Counties in Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024

Forest County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 67 counties in 2024, at 28.5%. Chester County had the lowest, at 6.2%. The median was 15.4% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 15.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28.5Forest County
Median15.467 counties
Pennsylvania15.3History

Map of counties, 2024

Adams County: 10.7 %Allegheny County: 14.5 %Armstrong County: 15.4 %Beaver County: 15 %Bedford County: 14.4 %Berks County: 17.7 %Blair County: 16.8 %Bradford County: 12.9 %Bucks County: 6.6 %Butler County: 7 %Cambria County: 21.2 %Cameron County: 22.8 %Carbon County: 15.8 %Centre County: 9.5 %Chester County: 6.2 %Clarion County: 13.2 %Clearfield County: 20.2 %Clinton County: 22 %Columbia County: 14.3 %Crawford County: 22.7 %Cumberland County: 10.7 %Dauphin County: 18 %Delaware County: 13.9 %Elk County: 12.2 %Erie County: 19.9 %Fayette County: 20.8 %Forest County: 28.5 %Franklin County: 13.3 %Fulton County: 14.9 %Greene County: 23.2 %Huntingdon County: 14.3 %Indiana County: 20.2 %Jefferson County: 15.4 %Juniata County: 12.3 %Lackawanna County: 20.3 %Lancaster County: 10.2 %Lawrence County: 20.9 %Lebanon County: 11.8 %Lehigh County: 15.8 %Luzerne County: 19.6 %Lycoming County: 21.6 %McKean County: 18.4 %Mercer County: 17.3 %Mifflin County: 19.4 %Monroe County: 16.3 %Montgomery County: 6.9 %Montour County: 12.3 %Northampton County: 10.5 %Northumberland County: 21.2 %Perry County: 11.3 %Philadelphia County: 27.8 %Pike County: 13.6 %Potter County: 19.9 %Schuylkill County: 17.4 %Snyder County: 18.4 %Somerset County: 16.8 %Sullivan County: 16 %Susquehanna County: 16.6 %Tioga County: 15.4 %Union County: 11.4 %Venango County: 19.3 %Warren County: 15.4 %Washington County: 12.2 %Wayne County: 15.9 %Westmoreland County: 14.7 %Wyoming County: 14.6 %York County: 12.4 %
  • Under 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 15
  • 15 to 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 and over
%, 2024. 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, 2024

Forest County: 28.5 %Forest County28.5Philadelphia County: 27.8 %Philadelphia County27.8Greene County: 23.2 %Greene County23.2Cameron County: 22.8 %Cameron County22.8Crawford County: 22.7 %Crawford County22.7Clinton County: 22 %Clinton County22Lycoming County: 21.6 %Lycoming County21.6Cambria County: 21.2 %Cambria County21.2Northumberland County: 21.2 %Northumberland County21.2Lawrence County: 20.9 %Lawrence County20.9Fayette County: 20.8 %Fayette County20.8Lackawanna County: 20.3 %Lackawanna County20.3Clearfield County: 20.2 %Clearfield County20.2Indiana County: 20.2 %Indiana County20.2Erie County: 19.9 %Erie County19.9Potter County: 19.9 %Potter County19.9Luzerne County: 19.6 %Luzerne County19.6Mifflin County: 19.4 %Mifflin County19.4Venango County: 19.3 %Venango County19.3McKean County: 18.4 %McKean County18.4Snyder County: 18.4 %Snyder County18.4Dauphin County: 18 %Dauphin County18Berks County: 17.7 %Berks County17.7Schuylkill County: 17.4 %Schuylkill County17.4Mercer County: 17.3 %Mercer County17.3Blair County: 16.8 %Blair County16.8Somerset County: 16.8 %Somerset County16.8Susquehanna County: 16.6 %Susquehanna County16.6Monroe County: 16.3 %Monroe County16.3Sullivan County: 16 %Sullivan County16Wayne County: 15.9 %Wayne County15.9Carbon County: 15.8 %Carbon County15.8Lehigh County: 15.8 %Lehigh County15.8Armstrong County: 15.4 %Armstrong County15.4Jefferson County: 15.4 %Jefferson County15.4Tioga County: 15.4 %Tioga County15.4Warren County: 15.4 %Warren County15.4Beaver County: 15 %Beaver County15Fulton County: 14.9 %Fulton County14.9Westmoreland County: 14.7 %Westmoreland County14.7Forest County: 28.5 %Forest County28.5Philadelphia County: 27.8 %Philadelphia County27.8Greene County: 23.2 %Greene County23.2Cameron County: 22.8 %Cameron County22.8Crawford County: 22.7 %Crawford County22.7Clinton County: 22 %Clinton County22Lycoming County: 21.6 %Lycoming County21.6Cambria County: 21.2 %Cambria County21.2Northumberland County: 21.2 %Northumberland County21.2Lawrence County: 20.9 %Lawrence County20.9Fayette County: 20.8 %Fayette County20.8Lackawanna County: 20.3 %Lackawanna County20.3Clearfield County: 20.2 %Clearfield County20.2Indiana County: 20.2 %Indiana County20.2Erie County: 19.9 %Erie County19.9Potter County: 19.9 %Potter County19.9Luzerne County: 19.6 %Luzerne County19.6Mifflin County: 19.4 %Mifflin County19.4Venango County: 19.3 %Venango County19.3McKean County: 18.4 %McKean County18.4Snyder County: 18.4 %Snyder County18.4Dauphin County: 18 %Dauphin County18Berks County: 17.7 %Berks County17.7Schuylkill County: 17.4 %Schuylkill County17.4Mercer County: 17.3 %Mercer County17.3Blair County: 16.8 %Blair County16.8Somerset County: 16.8 %Somerset County16.8Susquehanna County: 16.6 %Susquehanna County16.6Monroe County: 16.3 %Monroe County16.3Sullivan County: 16 %Sullivan County16Wayne County: 15.9 %Wayne County15.9Carbon County: 15.8 %Carbon County15.8Lehigh County: 15.8 %Lehigh County15.8Armstrong County: 15.4 %Armstrong County15.4Jefferson County: 15.4 %Jefferson County15.4Tioga County: 15.4 %Tioga County15.4Warren County: 15.4 %Warren County15.4Beaver County: 15 %Beaver County15Fulton County: 14.9 %Fulton County14.9Westmoreland County: 14.7 %Westmoreland County14.7
%. 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

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Forest County28.5-0.8 pts
2Philadelphia County27.8+2 pts
3Greene County23.2+4.8 pts
4Cameron County22.8-2.9 pts
5Crawford County22.7+5.2 pts
6Clinton County22+3.5 pts
7Lycoming County21.6+4.9 pts
8Cambria County21.2+3.6 pts
8Northumberland County21.2+5.4 pts
10Lawrence County20.9+2.4 pts
11Fayette County20.8-6.3 pts
12Lackawanna County20.3+0.8 pts
13Clearfield County20.2+0.4 pts
13Indiana County20.2+1.7 pts
15Erie County19.9-0.9 pts
15Potter County19.9+2.2 pts
17Luzerne County19.6-5.7 pts
18Mifflin County19.4-2.1 pts
19Venango County19.3-1.5 pts
20McKean County18.4-2.6 pts
20Snyder County18.4+4.9 pts
22Dauphin County18-1 pts
23Berks County17.7-0.2 pts
24Schuylkill County17.4-3.6 pts
25Mercer County17.3-1.5 pts
26Blair County16.8-1.2 pts
26Somerset County16.8+0.9 pts
28Susquehanna County16.6+0.5 pts
29Monroe County16.3+2.4 pts
30Sullivan County16-3.9 pts
31Wayne County15.9-0.6 pts
32Carbon County15.8-1.8 pts
32Lehigh County15.8-1.8 pts
34Armstrong County15.40 pts
34Jefferson County15.4-8.1 pts
34Tioga County15.4-2.8 pts
34Warren County15.4-1.7 pts
38Beaver County15+2.3 pts
39Fulton County14.9-3.8 pts
40Westmoreland County14.7+0.9 pts
41Wyoming County14.6-2.4 pts
42Allegheny County14.5-0.7 pts
43Bedford County14.4+0.1 pts
44Columbia County14.3+0.5 pts
44Huntingdon County14.3-3.4 pts
46Delaware County13.9+0.2 pts
47Pike County13.6+0.2 pts
48Franklin County13.3+2 pts
49Clarion County13.2-4.1 pts
50Bradford County12.9-4.7 pts
51York County12.4+0.4 pts
52Juniata County12.3-1.1 pts
52Montour County12.3-0.6 pts
54Elk County12.2-1.6 pts
54Washington County12.20 pts
56Lebanon County11.8+0.5 pts
57Union County11.4-0.2 pts
58Perry County11.3-3.3 pts
59Adams County10.7-1.9 pts
59Cumberland County10.7+1.6 pts
61Northampton County10.5-4.1 pts
62Lancaster County10.2-1.3 pts
63Centre County9.5-0.5 pts
64Butler County7-2.8 pts
65Montgomery County6.9-1 pts
66Bucks County6.6-0.9 pts
67Chester County6.2-0.3 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/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.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 Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties. 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 Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties.

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 Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_2024,
  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 Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties. 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/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.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 Pennsylvania by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties.
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/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Forest County, with 28.5% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Chester County, with 6.2% in 2024.

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 Pennsylvania: more rankings