Counties in New York by poverty rate

Bronx County had the highest poverty rate of 62 counties in 2016, at 28.6%. Putnam County had the lowest, at 6%. The median was 14.1% and the figure for New York was 14.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest28.6Bronx County
Median14.162 counties
New York14.8History

Top 40 counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Bronx CountyBronx County: 28.6 %28.6Kings CountyKings County: 20.6 %20.6Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 19.9 %19.9Chautauqua CountyChautauqua County: 19.2 %19.2Tompkins CountyTompkins County: 18.5 %18.5Allegany CountyAllegany County: 18.4 %18.4Franklin CountyFranklin County: 18.4 %18.4Delaware CountyDelaware County: 17.5 %17.5St. Lawrence CountySt. Lawrence County: 17.5 %17.5New York CountyNew York County: 17.2 %17.2Oswego CountyOswego County: 17.2 %17.2Sullivan CountySullivan County: 16.9 %16.9Broome CountyBroome County: 16.5 %16.5Cortland CountyCortland County: 16.4 %16.4Greene CountyGreene County: 16.4 %16.4Herkimer CountyHerkimer County: 16.3 %16.3Oneida CountyOneida County: 16.3 %16.3Lewis CountyLewis County: 15.8 %15.8Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 15.3 %15.3Chemung CountyChemung County: 15.2 %15.2Chenango CountyChenango County: 15.2 %15.2Orleans CountyOrleans County: 15.2 %15.2Fulton CountyFulton County: 15 %15Schuyler CountySchuyler County: 15 %15Monroe CountyMonroe County: 14.7 %14.7Otsego CountyOtsego County: 14.7 %14.7Cattaraugus CountyCattaraugus County: 14.6 %14.6Onondaga CountyOnondaga County: 14.6 %14.6Clinton CountyClinton County: 14.4 %14.4Rockland CountyRockland County: 14.4 %14.4Erie CountyErie County: 14.2 %14.2Yates CountyYates County: 14.1 %14.1Livingston CountyLivingston County: 13.9 %13.9Ulster CountyUlster County: 13.9 %13.9Seneca CountySeneca County: 13.5 %13.5Queens CountyQueens County: 13.3 %13.3Richmond CountyRichmond County: 13.2 %13.2Steuben CountySteuben County: 13.2 %13.2Columbia CountyColumbia County: 12.7 %12.7Schoharie CountySchoharie County: 12.7 %12.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Bronx County28.6-1.7 pts
2Kings County20.6-1.7 pts
3Montgomery County19.9+1.5 pts
4Chautauqua County19.2+2 pts
5Tompkins County18.5-1.6 pts
6Allegany County18.4+1.6 pts
6Franklin County18.4+0.1 pts
8Delaware County17.5+0.6 pts
8St. Lawrence County17.5-1 pts
10New York County17.2-0.4 pts
10Oswego County17.2-0.2 pts
12Sullivan County16.9-1.2 pts
13Broome County16.5-1.2 pts
14Cortland County16.4+0.2 pts
14Greene County16.40 pts
16Herkimer County16.3+3.6 pts
16Oneida County16.3-1.7 pts
18Lewis County15.8+1.8 pts
19Jefferson County15.3+1.2 pts
20Chemung County15.2+0.3 pts
20Chenango County15.2+0.9 pts
20Orleans County15.2+1 pts
23Fulton County15-2.9 pts
23Schuyler County15+2.5 pts
25Monroe County14.7-0.1 pts
25Otsego County14.7-2.1 pts
27Cattaraugus County14.6-3.4 pts
27Onondaga County14.60 pts
29Clinton County14.4-3.1 pts
29Rockland County14.4+0.4 pts
31Erie County14.2-1.4 pts
32Yates County14.1+0.5 pts
33Livingston County13.9+0.7 pts
33Ulster County13.9-0.1 pts
35Seneca County13.5-0.6 pts
36Queens County13.3-0.6 pts
37Richmond County13.2-1 pts
37Steuben County13.2-2.2 pts
39Columbia County12.7-0.9 pts
39Schoharie County12.7-1 pts
39Tioga County12.7+1 pts
42Essex County12.6+0.4 pts
42Niagara County12.6-2.9 pts
42Orange County12.6+0.5 pts
45Cayuga County12.5-0.2 pts
46Albany County12.1-0.5 pts
47Warren County11.7+0.4 pts
48Rensselaer County11.6-0.4 pts
49Genesee County11.4-2 pts
49Schenectady County11.4-0.6 pts
51Madison County11.1-1.8 pts
51Washington County11.1-2.2 pts
53Wayne County10.4-1.8 pts
54Hamilton County10.2-0.9 pts
55Westchester County10-0.1 pts
55Wyoming County10-3.3 pts
57Ontario County9.60 pts
58Dutchess County9.2-1.2 pts
59Suffolk County7.6-0.2 pts
60Saratoga County6.3-0.1 pts
61Nassau County6.10 pts
62Putnam County60 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in New York by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Bronx County, with 28.6% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Putnam County, with 6% 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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in New York: more rankings