Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in Florida

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

Highlands County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 67 counties in 2018, at 38.5%. St. Johns County had the lowest, at 7.3%. The median was 21.8% and the figure for Florida was 20%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest38.5Highlands County
Lowest7.3St. Johns County
Median21.867 counties
Florida20History

Map of counties, 2018

Alachua County: 21.1 %Baker County: 21.7 %Bay County: 20.5 %Bradford County: 26 %Brevard County: 16.5 %Broward County: 17.3 %Calhoun County: 29.3 %Charlotte County: 20 %Citrus County: 24.5 %Clay County: 12.1 %Collier County: 18.5 %Columbia County: 26.4 %DeSoto County: 34.5 %Dixie County: 31.1 %Duval County: 21.8 %Escambia County: 24.4 %Flagler County: 18.4 %Franklin County: 36.6 %Gadsden County: 38.2 %Gilchrist County: 23.8 %Glades County: 27.6 %Gulf County: 26.3 %Hamilton County: 35.9 %Hardee County: 38.2 %Hendry County: 33.5 %Hernando County: 19.3 %Highlands County: 38.5 %Hillsborough County: 20.1 %Holmes County: 30.6 %Indian River County: 17.9 %Jackson County: 33.5 %Jefferson County: 28.6 %Lafayette County: 26.1 %Lake County: 19.5 %Lee County: 18.4 %Leon County: 20.1 %Levy County: 26.3 %Liberty County: 27.1 %Madison County: 32.5 %Manatee County: 17.3 %Marion County: 25.9 %Martin County: 16.4 %Miami-Dade County: 22.6 %Monroe County: 19.2 %Nassau County: 13.7 %Okaloosa County: 18.1 %Okeechobee County: 34.4 %Orange County: 22.8 %Osceola County: 20.2 %Palm Beach County: 18.5 %Pasco County: 17.4 %Pinellas County: 16.2 %Polk County: 24 %Putnam County: 33.3 %St. Johns County: 7.3 %St. Lucie County: 18.5 %Santa Rosa County: 12.2 %Sarasota County: 16.7 %Seminole County: 13.4 %Sumter County: 26.6 %Suwannee County: 28.2 %Taylor County: 29.8 %Union County: 21 %Volusia County: 17.5 %Wakulla County: 16.2 %Walton County: 18.6 %Washington County: 32 %
  • Under 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 to 22
  • 22 to 26
  • 26 to 32
  • 32 and over
%, 2018. 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.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Highlands County: 38.5 %Highlands County38.5Gadsden County: 38.2 %Gadsden County38.2Hardee County: 38.2 %Hardee County38.2Franklin County: 36.6 %Franklin County36.6Hamilton County: 35.9 %Hamilton County35.9DeSoto County: 34.5 %DeSoto County34.5Okeechobee County: 34.4 %Okeechobee County34.4Hendry County: 33.5 %Hendry County33.5Jackson County: 33.5 %Jackson County33.5Putnam County: 33.3 %Putnam County33.3Madison County: 32.5 %Madison County32.5Washington County: 32 %Washington County32Dixie County: 31.1 %Dixie County31.1Holmes County: 30.6 %Holmes County30.6Taylor County: 29.8 %Taylor County29.8Calhoun County: 29.3 %Calhoun County29.3Jefferson County: 28.6 %Jefferson County28.6Suwannee County: 28.2 %Suwannee County28.2Glades County: 27.6 %Glades County27.6Liberty County: 27.1 %Liberty County27.1Sumter County: 26.6 %Sumter County26.6Columbia County: 26.4 %Columbia County26.4Gulf County: 26.3 %Gulf County26.3Levy County: 26.3 %Levy County26.3Lafayette County: 26.1 %Lafayette County26.1Bradford County: 26 %Bradford County26Marion County: 25.9 %Marion County25.9Citrus County: 24.5 %Citrus County24.5Escambia County: 24.4 %Escambia County24.4Polk County: 24 %Polk County24Gilchrist County: 23.8 %Gilchrist County23.8Orange County: 22.8 %Orange County22.8Miami-Dade County: 22.6 %Miami-Dade County22.6Duval County: 21.8 %Duval County21.8Baker County: 21.7 %Baker County21.7Alachua County: 21.1 %Alachua County21.1Union County: 21 %Union County21Bay County: 20.5 %Bay County20.5Osceola County: 20.2 %Osceola County20.2Hillsborough County: 20.1 %Hillsborough County20.1Highlands County: 38.5 %Highlands County38.5Gadsden County: 38.2 %Gadsden County38.2Hardee County: 38.2 %Hardee County38.2Franklin County: 36.6 %Franklin County36.6Hamilton County: 35.9 %Hamilton County35.9DeSoto County: 34.5 %DeSoto County34.5Okeechobee County: 34.4 %Okeechobee County34.4Hendry County: 33.5 %Hendry County33.5Jackson County: 33.5 %Jackson County33.5Putnam County: 33.3 %Putnam County33.3Madison County: 32.5 %Madison County32.5Washington County: 32 %Washington County32Dixie County: 31.1 %Dixie County31.1Holmes County: 30.6 %Holmes County30.6Taylor County: 29.8 %Taylor County29.8Calhoun County: 29.3 %Calhoun County29.3Jefferson County: 28.6 %Jefferson County28.6Suwannee County: 28.2 %Suwannee County28.2Glades County: 27.6 %Glades County27.6Liberty County: 27.1 %Liberty County27.1Sumter County: 26.6 %Sumter County26.6Columbia County: 26.4 %Columbia County26.4Gulf County: 26.3 %Gulf County26.3Levy County: 26.3 %Levy County26.3Lafayette County: 26.1 %Lafayette County26.1Bradford County: 26 %Bradford County26Marion County: 25.9 %Marion County25.9Citrus County: 24.5 %Citrus County24.5Escambia County: 24.4 %Escambia County24.4Polk County: 24 %Polk County24Gilchrist County: 23.8 %Gilchrist County23.8Orange County: 22.8 %Orange County22.8Miami-Dade County: 22.6 %Miami-Dade County22.6Duval County: 21.8 %Duval County21.8Baker County: 21.7 %Baker County21.7Alachua County: 21.1 %Alachua County21.1Union County: 21 %Union County21Bay County: 20.5 %Bay County20.5Osceola County: 20.2 %Osceola County20.2Hillsborough County: 20.1 %Hillsborough County20.1
%. 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

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Highlands County38.5+4.5 pts
2Gadsden County38.2+0.6 pts
2Hardee County38.2+5.5 pts
4Franklin County36.6+2.6 pts
5Hamilton County35.9-3.3 pts
6DeSoto County34.5-2.7 pts
7Okeechobee County34.4+3.1 pts
8Hendry County33.5-1.2 pts
8Jackson County33.5+9.5 pts
10Putnam County33.3-9.7 pts
11Madison County32.5-14.8 pts
12Washington County32+3.3 pts
13Dixie County31.1-2.9 pts
14Holmes County30.6+0.1 pts
15Taylor County29.8-4.7 pts
16Calhoun County29.3-0.9 pts
17Jefferson County28.60 pts
18Suwannee County28.2-1.8 pts
19Glades County27.6-1.8 pts
20Liberty County27.1-1.1 pts
21Sumter County26.6+0.6 pts
22Columbia County26.4+1.8 pts
23Gulf County26.3-0.9 pts
23Levy County26.3-2.6 pts
25Lafayette County26.1-3.2 pts
26Bradford County26-0.5 pts
27Marion County25.9-0.4 pts
28Citrus County24.5-2.6 pts
29Escambia County24.4-2.2 pts
30Polk County24-1.5 pts
31Gilchrist County23.8-0.6 pts
32Orange County22.8+0.9 pts
33Miami-Dade County22.6+0.6 pts
34Duval County21.8-1.2 pts
35Baker County21.7-0.9 pts
36Alachua County21.1+1.1 pts
37Union County21-2 pts
38Bay County20.5-1.1 pts
39Osceola County20.2-1.2 pts
40Hillsborough County20.1-1.3 pts
40Leon County20.1+2.1 pts
42Charlotte County20+1.7 pts
43Lake County19.5-0.7 pts
44Hernando County19.3-1.5 pts
45Monroe County19.2+1.2 pts
46Walton County18.6-8.4 pts
47Collier County18.5-3.3 pts
47Palm Beach County18.5+1.7 pts
47St. Lucie County18.5-0.6 pts
50Flagler County18.4-3.8 pts
50Lee County18.4-2 pts
52Okaloosa County18.1+1.7 pts
53Indian River County17.9-0.3 pts
54Volusia County17.5-7.4 pts
55Pasco County17.4-0.7 pts
56Broward County17.3-0.7 pts
56Manatee County17.3+0.3 pts
58Sarasota County16.7+1.9 pts
59Brevard County16.5-2.3 pts
60Martin County16.4-0.3 pts
61Pinellas County16.2-1 pts
61Wakulla County16.2-1.9 pts
63Nassau County13.7+0.8 pts
64Seminole County13.4-0.5 pts
65Santa Rosa County12.2-2.1 pts
66Clay County12.1-1.1 pts
67St. Johns County7.3-1.8 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.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 Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018. 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 Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018.

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 Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_florida_by_2018,
  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 Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.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 Florida by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Florida 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)?

Highlands County, with 38.5% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Johns County, with 7.3% in 2018.

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 Florida: more rankings