Counties in Georgia by poverty rate
Mitchell County had the highest poverty rate of 159 counties in 2020, at 38.2%. Forsyth County had the lowest, at 5.1%. The median was 18.5% and the figure for Georgia was 14%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 counties, 2020
Full ranking
| Rank | Counties | 2020 (%) | Change on 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitchell County | 38.2 | +7.5 pts |
| 2 | Wheeler County | 35.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 3 | Calhoun County | 34.4 | -1.5 pts |
| 4 | Stewart County | 31.3 | -3.4 pts |
| 5 | Macon County | 31.1 | +1.7 pts |
| 6 | Hancock County | 30.7 | -0.5 pts |
| 7 | Telfair County | 29.9 | +2.2 pts |
| 8 | Bibb County | 28 | +4.8 pts |
| 8 | Jenkins County | 28 | -1 pts |
| 10 | Wilcox County | 27.9 | -1.5 pts |
| 11 | Terrell County | 27.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 12 | Dougherty County | 27.4 | -0.2 pts |
| 12 | Randolph County | 27.4 | +2.1 pts |
| 14 | Dooly County | 27 | -1.2 pts |
| 15 | Emanuel County | 26.4 | +5.5 pts |
| 16 | Ware County | 26 | -0.3 pts |
| 17 | Johnson County | 25.9 | +1.7 pts |
| 18 | Decatur County | 25.6 | +2.2 pts |
| 19 | Charlton County | 25.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 19 | Richmond County | 25.5 | +3.8 pts |
| 21 | Clarke County | 24.6 | -1.1 pts |
| 22 | Crisp County | 24.5 | -2.2 pts |
| 23 | Sumter County | 24.3 | -2.4 pts |
| 24 | Clay County | 24.1 | -4.7 pts |
| 25 | Early County | 24 | -3.3 pts |
| 26 | Elbert County | 23.8 | +3.2 pts |
| 27 | Baker County | 23.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 28 | Treutlen County | 23.4 | -8.2 pts |
| 28 | Warren County | 23.4 | -3.1 pts |
| 30 | Taliaferro County | 23.2 | +0.7 pts |
| 30 | Taylor County | 23.2 | +0.3 pts |
| 32 | Coffee County | 23.1 | +2.9 pts |
| 32 | Quitman County | 23.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 34 | Seminole County | 22.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 35 | Baldwin County | 22.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 36 | Ben Hill County | 22.3 | -0.5 pts |
| 37 | Toombs County | 22.2 | +3 pts |
| 37 | Turner County | 22.2 | -5.8 pts |
| 39 | Meriwether County | 22.1 | -0.1 pts |
| 40 | Atkinson County | 21.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 41 | Dodge County | 21.4 | +0.8 pts |
| 42 | Washington County | 21.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 43 | Bacon County | 21.1 | +1.9 pts |
| 43 | Jefferson County | 21.1 | -4 pts |
| 43 | Muscogee County | 21.1 | +2.7 pts |
| 46 | Irwin County | 20.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 47 | Butts County | 20.8 | +6.1 pts |
| 47 | Talbot County | 20.8 | +1.2 pts |
| 49 | Bulloch County | 20.7 | -1.2 pts |
| 49 | Laurens County | 20.7 | -3.2 pts |
| 49 | Screven County | 20.7 | -3.4 pts |
| 49 | Tattnall County | 20.7 | -5.8 pts |
| 53 | Brooks County | 20.6 | -1.3 pts |
| 53 | Echols County | 20.6 | -1 pts |
| 53 | Marion County | 20.6 | -0.5 pts |
| 56 | Tift County | 20.5 | -1 pts |
| 57 | Clinch County | 20.4 | -1.6 pts |
| 57 | Colquitt County | 20.4 | -1.5 pts |
| 57 | Pulaski County | 20.4 | -0.3 pts |
| 60 | Lowndes County | 20.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 61 | Wilkes County | 20.2 | +0.6 pts |
| 62 | Candler County | 20.1 | -3 pts |
| 62 | Wilkinson County | 20.1 | +3.1 pts |
| 64 | Burke County | 20 | -3.6 pts |
| 64 | Jeff Davis County | 20 | -1.2 pts |
| 64 | Twiggs County | 20 | +1 pts |
| 67 | Appling County | 19.9 | -1 pts |
| 67 | McIntosh County | 19.9 | +1.2 pts |
| 69 | Miller County | 19.8 | -1.5 pts |
| 70 | Wayne County | 19.7 | +1.3 pts |
| 71 | Evans County | 19.6 | -4.5 pts |
| 71 | Lanier County | 19.6 | +1.1 pts |
| 73 | Cook County | 19.5 | -1.9 pts |
| 74 | Montgomery County | 19.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 75 | Peach County | 19.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 76 | Berrien County | 18.9 | -1.2 pts |
| 77 | Chattooga County | 18.8 | +1.4 pts |
| 78 | Grady County | 18.7 | -3 pts |
| 79 | Webster County | 18.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 80 | Bleckley County | 18.5 | 0 pts |
| 81 | Floyd County | 18.4 | +2 pts |
| 82 | Worth County | 18.2 | -2.1 pts |
| 83 | Spalding County | 17.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 84 | Brantley County | 17.8 | +1.7 pts |
| 85 | Stephens County | 16.9 | +1.9 pts |
| 86 | Carroll County | 16.8 | +1.9 pts |
| 86 | Clayton County | 16.8 | +0.8 pts |
| 88 | Long County | 16.7 | +2.5 pts |
| 88 | McDuffie County | 16.7 | -1.3 pts |
| 90 | Lincoln County | 16.5 | -0.8 pts |
| 90 | Pierce County | 16.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 92 | Heard County | 16.4 | -0.3 pts |
| 92 | Troup County | 16.4 | -2.8 pts |
| 94 | Franklin County | 16.3 | -1 pts |
| 94 | Polk County | 16.3 | +0.1 pts |
| 94 | Putnam County | 16.3 | +1.2 pts |
| 97 | Thomas County | 16.2 | -1.8 pts |
| 98 | Crawford County | 16.1 | +0.8 pts |
| 99 | Murray County | 15.9 | +1.4 pts |
| 100 | DeKalb County | 15.8 | +2.9 pts |
| 101 | Chatham County | 15.6 | +0.8 pts |
| 101 | Chattahoochee County | 15.6 | -2.9 pts |
| 101 | Fannin County | 15.6 | +3.5 pts |
| 104 | Glascock County | 15.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 104 | Glynn County | 15.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 104 | Haralson County | 15.5 | +1.1 pts |
| 107 | Greene County | 15.3 | +0.3 pts |
| 108 | Upson County | 15.2 | -3.9 pts |
| 109 | Schley County | 15 | -0.9 pts |
| 110 | Liberty County | 14.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 111 | Madison County | 14.5 | -1.1 pts |
| 112 | Hart County | 14.4 | -0.2 pts |
| 112 | Newton County | 14.4 | +3.2 pts |
| 114 | Walker County | 14.1 | -0.6 pts |
| 115 | Gilmer County | 14 | -0.6 pts |
| 115 | Jasper County | 14 | +1.6 pts |
| 117 | Lamar County | 13.8 | -1 pts |
| 117 | Rabun County | 13.8 | +0.8 pts |
| 119 | Habersham County | 13.7 | -1.5 pts |
| 120 | Oglethorpe County | 13.4 | +0.6 pts |
| 121 | Towns County | 13.2 | +0.5 pts |
| 122 | Dade County | 13 | -0.5 pts |
| 122 | Fulton County | 13 | -0.8 pts |
| 122 | Whitfield County | 13 | +0.3 pts |
| 125 | Union County | 12.9 | +1.3 pts |
| 126 | Monroe County | 12.8 | +2.2 pts |
| 127 | Hall County | 12.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 127 | Rockdale County | 12.7 | +0.6 pts |
| 129 | Lumpkin County | 12.5 | -2 pts |
| 129 | White County | 12.5 | +1.6 pts |
| 131 | Gordon County | 11.8 | -0.5 pts |
| 132 | Banks County | 11.6 | -1.2 pts |
| 132 | Jones County | 11.6 | -1.2 pts |
| 132 | Morgan County | 11.6 | +0.5 pts |
| 135 | Douglas County | 11.5 | +0.6 pts |
| 136 | Walton County | 11.4 | +0.6 pts |
| 137 | Houston County | 10.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 138 | Pickens County | 10.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 139 | Gwinnett County | 10.4 | +1.2 pts |
| 140 | Bartow County | 10.2 | -2.3 pts |
| 141 | Barrow County | 10.1 | +0.4 pts |
| 141 | Catoosa County | 10.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 141 | Lee County | 10.1 | +0.8 pts |
| 141 | Pike County | 10.1 | +1.4 pts |
| 145 | Camden County | 9.4 | -4.4 pts |
| 146 | Cobb County | 9.2 | +0.9 pts |
| 147 | Jackson County | 9.1 | -1.2 pts |
| 148 | Harris County | 9 | +2.5 pts |
| 149 | Dawson County | 8.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 149 | Henry County | 8.7 | +0.6 pts |
| 151 | Coweta County | 8.6 | -0.4 pts |
| 152 | Effingham County | 8.1 | -1 pts |
| 153 | Bryan County | 8 | +0.2 pts |
| 154 | Paulding County | 7.3 | +0.5 pts |
| 155 | Cherokee County | 6.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 155 | Columbia County | 6.7 | +1.1 pts |
| 157 | Oconee County | 6 | +0.4 pts |
| 158 | Fayette County | 5.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 159 | Forsyth County | 5.1 | +0.6 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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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?
Mitchell County, with 38.2% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest poverty rate?
Forsyth County, with 5.1% in 2020.
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