Counties in Georgia by poverty rate
Wheeler County had the highest poverty rate of 159 counties in 2018, at 39.6%. Forsyth County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 20% and the figure for Georgia was 14.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 counties, 2018
Full ranking
| Rank | Counties | 2018 (%) | Change on 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wheeler County | 39.6 | +2.2 pts |
| 2 | Stewart County | 37.9 | +1.7 pts |
| 3 | Calhoun County | 37.2 | +2.1 pts |
| 4 | Telfair County | 31.9 | -2.7 pts |
| 5 | Jenkins County | 31.8 | -1 pts |
| 6 | Randolph County | 30.8 | -2.8 pts |
| 6 | Wilcox County | 30.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 8 | Hancock County | 30.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 9 | Macon County | 30.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 10 | Johnson County | 30 | +1 pts |
| 11 | Clay County | 29.8 | -3.3 pts |
| 12 | Dougherty County | 29.5 | +1.3 pts |
| 13 | Mitchell County | 29.3 | +1.8 pts |
| 14 | Dooly County | 29.1 | +1.5 pts |
| 15 | Turner County | 27.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 16 | Terrell County | 27.8 | -5.2 pts |
| 17 | Crisp County | 27.4 | -2.3 pts |
| 18 | Clarke County | 27 | +0.4 pts |
| 19 | Evans County | 26.6 | -1.4 pts |
| 20 | Dodge County | 26.5 | +4.7 pts |
| 20 | Early County | 26.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 22 | Treutlen County | 26.3 | -1.1 pts |
| 23 | Ben Hill County | 26.2 | +1.7 pts |
| 24 | Atkinson County | 26.1 | +1.9 pts |
| 25 | Lowndes County | 25.9 | +0.6 pts |
| 25 | Screven County | 25.9 | +5.4 pts |
| 25 | Washington County | 25.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 28 | Clinch County | 25.8 | -1.8 pts |
| 29 | Sumter County | 25.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 29 | Warren County | 25.7 | -2.2 pts |
| 31 | Charlton County | 25.6 | 0 pts |
| 31 | Tattnall County | 25.6 | -1.7 pts |
| 33 | Quitman County | 25.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 34 | Seminole County | 25.4 | -3.8 pts |
| 35 | Emanuel County | 25.1 | -2.5 pts |
| 36 | Toombs County | 24.9 | +2.6 pts |
| 37 | Talbot County | 24.8 | +2.6 pts |
| 38 | Bibb County | 24.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 39 | Candler County | 24.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 39 | Laurens County | 24.6 | +2 pts |
| 39 | Taliaferro County | 24.6 | -1.9 pts |
| 42 | Brooks County | 24.5 | +0.8 pts |
| 42 | Cook County | 24.5 | +3.2 pts |
| 44 | Echols County | 24.4 | -2.1 pts |
| 44 | Meriwether County | 24.4 | +4.5 pts |
| 46 | Irwin County | 24.3 | +2.3 pts |
| 47 | Peach County | 24 | +4.4 pts |
| 48 | Coffee County | 23.9 | -1 pts |
| 48 | Colquitt County | 23.9 | -1.7 pts |
| 48 | Pulaski County | 23.9 | +1.4 pts |
| 51 | Baldwin County | 23.8 | -1.4 pts |
| 52 | Ware County | 23.6 | +1.6 pts |
| 53 | Wilkinson County | 23.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 54 | Decatur County | 23.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 55 | Baker County | 22.9 | -1.7 pts |
| 55 | Bulloch County | 22.9 | -1.7 pts |
| 55 | Taylor County | 22.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 58 | Bacon County | 22.8 | -5.4 pts |
| 58 | Marion County | 22.8 | -1.1 pts |
| 60 | Webster County | 22.7 | +2.7 pts |
| 61 | Miller County | 22.4 | -1.4 pts |
| 62 | Jefferson County | 22.3 | -1.7 pts |
| 63 | Montgomery County | 22.1 | +1.6 pts |
| 64 | Burke County | 22 | -1.1 pts |
| 65 | Appling County | 21.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 65 | Richmond County | 21.9 | -1.8 pts |
| 67 | Berrien County | 21.8 | +3.2 pts |
| 67 | Polk County | 21.8 | +2.8 pts |
| 69 | Upson County | 21.6 | +1.1 pts |
| 70 | McIntosh County | 21.5 | +2 pts |
| 71 | Twiggs County | 21.3 | -0.9 pts |
| 72 | Floyd County | 20.7 | +1.5 pts |
| 73 | Jeff Davis County | 20.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 74 | Worth County | 20.5 | -1.1 pts |
| 75 | Lanier County | 20.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 75 | Wilkes County | 20.3 | -2.5 pts |
| 77 | Thomas County | 20.2 | +2.3 pts |
| 77 | Troup County | 20.2 | -1.4 pts |
| 79 | Muscogee County | 20.1 | -2.5 pts |
| 80 | Grady County | 20 | -0.3 pts |
| 81 | McDuffie County | 19.9 | -1.3 pts |
| 82 | Butts County | 19.7 | +1.4 pts |
| 83 | Tift County | 19.6 | -2.1 pts |
| 84 | Chattooga County | 19.5 | -0.7 pts |
| 85 | Greene County | 19.3 | +2.3 pts |
| 86 | Bleckley County | 18.7 | -1.6 pts |
| 87 | Wayne County | 18.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 88 | Crawford County | 18.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 88 | Elbert County | 18.5 | -4.4 pts |
| 90 | Brantley County | 18.3 | -0.7 pts |
| 91 | Pierce County | 18.1 | -1.3 pts |
| 91 | Schley County | 18.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 93 | Clayton County | 17.6 | +1.3 pts |
| 94 | Glascock County | 17.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 95 | Gilmer County | 17.4 | +3 pts |
| 96 | Chattahoochee County | 17.3 | -2.3 pts |
| 96 | Lamar County | 17.3 | +0.8 pts |
| 96 | Spalding County | 17.3 | -2.6 pts |
| 99 | Lincoln County | 17.2 | -0.9 pts |
| 100 | Heard County | 17.1 | -1.8 pts |
| 101 | Carroll County | 16.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 101 | Fannin County | 16.8 | +3.2 pts |
| 101 | Gordon County | 16.8 | +2.8 pts |
| 101 | Long County | 16.8 | -2.3 pts |
| 105 | Glynn County | 16.6 | -0.4 pts |
| 106 | Franklin County | 16.4 | -2.3 pts |
| 107 | Stephens County | 16.3 | -2.4 pts |
| 108 | Liberty County | 16.1 | -0.7 pts |
| 108 | Madison County | 16.1 | +0.2 pts |
| 108 | Putnam County | 16.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 111 | Towns County | 16 | +2.2 pts |
| 112 | Haralson County | 15.9 | +0.6 pts |
| 113 | Camden County | 15.8 | +3.3 pts |
| 114 | Walker County | 15.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 115 | Jasper County | 15.4 | -2.2 pts |
| 116 | Murray County | 15.2 | -2 pts |
| 117 | Hart County | 15 | -3.9 pts |
| 118 | Habersham County | 14.9 | +1.6 pts |
| 118 | Lumpkin County | 14.9 | +1 pts |
| 120 | Newton County | 14.8 | +1.4 pts |
| 121 | Jones County | 14.5 | +1.6 pts |
| 122 | Chatham County | 14.4 | -1.9 pts |
| 123 | DeKalb County | 14.3 | -1 pts |
| 124 | Rabun County | 14.2 | -3.6 pts |
| 124 | Whitfield County | 14.2 | -2.3 pts |
| 126 | White County | 14.1 | +0.8 pts |
| 127 | Oglethorpe County | 13.8 | +0.4 pts |
| 127 | Union County | 13.8 | -1.6 pts |
| 129 | Dade County | 13.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 130 | Fulton County | 13.5 | -1.3 pts |
| 131 | Hall County | 13.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 131 | Rockdale County | 13.2 | -0.9 pts |
| 133 | Banks County | 13 | -0.5 pts |
| 133 | Monroe County | 13 | -0.3 pts |
| 135 | Morgan County | 12.7 | +0.7 pts |
| 136 | Douglas County | 12.6 | +0.8 pts |
| 137 | Lee County | 12.4 | +1.5 pts |
| 138 | Bartow County | 12.2 | -1 pts |
| 139 | Houston County | 12.1 | -0.9 pts |
| 140 | Catoosa County | 11.9 | -0.1 pts |
| 140 | Walton County | 11.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 142 | Pickens County | 11 | +0.2 pts |
| 143 | Pike County | 10.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 144 | Coweta County | 10.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 145 | Barrow County | 9.5 | -2.5 pts |
| 146 | Gwinnett County | 9.2 | -1.5 pts |
| 147 | Cobb County | 9.1 | -0.4 pts |
| 148 | Dawson County | 8.7 | -0.7 pts |
| 148 | Harris County | 8.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 148 | Jackson County | 8.7 | -2.8 pts |
| 151 | Bryan County | 8.6 | -1.8 pts |
| 152 | Effingham County | 8.3 | -1.5 pts |
| 153 | Paulding County | 7.8 | -0.5 pts |
| 154 | Henry County | 7.5 | -2.3 pts |
| 155 | Cherokee County | 7.4 | -0.1 pts |
| 156 | Columbia County | 7.1 | +0.5 pts |
| 157 | Oconee County | 5.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 158 | Fayette County | 5 | -0.7 pts |
| 158 | Forsyth County | 5 | -0.3 pts |
Other periods
About this ranking
People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.
Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank Counties in Georgia by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate","level":"province","within":"Georgia","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate&level=province&within=Georgia&limit=10
Questions
Which county has the highest poverty rate?
Wheeler County, with 39.6% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest poverty rate?
Forsyth County, with 5% 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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings
- US states
- US counties
- Counties in Texas
- Counties in Virginia
- Counties in Kentucky
- Counties in Missouri
- Counties in Kansas
- Counties in Illinois
- Counties in North Carolina
- Counties in Iowa
- Counties in Tennessee
- Counties in Nebraska
Counties in Georgia: more rankings
- Asian population share
- Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over
- Live births, July to June
- Black or African American population share
- Crude birth rate, July to June
- Crude death rate, July to June
- Deaths, July to June
- Foreign-born population share
- Real GDP growth
- GDP per capita, US dollars
- Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars
- Hispanic or Latino population share
- Homeownership rate (US, housing units)
- Median age
- Median gross rent (monthly)
- Median home value