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

Forest County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 67 counties in 2015, at 46.4%. Chester County had the lowest, at 7.4%. The median was 19.6% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 19.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest46.4Forest County
Median19.667 counties
Pennsylvania19.1History

Map of counties, 2015

Adams County: 13.5 %Allegheny County: 16.5 %Armstrong County: 19.2 %Beaver County: 20.3 %Bedford County: 19 %Berks County: 19.9 %Blair County: 22.5 %Bradford County: 19.8 %Bucks County: 7.8 %Butler County: 11.3 %Cambria County: 21.5 %Cameron County: 22.4 %Carbon County: 18.8 %Centre County: 12.2 %Chester County: 7.4 %Clarion County: 21.3 %Clearfield County: 26.2 %Clinton County: 22.3 %Columbia County: 18.5 %Crawford County: 23.5 %Cumberland County: 10.4 %Dauphin County: 23.4 %Delaware County: 14.4 %Elk County: 14.2 %Erie County: 26.3 %Fayette County: 31.2 %Forest County: 46.4 %Franklin County: 14.9 %Fulton County: 19.4 %Greene County: 21.5 %Huntingdon County: 20.7 %Indiana County: 22.3 %Jefferson County: 21.9 %Juniata County: 19 %Lackawanna County: 22.4 %Lancaster County: 15.5 %Lawrence County: 26.6 %Lebanon County: 17.4 %Lehigh County: 19.1 %Luzerne County: 23.9 %Lycoming County: 23.1 %McKean County: 25.6 %Mercer County: 24 %Mifflin County: 26.4 %Monroe County: 17.6 %Montgomery County: 7.5 %Montour County: 15.2 %Northampton County: 13.4 %Northumberland County: 20.2 %Perry County: 14.3 %Philadelphia County: 38.4 %Pike County: 17.1 %Potter County: 23.6 %Schuylkill County: 19 %Snyder County: 18 %Somerset County: 21.8 %Sullivan County: 20.7 %Susquehanna County: 19.6 %Tioga County: 18.9 %Union County: 13.6 %Venango County: 23.2 %Warren County: 22.7 %Washington County: 13.8 %Wayne County: 20.7 %Westmoreland County: 15.5 %Wyoming County: 17.7 %York County: 15.2 %
  • Under 14
  • 14 to 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 to 22
  • 22 to 24
  • 24 and over
%, 2015. 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, 2015

Forest County: 46.4 %Forest County46.4Philadelphia County: 38.4 %Philadelphia County38.4Fayette County: 31.2 %Fayette County31.2Lawrence County: 26.6 %Lawrence County26.6Mifflin County: 26.4 %Mifflin County26.4Erie County: 26.3 %Erie County26.3Clearfield County: 26.2 %Clearfield County26.2McKean County: 25.6 %McKean County25.6Mercer County: 24 %Mercer County24Luzerne County: 23.9 %Luzerne County23.9Potter County: 23.6 %Potter County23.6Crawford County: 23.5 %Crawford County23.5Dauphin County: 23.4 %Dauphin County23.4Venango County: 23.2 %Venango County23.2Lycoming County: 23.1 %Lycoming County23.1Warren County: 22.7 %Warren County22.7Blair County: 22.5 %Blair County22.5Cameron County: 22.4 %Cameron County22.4Lackawanna County: 22.4 %Lackawanna County22.4Clinton County: 22.3 %Clinton County22.3Indiana County: 22.3 %Indiana County22.3Jefferson County: 21.9 %Jefferson County21.9Somerset County: 21.8 %Somerset County21.8Cambria County: 21.5 %Cambria County21.5Greene County: 21.5 %Greene County21.5Clarion County: 21.3 %Clarion County21.3Huntingdon County: 20.7 %Huntingdon County20.7Sullivan County: 20.7 %Sullivan County20.7Wayne County: 20.7 %Wayne County20.7Beaver County: 20.3 %Beaver County20.3Northumberland County: 20.2 %Northumberland County20.2Berks County: 19.9 %Berks County19.9Bradford County: 19.8 %Bradford County19.8Susquehanna County: 19.6 %Susquehanna County19.6Fulton County: 19.4 %Fulton County19.4Armstrong County: 19.2 %Armstrong County19.2Lehigh County: 19.1 %Lehigh County19.1Bedford County: 19 %Bedford County19Juniata County: 19 %Juniata County19Schuylkill County: 19 %Schuylkill County19Forest County: 46.4 %Forest County46.4Philadelphia County: 38.4 %Philadelphia County38.4Fayette County: 31.2 %Fayette County31.2Lawrence County: 26.6 %Lawrence County26.6Mifflin County: 26.4 %Mifflin County26.4Erie County: 26.3 %Erie County26.3Clearfield County: 26.2 %Clearfield County26.2McKean County: 25.6 %McKean County25.6Mercer County: 24 %Mercer County24Luzerne County: 23.9 %Luzerne County23.9Potter County: 23.6 %Potter County23.6Crawford County: 23.5 %Crawford County23.5Dauphin County: 23.4 %Dauphin County23.4Venango County: 23.2 %Venango County23.2Lycoming County: 23.1 %Lycoming County23.1Warren County: 22.7 %Warren County22.7Blair County: 22.5 %Blair County22.5Cameron County: 22.4 %Cameron County22.4Lackawanna County: 22.4 %Lackawanna County22.4Clinton County: 22.3 %Clinton County22.3Indiana County: 22.3 %Indiana County22.3Jefferson County: 21.9 %Jefferson County21.9Somerset County: 21.8 %Somerset County21.8Cambria County: 21.5 %Cambria County21.5Greene County: 21.5 %Greene County21.5Clarion County: 21.3 %Clarion County21.3Huntingdon County: 20.7 %Huntingdon County20.7Sullivan County: 20.7 %Sullivan County20.7Wayne County: 20.7 %Wayne County20.7Beaver County: 20.3 %Beaver County20.3Northumberland County: 20.2 %Northumberland County20.2Berks County: 19.9 %Berks County19.9Bradford County: 19.8 %Bradford County19.8Susquehanna County: 19.6 %Susquehanna County19.6Fulton County: 19.4 %Fulton County19.4Armstrong County: 19.2 %Armstrong County19.2Lehigh County: 19.1 %Lehigh County19.1Bedford County: 19 %Bedford County19Juniata County: 19 %Juniata County19Schuylkill County: 19 %Schuylkill County19
%. 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

RankCounties2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Forest County46.4+5.2 pts
2Philadelphia County38.4+1.5 pts
3Fayette County31.2+0.5 pts
4Lawrence County26.6+6.1 pts
5Mifflin County26.4+1.4 pts
6Erie County26.3+2.9 pts
7Clearfield County26.2+4.2 pts
8McKean County25.6+0.8 pts
9Mercer County24-1 pts
10Luzerne County23.9-0.5 pts
11Potter County23.6+0.8 pts
12Crawford County23.5+1 pts
13Dauphin County23.4+2.8 pts
14Venango County23.2-2 pts
15Lycoming County23.1+0.5 pts
16Warren County22.7-1.4 pts
17Blair County22.5+1.9 pts
18Cameron County22.4+0.4 pts
18Lackawanna County22.4+2 pts
20Clinton County22.3-1 pts
20Indiana County22.3+0.4 pts
22Jefferson County21.9+0.8 pts
23Somerset County21.8+0.8 pts
24Cambria County21.5-2.1 pts
24Greene County21.5-0.3 pts
26Clarion County21.3+2.1 pts
27Huntingdon County20.7-0.5 pts
27Sullivan County20.7-1.7 pts
27Wayne County20.7+0.9 pts
30Beaver County20.3+3.3 pts
31Northumberland County20.2-3 pts
32Berks County19.9-1.5 pts
33Bradford County19.8+1.1 pts
34Susquehanna County19.6-0.1 pts
35Fulton County19.4-1.4 pts
36Armstrong County19.2-1.8 pts
37Lehigh County19.1-0.4 pts
38Bedford County19-1 pts
38Juniata County19+0.6 pts
38Schuylkill County19+0.5 pts
41Tioga County18.9-4.3 pts
42Carbon County18.8-2.5 pts
43Columbia County18.5+1 pts
44Snyder County18-2.3 pts
45Wyoming County17.7+0.2 pts
46Monroe County17.6-2 pts
47Lebanon County17.4+0.3 pts
48Pike County17.1+0.7 pts
49Allegheny County16.5-2 pts
50Lancaster County15.5+0.2 pts
50Westmoreland County15.5+1.9 pts
52Montour County15.2-1.8 pts
52York County15.2+0.1 pts
54Franklin County14.9-2.2 pts
55Delaware County14.4-0.7 pts
56Perry County14.3-0.2 pts
57Elk County14.2-0.2 pts
58Washington County13.8-0.3 pts
59Union County13.6-1.3 pts
60Adams County13.5-1.3 pts
61Northampton County13.4-0.4 pts
62Centre County12.20 pts
63Butler County11.3+0.9 pts
64Cumberland County10.4-2.4 pts
65Bucks County7.8-0.5 pts
66Montgomery County7.5-1.4 pts
67Chester County7.4-1.8 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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015. 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), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015.

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), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_2015,
  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), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015. 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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2015.
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/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.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 46.4% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Chester County, with 7.4% in 2015.

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