Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Ohio

Counties in Ohio by poverty rate

Athens County had the highest poverty rate of 88 counties in 2016, at 28.8%. Delaware County had the lowest, at 4.7%. The median was 13.1% and the figure for Ohio was 14.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest28.8Athens County
Lowest4.7Delaware County
Median13.188 counties
Ohio14.5History

Top 40 counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Athens CountyAthens County: 28.8 %28.8Scioto CountyScioto County: 22.1 %22.1Meigs CountyMeigs County: 21.1 %21.1Vinton CountyVinton County: 20.8 %20.8Gallia CountyGallia County: 20.6 %20.6Pike CountyPike County: 20.5 %20.5Adams CountyAdams County: 20.2 %20.2Highland CountyHighland County: 19.8 %19.8Lucas CountyLucas County: 19.8 %19.8Mahoning CountyMahoning County: 18.7 %18.7Morgan CountyMorgan County: 18.7 %18.7Guernsey CountyGuernsey County: 18.6 %18.6Ross CountyRoss County: 18.6 %18.6Cuyahoga CountyCuyahoga County: 18.3 %18.3Ashtabula CountyAshtabula County: 18.2 %18.2Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 18.2 %18.2Jackson CountyJackson County: 18.1 %18.1Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 17.9 %17.9Trumbull CountyTrumbull County: 17.6 %17.6Columbiana CountyColumbiana County: 17.2 %17.2Perry CountyPerry County: 17 %17Harrison CountyHarrison County: 16.8 %16.8Brown CountyBrown County: 16.7 %16.7Franklin CountyFranklin County: 16.6 %16.6Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 16.3 %16.3Fayette CountyFayette County: 16 %16Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 16 %16Richland CountyRichland County: 15.8 %15.8Belmont CountyBelmont County: 15.7 %15.7Clark CountyClark County: 15.7 %15.7Allen CountyAllen County: 15.5 %15.5Monroe CountyMonroe County: 15.2 %15.2Noble CountyNoble County: 15.1 %15.1Marion CountyMarion County: 14.8 %14.8Muskingum CountyMuskingum County: 14.8 %14.8Hocking CountyHocking County: 14.5 %14.5Crawford CountyCrawford County: 13.9 %13.9Summit CountySummit County: 13.7 %13.7Washington CountyWashington County: 13.7 %13.7Portage CountyPortage County: 13.5 %13.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Athens County28.8-2.7 pts
2Scioto County22.1-0.9 pts
3Meigs County21.1-1.7 pts
4Vinton County20.8+1.9 pts
5Gallia County20.6-1.1 pts
6Pike County20.5-0.9 pts
7Adams County20.2-1.1 pts
8Highland County19.8+1.9 pts
8Lucas County19.8+0.3 pts
10Mahoning County18.7+1.9 pts
10Morgan County18.7-0.3 pts
12Guernsey County18.60 pts
12Ross County18.6+0.8 pts
14Cuyahoga County18.3+0.1 pts
15Ashtabula County18.2-0.4 pts
15Montgomery County18.2+0.5 pts
17Jackson County18.1-2.3 pts
18Lawrence County17.9-3.1 pts
19Trumbull County17.60 pts
20Columbiana County17.2+2.5 pts
21Perry County17-1.8 pts
22Harrison County16.8+1.3 pts
23Brown County16.7+1.8 pts
24Franklin County16.6-0.5 pts
25Jefferson County16.3-1.5 pts
26Fayette County16-0.3 pts
26Hamilton County16-0.6 pts
28Richland County15.8+0.7 pts
29Belmont County15.7+1.1 pts
29Clark County15.7+0.6 pts
31Allen County15.50 pts
32Monroe County15.2-3.1 pts
33Noble County15.1+0.1 pts
34Marion County14.8-3.4 pts
34Muskingum County14.8-1.7 pts
36Hocking County14.5-1.2 pts
37Crawford County13.9-2.6 pts
38Summit County13.7-0.7 pts
38Washington County13.7-1.3 pts
40Portage County13.5-0.1 pts
41Clinton County13.4-0.2 pts
42Hardin County13.3-3.2 pts
43Pickaway County13.2+0.8 pts
43Stark County13.2-0.2 pts
45Seneca County12.9-0.7 pts
46Carroll County12.8-0.2 pts
47Coshocton County12.7-2.4 pts
47Knox County12.7-2.1 pts
47Tuscarawas County12.7-0.3 pts
50Erie County12.5-0.2 pts
51Butler County12.4-2 pts
51Lorain County12.4-1.1 pts
53Ashland County12.2-1.9 pts
53Huron County12.2-0.9 pts
53Logan County12.2+1.3 pts
53Morrow County12.2+0.9 pts
57Greene County12.1-0.6 pts
58Wayne County11.9+0.6 pts
59Madison County11.8+2.5 pts
60Holmes County11.7+0.9 pts
60Licking County11.7-0.9 pts
62Sandusky County11.6-0.6 pts
63Wood County11.4-0.3 pts
64Champaign County11.1+0.3 pts
65Preble County11-1.7 pts
66Darke County10.7+1.1 pts
66Paulding County10.7-0.2 pts
68Clermont County10.6+1.1 pts
69Defiance County10.4+0.2 pts
69Ottawa County10.4+0.7 pts
71Hancock County10-0.6 pts
72Fairfield County9.7+0.6 pts
72Williams County9.7-2.3 pts
74Miami County9.5-1.2 pts
75Shelby County9.4+0.5 pts
76Auglaize County9.2+0.5 pts
77Fulton County8.9+0.4 pts
77Van Wert County8.9-2.3 pts
79Lake County8.6+0.3 pts
79Wyandot County8.6-0.2 pts
81Henry County8.3-1.1 pts
81Putnam County8.3+1.1 pts
83Mercer County8.2+0.4 pts
84Medina County6.5-0.5 pts
85Union County6.1-1.5 pts
86Geauga County5.8-0.9 pts
87Warren County5.4+0.2 pts
88Delaware County4.7+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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Athens County, with 28.8% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Delaware County, with 4.7% 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 Ohio: more rankings