %Trinity County34.6Merced County: 34.1 %Merced County34.1Lake County: 33.7 %Lake County33.7Modoc County: 33.4 %Modoc County33.4Del Norte County: 32.6 %Del Norte County32.6Madera County: 32.2 %Madera County32.2Alpine County: 31.9 %Alpine County31.9Imperial County: 30.9 %Imperial County30.9Kern County: 30.5 %Kern County30.5Stanislaus County: 30.5 %Stanislaus County30.5Mendocino County: 28.9 %Mendocino County28.9Tehama County: 28.7 %Tehama County28.7Glenn County: 28.5 %Glenn County28.5Shasta County: 28.3 %Shasta County28.3Kings County: 28 %Kings County28Siskiyou County: 28 %Siskiyou County28Yuba County: 28 %Yuba County28Los Angeles County: 27.4 %Los Angeles County27.4San Bernardino County: 26.7 %San Bernardino County26.7San Joaquin County: 26.4 %San Joaquin County26.4Sacramento County: 25.9 %Sacramento County25.9Humboldt County: 25.6 %Humboldt County25.6Mariposa County: 25.5 %Mariposa County25.5Sutter County: 25.4 %Sutter County25.4Butte County: 25 %Butte County25Plumas County: 24.9 %Plumas County24.9Monterey County: 24.4 %Monterey County24.4Riverside County: 24.2 %Riverside County24.2Inyo County: 23.1 %Inyo County23.1Amador County: 22.1 %Amador County22.1Calaveras County: 21.8 %Calaveras County21.8Tuolumne County: 21.6 %Tuolumne County21.6Santa Barbara County: 20.9 %Santa Barbara County20.9Sierra County: 20.4 %Sierra County20.4Colusa County: 20 %Colusa County20Lassen County: 19.9 %Lassen County19.9San Diego County: 19.4 %San Diego County19.4Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Santa Cruz County18.9Orange County: 18.8 %Orange County18.8Mono County: 18.7 %Mono County18.7San Benito County: 18.6 %San Benito County18.6Ventura County: 18 %Ventura County18Yolo County: 17.9 %Yolo County17.9Nevada County: 17.8 %Nevada County17.8Solano County: 17.8 %Solano County17.8San Luis Obispo County: 16.1 %San Luis Obispo County16.1Sonoma County: 16 %Sonoma County16Alameda County: 15.4 %Alameda County15.4San Francisco County: 14.4 %San Francisco County14.4El Dorado County: 13.8 %El Dorado County13.8Napa County: 13.7 %Napa County13.7Contra Costa County: 13.4 %Contra Costa County13.4Santa Clara County: 12.9 %Santa Clara County12.9Marin County: 10.3 %Marin County10.3San Mateo County: 10 %San Mateo County10Placer County: 9.5 %Placer County9.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2013 (%)Change on 2012
1Fresno County42+1.9 pts
2Tulare County39.8-0.7 pts
3Trinity County34.6+0.5 pts
4Merced County34.1-1.5 pts
5Lake County33.7+2.2 pts
6Modoc County33.4+2.1 pts
7Del Norte County32.6+0.2 pts
8Madera County32.2-3.2 pts
9Alpine County31.9+2.8 pts
10Imperial County30.9-2.1 pts
11Kern County30.5-2.8 pts
11Stanislaus County30.5+3.2 pts
13Mendocino County28.9-2.5 pts
14Tehama County28.7-3.3 pts
15Glenn County28.5+2.2 pts
16Shasta County28.3+2.4 pts
17Kings County28+0.1 pts
17Siskiyou County28-4.2 pts
17Yuba County28-2.6 pts
20Los Angeles County27.4+0.1 pts
21San Bernardino County26.7-1.5 pts
22San Joaquin County26.4+1.9 pts
23Sacramento County25.9-0.9 pts
24Humboldt County25.6-1.6 pts
25Mariposa County25.5+0.4 pts
26Sutter County25.4+1.3 pts
27Butte County25-2.1 pts
28Plumas County24.9+1.4 pts
29Monterey County24.4-2.7 pts
30Riverside County24.2-0.6 pts
31Inyo County23.1+3.9 pts
32Amador County22.1+3.6 pts
33Calaveras County21.8+0.9 pts
34Tuolumne County21.6+0.8 pts
35Santa Barbara County20.9-0.3 pts
36Sierra County20.4+0.9 pts
37Colusa County20-0.2 pts
38Lassen County19.9-2.5 pts
39San Diego County19.4-0.5 pts
40Santa Cruz County18.9+1 pts
41Orange County18.8+0.8 pts
42Mono County18.7+1.7 pts
43San Benito County18.6+0.5 pts
44Ventura County18+0.3 pts
45Yolo County17.9+0.3 pts
46Nevada County17.8+0.2 pts
46Solano County17.8-0.9 pts
48San Luis Obispo County16.1-0.6 pts
49Sonoma County16+0.8 pts
50Alameda County15.4-1.9 pts
51San Francisco County14.4-1.9 pts
52El Dorado County13.8+1.6 pts
53Napa County13.7-0.3 pts
54Contra Costa County13.4-1.1 pts
55Santa Clara County12.9+0.3 pts
56Marin County10.30 pts
57San Mateo County10-1.1 pts
58Placer County9.5-2.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2013
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/california-counties?period=2013.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2013/2013-state-and-county/est13all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in California by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Fresno County, with 42% in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Placer County, with 9.5% in 2013.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings