Counties in New York by poverty rate

Bronx County had the highest poverty rate of 62 counties in 2021, at 26.4%. Nassau County had the lowest, at 6.1%. The median was 13.2% and the figure for New York was 14%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest26.4Bronx County
Lowest6.1Nassau County
Median13.262 counties
New York14History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Bronx CountyBronx County: 26.4 %26.4Kings CountyKings County: 19.2 %19.2New York CountyNew York County: 17.4 %17.4Chautauqua CountyChautauqua County: 17.2 %17.2Sullivan CountySullivan County: 17.1 %17.1Franklin CountyFranklin County: 16.7 %16.7Tompkins CountyTompkins County: 16.2 %16.2Cattaraugus CountyCattaraugus County: 16.1 %16.1Orleans CountyOrleans County: 16.1 %16.1Delaware CountyDelaware County: 15.9 %15.9Oswego CountyOswego County: 15.7 %15.7Rockland CountyRockland County: 15.2 %15.2Clinton CountyClinton County: 15.1 %15.1Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 15 %15St. Lawrence CountySt. Lawrence County: 15 %15Chemung CountyChemung County: 14.9 %14.9Cayuga CountyCayuga County: 14.8 %14.8Allegany CountyAllegany County: 14.6 %14.6Oneida CountyOneida County: 14.2 %14.2Onondaga CountyOnondaga County: 14.2 %14.2Broome CountyBroome County: 14.1 %14.1Otsego CountyOtsego County: 13.8 %13.8Erie CountyErie County: 13.7 %13.7Steuben CountySteuben County: 13.7 %13.7Fulton CountyFulton County: 13.6 %13.6Queens CountyQueens County: 13.6 %13.6Schuyler CountySchuyler County: 13.6 %13.6Seneca CountySeneca County: 13.4 %13.4Chenango CountyChenango County: 13.3 %13.3Herkimer CountyHerkimer County: 13.3 %13.3Monroe CountyMonroe County: 13.3 %13.3Niagara CountyNiagara County: 13 %13Schenectady CountySchenectady County: 12.9 %12.9Schoharie CountySchoharie County: 12.9 %12.9Lewis CountyLewis County: 12.6 %12.6Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 12.4 %12.4Rensselaer CountyRensselaer County: 12.3 %12.3Washington CountyWashington County: 12.3 %12.3Orange CountyOrange County: 12.2 %12.2Livingston CountyLivingston County: 12 %12
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Bronx County26.4+2 pts
2Kings County19.2+1.4 pts
3New York County17.4+1.1 pts
4Chautauqua County17.2+2.4 pts
5Sullivan County17.1+4.4 pts
6Franklin County16.7+0.8 pts
7Tompkins County16.2+3.8 pts
8Cattaraugus County16.1-0.2 pts
8Orleans County16.1+2.9 pts
10Delaware County15.9+3.1 pts
11Oswego County15.7+1.5 pts
12Rockland County15.2+0.8 pts
13Clinton County15.1+4 pts
14Montgomery County15+3.1 pts
14St. Lawrence County15+0.3 pts
16Chemung County14.9+0.4 pts
17Cayuga County14.8+3.1 pts
18Allegany County14.6-0.5 pts
19Oneida County14.2+1.8 pts
19Onondaga County14.2+1.4 pts
21Broome County14.1-4.3 pts
22Otsego County13.8+1 pts
23Erie County13.7+0.5 pts
23Steuben County13.7+1.6 pts
25Fulton County13.6-0.3 pts
25Queens County13.6+3.3 pts
25Schuyler County13.6+1.8 pts
28Seneca County13.4+1.3 pts
29Chenango County13.3+1.8 pts
29Herkimer County13.3+1.2 pts
29Monroe County13.3-0.6 pts
32Niagara County13+1.3 pts
33Schenectady County12.9+2 pts
33Schoharie County12.9+1.9 pts
35Lewis County12.6+1.2 pts
36Jefferson County12.4-0.7 pts
37Rensselaer County12.3+1.9 pts
37Washington County12.3+1.1 pts
39Orange County12.2+1.6 pts
40Livingston County12+1.7 pts
41Albany County11.9+0.6 pts
41Richmond County11.9+1.3 pts
43Greene County11.7+0.5 pts
43Tioga County11.7+2.4 pts
45Essex County11.3+1.1 pts
45Ulster County11.3-1.4 pts
47Cortland County11-0.7 pts
48Yates County10.6-2.3 pts
49Columbia County10.5+0.3 pts
50Madison County10.40 pts
51Warren County10.2+1.3 pts
52Wayne County10+0.3 pts
53Dutchess County9.7+1.4 pts
54Genesee County9.6-0.6 pts
54Hamilton County9.6+0.9 pts
56Westchester County9.4+1.8 pts
56Wyoming County9.4-0.2 pts
58Ontario County7.8-1 pts
59Saratoga County7.7+1.4 pts
60Putnam County6.6+0.9 pts
61Suffolk County6.4+0.3 pts
62Nassau County6.1+0.4 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Bronx County, with 26.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Nassau County, with 6.1% in 2021.

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