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

Hamilton County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 67 counties in 2019, at 51.5%. St. Johns County had the lowest, at 6.8%. The median was 20.8% and the figure for Florida was 18.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest51.5Hamilton County
Median20.867 counties
Florida18.2History

Map of counties, 2019

Alachua County: 17.7 %Baker County: 21 %Bay County: 18.2 %Bradford County: 27.2 %Brevard County: 12.7 %Broward County: 16.4 %Calhoun County: 28.3 %Charlotte County: 19.9 %Citrus County: 24.5 %Clay County: 12.1 %Collier County: 14 %Columbia County: 21.7 %DeSoto County: 30.5 %Dixie County: 30.5 %Duval County: 19.5 %Escambia County: 24.6 %Flagler County: 16.5 %Franklin County: 30.1 %Gadsden County: 31.2 %Gilchrist County: 20.8 %Glades County: 25.7 %Gulf County: 23.1 %Hamilton County: 51.5 %Hardee County: 28.3 %Hendry County: 28.3 %Hernando County: 19.1 %Highlands County: 26.2 %Hillsborough County: 18.4 %Holmes County: 28.4 %Indian River County: 20.1 %Jackson County: 26.9 %Jefferson County: 25.6 %Lafayette County: 27.2 %Lake County: 18.4 %Lee County: 18.6 %Leon County: 22 %Levy County: 28.9 %Liberty County: 26.8 %Madison County: 32.6 %Manatee County: 19.4 %Marion County: 25.4 %Martin County: 13.6 %Miami-Dade County: 20.8 %Monroe County: 14.8 %Nassau County: 12.6 %Okaloosa County: 16.4 %Okeechobee County: 27.7 %Orange County: 17.9 %Osceola County: 19.1 %Palm Beach County: 16 %Pasco County: 16.3 %Pinellas County: 14.9 %Polk County: 21.1 %Putnam County: 35 %St. Johns County: 6.8 %St. Lucie County: 15.7 %Santa Rosa County: 12.2 %Sarasota County: 12 %Seminole County: 11.8 %Sumter County: 22.1 %Suwannee County: 26.3 %Taylor County: 27.1 %Union County: 20.2 %Volusia County: 20 %Wakulla County: 16.6 %Walton County: 17.6 %Washington County: 29.4 %
  • Under 16
  • 16 to 18
  • 18 to 21
  • 21 to 26
  • 26 to 28
  • 28 and over
%, 2019. 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, 2019

Hamilton County: 51.5 %Hamilton County51.5Putnam County: 35 %Putnam County35Madison County: 32.6 %Madison County32.6Gadsden County: 31.2 %Gadsden County31.2DeSoto County: 30.5 %DeSoto County30.5Dixie County: 30.5 %Dixie County30.5Franklin County: 30.1 %Franklin County30.1Washington County: 29.4 %Washington County29.4Levy County: 28.9 %Levy County28.9Holmes County: 28.4 %Holmes County28.4Calhoun County: 28.3 %Calhoun County28.3Hardee County: 28.3 %Hardee County28.3Hendry County: 28.3 %Hendry County28.3Okeechobee County: 27.7 %Okeechobee County27.7Bradford County: 27.2 %Bradford County27.2Lafayette County: 27.2 %Lafayette County27.2Taylor County: 27.1 %Taylor County27.1Jackson County: 26.9 %Jackson County26.9Liberty County: 26.8 %Liberty County26.8Suwannee County: 26.3 %Suwannee County26.3Highlands County: 26.2 %Highlands County26.2Glades County: 25.7 %Glades County25.7Jefferson County: 25.6 %Jefferson County25.6Marion County: 25.4 %Marion County25.4Escambia County: 24.6 %Escambia County24.6Citrus County: 24.5 %Citrus County24.5Gulf County: 23.1 %Gulf County23.1Sumter County: 22.1 %Sumter County22.1Leon County: 22 %Leon County22Columbia County: 21.7 %Columbia County21.7Polk County: 21.1 %Polk County21.1Baker County: 21 %Baker County21Gilchrist County: 20.8 %Gilchrist County20.8Miami-Dade County: 20.8 %Miami-Dade County20.8Union County: 20.2 %Union County20.2Indian River County: 20.1 %Indian River County20.1Volusia County: 20 %Volusia County20Charlotte County: 19.9 %Charlotte County19.9Duval County: 19.5 %Duval County19.5Manatee County: 19.4 %Manatee County19.4Hamilton County: 51.5 %Hamilton County51.5Putnam County: 35 %Putnam County35Madison County: 32.6 %Madison County32.6Gadsden County: 31.2 %Gadsden County31.2DeSoto County: 30.5 %DeSoto County30.5Dixie County: 30.5 %Dixie County30.5Franklin County: 30.1 %Franklin County30.1Washington County: 29.4 %Washington County29.4Levy County: 28.9 %Levy County28.9Holmes County: 28.4 %Holmes County28.4Calhoun County: 28.3 %Calhoun County28.3Hardee County: 28.3 %Hardee County28.3Hendry County: 28.3 %Hendry County28.3Okeechobee County: 27.7 %Okeechobee County27.7Bradford County: 27.2 %Bradford County27.2Lafayette County: 27.2 %Lafayette County27.2Taylor County: 27.1 %Taylor County27.1Jackson County: 26.9 %Jackson County26.9Liberty County: 26.8 %Liberty County26.8Suwannee County: 26.3 %Suwannee County26.3Highlands County: 26.2 %Highlands County26.2Glades County: 25.7 %Glades County25.7Jefferson County: 25.6 %Jefferson County25.6Marion County: 25.4 %Marion County25.4Escambia County: 24.6 %Escambia County24.6Citrus County: 24.5 %Citrus County24.5Gulf County: 23.1 %Gulf County23.1Sumter County: 22.1 %Sumter County22.1Leon County: 22 %Leon County22Columbia County: 21.7 %Columbia County21.7Polk County: 21.1 %Polk County21.1Baker County: 21 %Baker County21Gilchrist County: 20.8 %Gilchrist County20.8Miami-Dade County: 20.8 %Miami-Dade County20.8Union County: 20.2 %Union County20.2Indian River County: 20.1 %Indian River County20.1Volusia County: 20 %Volusia County20Charlotte County: 19.9 %Charlotte County19.9Duval County: 19.5 %Duval County19.5Manatee County: 19.4 %Manatee County19.4
%. 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

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Hamilton County51.5+15.6 pts
2Putnam County35+1.7 pts
3Madison County32.6+0.1 pts
4Gadsden County31.2-7 pts
5DeSoto County30.5-4 pts
5Dixie County30.5-0.6 pts
7Franklin County30.1-6.5 pts
8Washington County29.4-2.6 pts
9Levy County28.9+2.6 pts
10Holmes County28.4-2.2 pts
11Calhoun County28.3-1 pts
11Hardee County28.3-9.9 pts
11Hendry County28.3-5.2 pts
14Okeechobee County27.7-6.7 pts
15Bradford County27.2+1.2 pts
15Lafayette County27.2+1.1 pts
17Taylor County27.1-2.7 pts
18Jackson County26.9-6.6 pts
19Liberty County26.8-0.3 pts
20Suwannee County26.3-1.9 pts
21Highlands County26.2-12.3 pts
22Glades County25.7-1.9 pts
23Jefferson County25.6-3 pts
24Marion County25.4-0.5 pts
25Escambia County24.6+0.2 pts
26Citrus County24.50 pts
27Gulf County23.1-3.2 pts
28Sumter County22.1-4.5 pts
29Leon County22+1.9 pts
30Columbia County21.7-4.7 pts
31Polk County21.1-2.9 pts
32Baker County21-0.7 pts
33Gilchrist County20.8-3 pts
33Miami-Dade County20.8-1.8 pts
35Union County20.2-0.8 pts
36Indian River County20.1+2.2 pts
37Volusia County20+2.5 pts
38Charlotte County19.9-0.1 pts
39Duval County19.5-2.3 pts
40Manatee County19.4+2.1 pts
41Hernando County19.1-0.2 pts
41Osceola County19.1-1.1 pts
43Lee County18.6+0.2 pts
44Hillsborough County18.4-1.7 pts
44Lake County18.4-1.1 pts
46Bay County18.2-2.3 pts
47Orange County17.9-4.9 pts
48Alachua County17.7-3.4 pts
49Walton County17.6-1 pts
50Wakulla County16.6+0.4 pts
51Flagler County16.5-1.9 pts
52Broward County16.4-0.9 pts
52Okaloosa County16.4-1.7 pts
54Pasco County16.3-1.1 pts
55Palm Beach County16-2.5 pts
56St. Lucie County15.7-2.8 pts
57Pinellas County14.9-1.3 pts
58Monroe County14.8-4.4 pts
59Collier County14-4.5 pts
60Martin County13.6-2.8 pts
61Brevard County12.7-3.8 pts
62Nassau County12.6-1.1 pts
63Santa Rosa County12.20 pts
64Clay County12.10 pts
65Sarasota County12-4.7 pts
66Seminole County11.8-1.6 pts
67St. Johns County6.8-0.5 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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), 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_florida_by_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/florida-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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)?

Hamilton County, with 51.5% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Johns County, with 6.8% in 2019.

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