Counties in New York by poverty rate

Bronx County had the highest poverty rate of 62 counties in 2017, at 27.9%. Putnam County had the lowest, at 5.4%. The median was 13% and the figure for New York was 14.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest27.9Bronx County
Lowest5.4Putnam County
Median1362 counties
New York14.1History

Top 40 counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

Bronx CountyBronx County: 27.9 %27.9Kings CountyKings County: 19.8 %19.8Franklin CountyFranklin County: 18.9 %18.9St. Lawrence CountySt. Lawrence County: 18.9 %18.9Tompkins CountyTompkins County: 18.6 %18.6Delaware CountyDelaware County: 17.9 %17.9Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 17.8 %17.8Chautauqua CountyChautauqua County: 17.7 %17.7Broome CountyBroome County: 17.5 %17.5Allegany CountyAllegany County: 16.3 %16.3New York CountyNew York County: 16.3 %16.3Oswego CountyOswego County: 16.3 %16.3Oneida CountyOneida County: 16.1 %16.1Fulton CountyFulton County: 15.9 %15.9Cattaraugus CountyCattaraugus County: 15.8 %15.8Cortland CountyCortland County: 15.7 %15.7Chemung CountyChemung County: 15.3 %15.3Orleans CountyOrleans County: 15.2 %15.2Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 15.1 %15.1Sullivan CountySullivan County: 14.9 %14.9Monroe CountyMonroe County: 14.6 %14.6Erie CountyErie County: 14.5 %14.5Herkimer CountyHerkimer County: 14.3 %14.3Schoharie CountySchoharie County: 13.9 %13.9Schuyler CountySchuyler County: 13.9 %13.9Yates CountyYates County: 13.9 %13.9Clinton CountyClinton County: 13.7 %13.7Onondaga CountyOnondaga County: 13.7 %13.7Ulster CountyUlster County: 13.7 %13.7Rockland CountyRockland County: 13.3 %13.3Otsego CountyOtsego County: 13.1 %13.1Schenectady CountySchenectady County: 12.8 %12.8Steuben CountySteuben County: 12.8 %12.8Greene CountyGreene County: 12.7 %12.7Cayuga CountyCayuga County: 12.6 %12.6Chenango CountyChenango County: 12.6 %12.6Lewis CountyLewis County: 12.5 %12.5Niagara CountyNiagara County: 12.4 %12.4Queens CountyQueens County: 12.2 %12.2Wayne CountyWayne County: 12.1 %12.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Bronx County27.9-0.7 pts
2Kings County19.8-0.8 pts
3Franklin County18.9+0.5 pts
3St. Lawrence County18.9+1.4 pts
5Tompkins County18.6+0.1 pts
6Delaware County17.9+0.4 pts
7Montgomery County17.8-2.1 pts
8Chautauqua County17.7-1.5 pts
9Broome County17.5+1 pts
10Allegany County16.3-2.1 pts
10New York County16.3-0.9 pts
10Oswego County16.3-0.9 pts
13Oneida County16.1-0.2 pts
14Fulton County15.9+0.9 pts
15Cattaraugus County15.8+1.2 pts
16Cortland County15.7-0.7 pts
17Chemung County15.3+0.1 pts
18Orleans County15.20 pts
19Jefferson County15.1-0.2 pts
20Sullivan County14.9-2 pts
21Monroe County14.6-0.1 pts
22Erie County14.5+0.3 pts
23Herkimer County14.3-2 pts
24Schoharie County13.9+1.2 pts
24Schuyler County13.9-1.1 pts
24Yates County13.9-0.2 pts
27Clinton County13.7-0.7 pts
27Onondaga County13.7-0.9 pts
27Ulster County13.7-0.2 pts
30Rockland County13.3-1.1 pts
31Otsego County13.1-1.6 pts
32Schenectady County12.8+1.4 pts
32Steuben County12.8-0.4 pts
34Greene County12.7-3.7 pts
35Cayuga County12.6+0.1 pts
35Chenango County12.6-2.6 pts
37Lewis County12.5-3.3 pts
38Niagara County12.4-0.2 pts
39Queens County12.2-1.1 pts
40Wayne County12.1+1.7 pts
41Livingston County12-1.9 pts
41Seneca County12-1.5 pts
43Richmond County11.9-1.3 pts
44Washington County11.7+0.6 pts
45Rensselaer County11.5-0.1 pts
46Albany County11.3-0.8 pts
47Wyoming County11.2+1.2 pts
48Orange County10.9-1.7 pts
49Genesee County10.8-0.6 pts
49Madison County10.8-0.3 pts
51Essex County10.6-2 pts
52Columbia County10.5-2.2 pts
53Dutchess County10.1+0.9 pts
54Tioga County9.9-2.8 pts
55Hamilton County9.8-0.4 pts
56Warren County9.7-2 pts
57Ontario County9.3-0.3 pts
58Westchester County8.5-1.5 pts
59Suffolk County7-0.6 pts
60Saratoga County6.6+0.3 pts
61Nassau County6.2+0.1 pts
62Putnam County5.4-0.6 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Bronx County, with 27.9% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Putnam County, with 5.4% in 2017.

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