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 2016, at 57.1%. Chester County had the lowest, at 7.5%. The median was 18.8% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 18.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest57.1Forest County
Median18.867 counties
Pennsylvania18.4History

Map of counties, 2016

Adams County: 14 %Allegheny County: 15.2 %Armstrong County: 19.5 %Beaver County: 15.5 %Bedford County: 17.3 %Berks County: 19.9 %Blair County: 20.7 %Bradford County: 18 %Bucks County: 8 %Butler County: 8.9 %Cambria County: 23.1 %Cameron County: 24.3 %Carbon County: 20.7 %Centre County: 11.7 %Chester County: 7.5 %Clarion County: 20.1 %Clearfield County: 22 %Clinton County: 22.6 %Columbia County: 17 %Crawford County: 21.8 %Cumberland County: 10.5 %Dauphin County: 18.4 %Delaware County: 15.4 %Elk County: 14 %Erie County: 24 %Fayette County: 28.6 %Forest County: 57.1 %Franklin County: 14.1 %Fulton County: 17.1 %Greene County: 21.2 %Huntingdon County: 18.6 %Indiana County: 24.9 %Jefferson County: 19 %Juniata County: 16.7 %Lackawanna County: 18.8 %Lancaster County: 15.8 %Lawrence County: 20.6 %Lebanon County: 15 %Lehigh County: 20.4 %Luzerne County: 23.4 %Lycoming County: 21.1 %McKean County: 26.8 %Mercer County: 26 %Mifflin County: 23 %Monroe County: 17.6 %Montgomery County: 7.8 %Montour County: 19 %Northampton County: 14.1 %Northumberland County: 21.5 %Perry County: 14.1 %Philadelphia County: 37.2 %Pike County: 15.7 %Potter County: 24.1 %Schuylkill County: 17.6 %Snyder County: 19.8 %Somerset County: 22.6 %Sullivan County: 22.2 %Susquehanna County: 19.8 %Tioga County: 18.5 %Union County: 13.5 %Venango County: 21.7 %Warren County: 26.1 %Washington County: 11.5 %Wayne County: 18.7 %Westmoreland County: 14.1 %Wyoming County: 17.1 %York County: 13.6 %
  • Under 14
  • 14 to 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 to 21
  • 21 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2016. 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, 2016

Forest County: 57.1 %Forest County57.1Philadelphia County: 37.2 %Philadelphia County37.2Fayette County: 28.6 %Fayette County28.6McKean County: 26.8 %McKean County26.8Warren County: 26.1 %Warren County26.1Mercer County: 26 %Mercer County26Indiana County: 24.9 %Indiana County24.9Cameron County: 24.3 %Cameron County24.3Potter County: 24.1 %Potter County24.1Erie County: 24 %Erie County24Luzerne County: 23.4 %Luzerne County23.4Cambria County: 23.1 %Cambria County23.1Mifflin County: 23 %Mifflin County23Clinton County: 22.6 %Clinton County22.6Somerset County: 22.6 %Somerset County22.6Sullivan County: 22.2 %Sullivan County22.2Clearfield County: 22 %Clearfield County22Crawford County: 21.8 %Crawford County21.8Venango County: 21.7 %Venango County21.7Northumberland County: 21.5 %Northumberland County21.5Greene County: 21.2 %Greene County21.2Lycoming County: 21.1 %Lycoming County21.1Blair County: 20.7 %Blair County20.7Carbon County: 20.7 %Carbon County20.7Lawrence County: 20.6 %Lawrence County20.6Lehigh County: 20.4 %Lehigh County20.4Clarion County: 20.1 %Clarion County20.1Berks County: 19.9 %Berks County19.9Snyder County: 19.8 %Snyder County19.8Susquehanna County: 19.8 %Susquehanna County19.8Armstrong County: 19.5 %Armstrong County19.5Jefferson County: 19 %Jefferson County19Montour County: 19 %Montour County19Lackawanna County: 18.8 %Lackawanna County18.8Wayne County: 18.7 %Wayne County18.7Huntingdon County: 18.6 %Huntingdon County18.6Tioga County: 18.5 %Tioga County18.5Dauphin County: 18.4 %Dauphin County18.4Bradford County: 18 %Bradford County18Monroe County: 17.6 %Monroe County17.6Forest County: 57.1 %Forest County57.1Philadelphia County: 37.2 %Philadelphia County37.2Fayette County: 28.6 %Fayette County28.6McKean County: 26.8 %McKean County26.8Warren County: 26.1 %Warren County26.1Mercer County: 26 %Mercer County26Indiana County: 24.9 %Indiana County24.9Cameron County: 24.3 %Cameron County24.3Potter County: 24.1 %Potter County24.1Erie County: 24 %Erie County24Luzerne County: 23.4 %Luzerne County23.4Cambria County: 23.1 %Cambria County23.1Mifflin County: 23 %Mifflin County23Clinton County: 22.6 %Clinton County22.6Somerset County: 22.6 %Somerset County22.6Sullivan County: 22.2 %Sullivan County22.2Clearfield County: 22 %Clearfield County22Crawford County: 21.8 %Crawford County21.8Venango County: 21.7 %Venango County21.7Northumberland County: 21.5 %Northumberland County21.5Greene County: 21.2 %Greene County21.2Lycoming County: 21.1 %Lycoming County21.1Blair County: 20.7 %Blair County20.7Carbon County: 20.7 %Carbon County20.7Lawrence County: 20.6 %Lawrence County20.6Lehigh County: 20.4 %Lehigh County20.4Clarion County: 20.1 %Clarion County20.1Berks County: 19.9 %Berks County19.9Snyder County: 19.8 %Snyder County19.8Susquehanna County: 19.8 %Susquehanna County19.8Armstrong County: 19.5 %Armstrong County19.5Jefferson County: 19 %Jefferson County19Montour County: 19 %Montour County19Lackawanna County: 18.8 %Lackawanna County18.8Wayne County: 18.7 %Wayne County18.7Huntingdon County: 18.6 %Huntingdon County18.6Tioga County: 18.5 %Tioga County18.5Dauphin County: 18.4 %Dauphin County18.4Bradford County: 18 %Bradford County18Monroe County: 17.6 %Monroe County17.6
%. 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

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Forest County57.1+10.7 pts
2Philadelphia County37.2-1.2 pts
3Fayette County28.6-2.6 pts
4McKean County26.8+1.2 pts
5Warren County26.1+3.4 pts
6Mercer County26+2 pts
7Indiana County24.9+2.6 pts
8Cameron County24.3+1.9 pts
9Potter County24.1+0.5 pts
10Erie County24-2.3 pts
11Luzerne County23.4-0.5 pts
12Cambria County23.1+1.6 pts
13Mifflin County23-3.4 pts
14Clinton County22.6+0.3 pts
14Somerset County22.6+0.8 pts
16Sullivan County22.2+1.5 pts
17Clearfield County22-4.2 pts
18Crawford County21.8-1.7 pts
19Venango County21.7-1.5 pts
20Northumberland County21.5+1.3 pts
21Greene County21.2-0.3 pts
22Lycoming County21.1-2 pts
23Blair County20.7-1.8 pts
23Carbon County20.7+1.9 pts
25Lawrence County20.6-6 pts
26Lehigh County20.4+1.3 pts
27Clarion County20.1-1.2 pts
28Berks County19.90 pts
29Snyder County19.8+1.8 pts
29Susquehanna County19.8+0.2 pts
31Armstrong County19.5+0.3 pts
32Jefferson County19-2.9 pts
32Montour County19+3.8 pts
34Lackawanna County18.8-3.6 pts
35Wayne County18.7-2 pts
36Huntingdon County18.6-2.1 pts
37Tioga County18.5-0.4 pts
38Dauphin County18.4-5 pts
39Bradford County18-1.8 pts
40Monroe County17.60 pts
40Schuylkill County17.6-1.4 pts
42Bedford County17.3-1.7 pts
43Fulton County17.1-2.3 pts
43Wyoming County17.1-0.6 pts
45Columbia County17-1.5 pts
46Juniata County16.7-2.3 pts
47Lancaster County15.8+0.3 pts
48Pike County15.7-1.4 pts
49Beaver County15.5-4.8 pts
50Delaware County15.4+1 pts
51Allegheny County15.2-1.3 pts
52Lebanon County15-2.4 pts
53Franklin County14.1-0.8 pts
53Northampton County14.1+0.7 pts
53Perry County14.1-0.2 pts
53Westmoreland County14.1-1.4 pts
57Adams County14+0.5 pts
57Elk County14-0.2 pts
59York County13.6-1.6 pts
60Union County13.5-0.1 pts
61Centre County11.7-0.5 pts
62Washington County11.5-2.3 pts
63Cumberland County10.5+0.1 pts
64Butler County8.9-2.4 pts
65Bucks County8+0.2 pts
66Montgomery County7.8+0.3 pts
67Chester County7.5+0.1 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016. 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), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016.

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), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_2016,
  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), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016. 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/pennsylvania-counties?period=2016.
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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.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 57.1% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Chester County, with 7.5% in 2016.

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